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F I T T E N I NG
SUMMER 2012 ISSUE
EQUINE MATTERS
14
Example of diet strategy using
the endurance model:
1.
In training, increase fibre and fat.
2.
Before the competition, use fibres with
high water holding ability (like sugar
beet) and avoid starch 4 to 5 hours
before the competition begins (avoid
high blood glucose at the start).
3.
During the competition, feed long and
short chopped fibre to increase water
holding and gut bulk to maintain
motility and use sugar and starch
‘little and often’ to maintain blood
sugar levels.
4.
Afterwards, feed to improve water
and electrolyte status and to replenish
muscle and liver glycogen stores.
SOUNDNESS:
Lameness can be defined as the inability
to maintain a normal gait either while
weight-bearing or during the leg's swinging
motion due to pain or mechanical restriction.
From the point of view of performance, the
emphasis has to be put on prevention of
injury rather on the treatment of it.
As seen above, proper feeding will ensure a
correct muscle metabolism tailored for each
type of exercise. The correct shoeing for each
horse is the thing that takes into account the
nature of the exercise required as much as the
starting balance of the foot and the presence
of a conformation abnormality. There is a
strong case to be made for a continuous
administration of joint supplements in
competition horses to help protect the joints
from the repeated concussion and to,
therefore, delay the onset of arthritis.
FITNESS:
1.
monitoring the heart rate as a
response to competition
2.
monitoring the weight and body
condition losses and their recovery
3.
determine the levels of muscle enzymes
and lactate from blood samples.
1.
increase aerobic capacity (ability to
sustain a set level of exercise)
2.
increase speed
3.
increase strength
4.
delay onset of fatigue
Initially, there is a need for a careful
and as comprehensive as possible
assessment of the fitness of the horse.
Such assessment can be achieved by:
Fitness is achieved by training which
aims to:
The less technical the sport, the higher the
importance of training, in achieving the
optimal fitness.
In order to reduce the possibility of
fatigue and injury by over-training,
consider ‘tapering’ which means gradually
reducing the intensity of the training before
the competition.
In order to achieve peak fitness and to
influence the performance, train by going
for the intense, short exercise (which
increases the level of muscle fitness while
reducing the chances of injury) rather than
the long relaxed programme. Exercising
during the hottest part of the day will
acclimatise the horse to warmer climates.
Hill work (up, down and more importantly,
sideways) teaches the horse how to balance
his feet.
Progress in training is achieved by following
a standardised exercise test where we can
measure heart rate against different levels of
intensity during exercise, all this supported
by monitoring muscle enzymes by blood
sampling. Finally, a healthy and fit horse will
perform better than a more talented but unfit
one and will be free from the guilt-laden
competition-related injuries.