AQHA MAGAZINE March / April 2020 AQHA March-April 2020 PRINT (1)High Res | Page 30

PG.28
HORSE HEALTH
Energy to make muscle glycogen comes from carbs
in grains (preferably oats) and fermentation of beet
pulp, oil, hay and pasture. Combining energy with
anti-oxidants, carbohydrate and certain essential
amino acids enhances glycogen repletion. The speed
with which muscle is refuelled is dependent upon the
timing of post-work carbohydrate intake – ie whether
it is consumed immediately following work or several
hours later. It is preferable that carbohydrates be given
½ to 1 hour after work. Standard feeding routines fall
a long way short of meeting the muscles requirements
and without strategic provision of carbs in the hours
immediately after exercise, muscle refuelling can take
over 72 hours. Clear cut and obvious differences occur
between horses fed a small amount of a carb/protein/
anti-oxidant supplement hourly after work and those
that are left to their own devices.
ELECTROLYTES AND REHYDRATION:
Muscle enzyme systems operate smoothly within a
very narrow range of temperature and pH. The ability
to effectively eliminate heat while exercising is very
important to performance. Post-exercise dehydration
is a key contributor to slow muscle glycogen
replenishment
in
horses.
Correct
rehydration with fluid and electrolyte
supplementation after exercise
enhances muscle glycogen
resynthesis
during
the
recovery period. During 3
hours of steady trotting in
21°C and 45% humidity, a
horse can lose 25kg in sweat
and 250g (= 8 tablespoons)
of electrolytes. At 35°C,
blood sodium levels are
decreased for up to 26 hours
after exercise and even with a
daily salt intake of 38g (1 heaped
tablespoon), it can take several days to
compensate for the sodium loss.
For horses doing moderate daily exercise in cool to
moderate temperatures, 25g twice a day increasing to
50g twice a day in hot weather is a good rule-of-thumb.
A mix of 3 parts table salt (NaCl) and 1 part potassium
chloride can be made into a paste (with apple sauce
or other palatable carrier) and horses given 75 grams
after work. They must have free access to clean water.
Inadequate electrolyte intake can limit sweat production
in extreme cases, but more often it impacts performance
and recovery through dehydration. Clipped horses have
a more efficient power output and recover quicker in
hot and colder weather. And horses that travel need to
be allowed time to recover – especially if feed and water
consumption is reduced during travel. Preparing them
for travel with electrolyte paste and access to clean
water several hours before and again after transport can
help maintain hydration and support recovery.
CARING FOR LEGS:
Generally, cold poultices are best for acute injuries, bites,
stings and after exercise. Used to reduce pain, minimise
swelling and decrease inflammation, they are a form of
‘cold therapy’. Although cold-hosing and ice are more
effective for cooling, they are not always available and a
clay-based, cooling poultice is an alternative option for
drawing heat from legs after work. As the clay begins to
dry, it draws fluid from the tissues underneath and as
the poultice water evaporates, it takes the heat with it.
This is similar to icing an injured area, but a poultice can
provide hours of therapy. The heat from your horse’s leg
will gradually warm up the poultice, and if a bandage is
placed over the poultice it can cause the area to heat up
even more. To reduce this, a damp cloth or moistened
brown paper can be placed between the two to keep
the poultice and the area moist and cool for longer.
Because cold therapy poultices help to
reduce pain and minimise swelling,
a good practice is to use them
as a preventative therapy for
muscles, tendons, ligaments
and joints both before and after
exercise. Usually based on clay
or salt they are cooled in the
fridge and then spread thickly
on the cannon bones, tendons
and ligaments of the legs – and
more is better! After hard work
the poultice is applied to all four
legs and covered with a damp cloth or
paper. The temporary cooling and natural
astringent properties help minimise swelling,
soreness, stiffness, inflammation and support faster
recovery.
PERIODS OF RECOVERY HELP
PREVENT OVERTRAINING:
Finally, adequate recovery between training sessions is
crucial because the tissue damage may persist for 3-5
days and much longer in young horses just beginning
training. The basic determinants of muscle strength
and size, are the work intensity and the interaction
between food intake and work intensity. There is a
certain threshold of exercise intensity, below which
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