Question
I have an endurance gelding whose hindquarters shiver after an endurance ride. He receives Endura-Max and Preserve. What could be going on?
Answer
Muscle tremors or shivers after a ride can occur for various reasons including physical exhaustion, stress, lack of electrolytes, and tying-up. Evaluation by a veterinarian is the first step that should be taken in providing answers for this medical concern. Once any physical ailments have been ruled out, a deeper investigation into his diet should be pursued.
To prevent physical exhaustion, it is important to ensure that any horse competing in an endurance ride is fit enough for the task at hand. Endurance places significant physical demands on the horse, and thus requires proper conditioning. Weeks of fitness work should be coupled with a suitable feeding regime to ensure optimal health before, during and after the competition.
Inexperienced horses are often more high-strung and stressed at competition venues. As the horse attends more competition, his behavior will likely become more settled. Stress levels can also be decreased by ensuring the horse is receiving adequate B vitamins in his diet.
Electrolytes are a critical component of an endurance horse’s nutritional programme. By choosing Endura-Max from Kentucky Equine Research (KER), you’re certainly on the right path.
The time of feeding or administration of electrolytes can make a significant difference to recovery, and it is essential that your horse starts off the ride with adequate stores of water and electrolytes. Because the horse’s body is fine-tuned to balance the amount of electrolytes and water it stores in its body at rest, the best time to provide these additional electrolytes is the night before and the morning of the ride. Supplementation immediately before the ride should be avoided.
Boosting water stores can also be achieved through forage consumption, as increased forage in the hindgut will add to the level of water and electrolytes stored there. These stores can be called on to replace sweat losses early in the ride.
An endurance horse will lose between 45 and 60 liters of sweat during a 160-km ride, which means 460 to 690 grams of electrolytes (mainly sodium, chloride and potassium) will be lost. Therefore, water should be offered and electrolyte supplementation should be given at each stop on the ride. The most convenient way of administering electrolytes in this instance is through the use of paste. However, be aware that administering large doses of electrolytes without adequate water intake can result in serious problems, and measures should be taken to encourage drinking if the horse is reluctant. Many riders train their horses to drink molasses-flavored water to disguise taste variations, which also increases potassium consumption.
Adequate electrolyte supplementation should also be given to assist in recovery following a ride, and 120 to 240 grams of an electrolyte over a 24-hour period is recommended.
Due to the significant demands placed on them, tying-up is common amoung endurance horses. Blood tests following a ride aid diagnosis, as certain muscle enzymes will be elevated. Factors that contribute to tying-up include genetic predisposition, inadequate fitness, and insufficient antioxidant supplementation. Antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium are essential for quenching the free radicals that can build up in muscle tissue with intense, prolonged exercise.
You mention in your question that your horse is receiving Preserve, an antioxidant manufactured by KER. Provision of this supplement should quell any antioxidant problems your horse might be experiencing.
Many horses prone to tying-up also benefit from a diet low in starch and sugars, and high in fat and fibre.
