Electrolytes 101
The electrolyte panel at the ECTRA Annual Convention was the reason I got out of bed on my one day off of the week and drove to New London. Electrolytes confuse me and I know that figuring out electrolytes is one of the keys to doing better with John at the rides. I took six pages of notes, have a ton more questions and the lead to some great reading material that will better help me understand electrolytes. Here is a brief synopsis: - Horses with a potassium deficiency will have trouble pulsing down. This might be a key to helping John pulse down (that and getting him to relax and focus which I think is a bigger piece of the puzzle than potassium) - Horses do not have a thirst reflex like we do - you know when you feel thirsty after working. That is why we give them electrolytes, so that they get thirsty and drink. - The US Endurance team over-electrolyted their horses at one competition in Dubai (many years ago) and ended up having horses that were way too hydrated and nearly passe