| It can be difficult to distinguish when your horse has too much energy (too hot) and when your horse is metabolically deficient which can demonstrate itself by a lack of Controlled Energy Release (CER). Most horse owners, trainers do not have a background in science and these types of articles or conversations cause nothing but headaches and nosebleeds but knowing some basic scientific concepts can have a dramatic impact on the training program and the overall wellness of your horse. It is not uncommon to see cutters having a rider lope their horses down for a prolonged period of time, an hour and sometimes longer to have the horse ready for a 2 � minute event in which you may cut 2-3 cows, maybe 4. After this amount of exercise prior to the actual event, the horse will be seemingly more calm primarily because the horse is tired. The most common complaints I hear at a cutting event are �..�bad cows, hot crazy cows� and a lot of similar more colorful comments. If you need to lope your horse down for and hour or so�.those cows might appear to be hot, fast or rank because your horse is too tired or is it metabolically burned out? Cutters will tell you how hard it is for horses to work 2 1/2 minutes in 4-6 inches of sand, which I agree, especially after loping for 45 minutes or more. In my experience most working cow horses are fed alfalfa�..With that being said, you have the basis for a seemingly hot horse, but not because of too many unburned carbohydrates or fats, rather from metabolic burn out. Alfalfa is very high in Calcium, so high that any Phosphates in the diet are being lost in the gut of the horse. With the loss of available Phosphates, the cells ability to regulate the control rates of energy is diminished. If the cells ability to store and release energy in the form of ATP to ADP is compromised, it would stand to reason the muscle cells would have difficulty regulating the rate at which energy would be available to fuel metabolic reactions. At the same time this Calcium/Phosphate imbalance is occurring, the ability of the gut to absorb Magnesium is diminished, once again the energy production or release of energy of the horse is negatively affected. Magnesium is the catalyst in many cellular reactions most importantly, it activates the ATP and all changes of ATP to ADP��bottom line�.Controlled Release of Energy is negatively affected. Many a horse owner/trainer will argue that this negative aspect of alfalfa can be avoided by feeding only 3rd and 4th cut alfalfa! I do know that 3rd and 4th cut alfalfa has less stems and more leaf since it has been pruned a few times but I am unaware that 3rd and 4th cut alfalfa is genetically altered to be a different plant. Simply put�.alfalfa is still alfalfa regardless of how many times it is cut. Magnesium plays a very vital role in maintaining a more relaxed state with the neuromuscular activity of the horse. If the horse is loped and loped and loped some more, sweating will occur which will further deplete the horse�s mineral and trace element reserves. If this balance is lost the horse may tie up which everyone will recognize. What about the horse which does not tie up yet is still out of balance? Rarely is it as simple as �Either Or�. Compounding this imbalance phenomenon is the treatment of horses after their work or showing event. It has been my observation, that the horse is worked, washed and put in a stall or tied to a trailer. Just how does the horse get the opportunity to eliminate the lactic acid from the muscle tissue after the exercise or that loping, loping and more loping? It doesn�t! Back in the day, to the degree you worked the horse you walked the horse to allow for lactic acid elimination. Yet another metabolic problem. How does your horse work fresh or recover on a cellular level without the proper time to eliminate the lactic acid build up? We have all seen good or great horses with good or great trainers fall to pieces in the Finals. Quite tragic given the pay out in time�.. breeding, foaling, feeding, Vet, Chiro, dental care, farrier, expense of training, showing, transportation, fees, boarding, hotel, etc... due to an accident or frank injury. If your horse falls to pieces in the Finals because the horse had metabolic burn out�.you know the lines�.�ran out of gas�, �no legs�, �no lungs�, �hit bottom�, �no grit�, �stupid�, bla, bla bla�.this would be INEXCUSABLE!!!!!!! Ensure your nutritional program is not hollow! I dare say if horse people did not have Chevy, Ford or Dodge trucks and they used their horses as they do in modern times, a lot of horse people would be walking. Back in the day, when the horse was the primary mode of transportation, loss of a horse might mean death to the rider. Which is why if convicted or guilty of stealing a horse, a capital offense, was dealt with by �hanging by the neck until dead�. Due in part that being afoot may be a matter of life and death on the frontier. Having a shiny coat is not the best indicator of a horse�s well being and should not build a great deal of confidence that the nutritional needs of a horse are being met. If a shiny coat is all that it takes to satisfy your nutritional confidence as a horse owner or trainer add enough flaxseed meal (omega 3s) to the diet and a shiny coat you will get. Car wax will do the same for a car or truck but will do little for the performance of the vehicle. But in both cases the horse or vehicle will look good��As Fernando Lamas said many times��It is better to look good than to feel good�, Billy Crystal of Saturday Night Live made millions uttering this line. Building confidence in your horse�s training program or general well being is a team work proposition, the right trainer for the horse, proper veterinary care, chiropractic care, hoof care (farrier, trimming) dental care and all of this hinges on proper and timely nutrition to include feed and the synergistic combination or formula of minerals, vitamins and trace elements that will not be met with just an alfalfa, grass or oat hay diet. If you have questions or doubts about your current nutritional program and would like to go over the guaranteed analysis feel free to contact me�.Either you confirm your current program as the best possible solution for the money spent or you find a better more specific solution for your nutritional programs for the money spent. Copyright � Dr. Mackie Hartwig, D.C., C.V.P.C. All rights reserved. |
| When In Doubt....Lope 'Em? |
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