The needs of the Raid horse
Sunday 15 May 2022The discipline of Raid, originated in the United States, has become one of the most popular equestrian sports. In this sport, the speed, skill and physical and psychological resistance of the horse and raider are important since both must cover long distances together in a day, through very different terrains, and against the clock.
The rider's strategy is very important: he must have the capacity and skill to dose his horse's effort and maintain an adequate pace during the test. At the end of the different stages of the race, the horse has to go through veterinary control, more commonly called 'vet-gate', where the veterinarian will assess parameters such as cardiac and respiratory rates, the degree of dehydration, and the presence of lameness, among others.
In order to continue, the horse must pass the inspection and reach the established values. During these stops, the race time continues to count, so a winning horse must recover quickly and correctly.
Commonly, raid horses tend to be small (between 405-495kg), with thin characteristics that favor ease of movement and thermoregulation. Large or heavy horses have more difficulties obtaining good results due to a greater risk of lameness and metabolic problems. On the other hand, a horse that is too thin can also be a disadvantage during long rides because they have less available energy stored.
The nutritional needs of a raid horse are unique and very different compared to horses in other equestrian disciplines. The metabolic demands of endurance racing are very high, requiring the horse to make the most of its energy reserves to stimulate muscle contraction among other functions during exercise. We know that depleted energy stores, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances can contribute to poor performance and fatigue. Therefore, optimal performance depends to a large extent on a good nutritional approach.
The physical conditions required to complete a raid test are very demanding, and for this reason, we must carry out constant and intense daily work training. The contribution of nutritional support will facilitate the preparation of the horse and a faster physical evolution to be ready for the raid. The vital nutritional factors for endurance horses are energy, water and electrolytes. Energy requirements vary depending on the horse's body weight and activity level.
Next, we will discuss how we can help the athlete's horse nutritionally, emphasizing the most important nutrients before, during, and after the race.
JOINTS AND INFLAMMATIONS
The joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles of the horse are constantly under stress. If the demand of exercise exceeds the body's ability to adapt and regenerate, injury occurs, which almost always begins with inflammation.
It is important to provide nutritional supplements capable of preventing these situations and, in the case of injury, helping in the recovery process. Joint supplements reduce inflammation, increase mobility, and improve general joint health.
Chondroprotective agents are the most popular supplements in the horse world. A good chondroprotective must contain glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM).
ARTI EQUIFLEX PLUS is unique due to its high concentration of hyaluronic acid, with 88g/kg achieves ideal absorption and bioavailability via the oral route, which means that the joint receives the necessary nutrients to be nourished and replenished.
WATER AND ELECTROLYTES
With sweating, horses lose a significant amount of body salts. When salts are lost, especially sodium, thirst decreases, and the horse loses interest in drinking, even when it is most important for his well-being. Likewise, only drinking pure water in these cases can worsen the problem since it dilutes the concentration of salts that remain in the blood. Electrolyte deficiency often leads to neuromuscular depression, where the muscles respond slowly or not at all to nerve signals.
HYDRABOOST is a fast and highly absorbed rehydrant oral gel that is easy to administer. Contains Glycine for better electrolyte absorption.
ENERGY AND PERFORMANCE
The fuel for the muscles of an equine athlete is a combination of glycogen (the main store of carbohydrates), glucose (sugar) and fatty acids. During intense working periods, the muscle's demands for these nutrients increase.
Omega 3 and 6 are sources of fatty acids. The energy that comes from the oils is released slowly, making it ideal for prolonging performance and reducing the excitability associated with diets with high cereal content. It produces more energy than the same weight of protein and carbohydrates. Therefore, we get more energy with less food.
OMEGA OIL is a mixture of natural oils rich in the essential fatty acids omega 3, 6 and 9. It provides more energy. It is important to gradually introduce it into the diet, starting with 2 measures/day and increasing the dose after 2 weeks, according to the horse's activity.
HAEMATINIC contains IRON, COPPER, ZINC, group B VITAMINES, PROTEINS AND ANTIOXIDANTS. Promotes the formation of red blood cells, covers the needs of the muscle, and combines all the necessary ingredients to achieve the best physical performance.
During competition, we can administer the TRIAMIN PRO BURST syringe before or during the race. This syringe provides strength for high performance by providing energy quickly and easily with glucose, electrolytes, aminoacids and vitamins in one application.
RESISTE MAX contains GLUTATIONE, M.S.M., E VITAMIN and ANTIOXIDANTS providing maximum muscular resistance and increasing the endurance of competition horses. Avoiding cramps or tying up. Very effective for when muscle function is compromised by great efforts.
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
The good bacteria and yeasts found naturally in the horse's digestive tract live in a delicate balance. Stress, food, dehydration, or other factors can affect the balance of prebiotics and probiotics, causing diarrhea or digestive disorders.
FLORYBOOST
Prebiotics to protect the gut flora. It quickly covers the intestinal tract in cases of diarrhea or digestive disorders. Contains a specific clay capable of covering the walls of the intestine and absorbing toxins and other aggressive agents. Plus, it contains necessary electrolytes to make up for the loss and restore your balance again.
GASTRIAID is the best option to provide daily protection for gastric problems. Absorbs the excess acid, helps fiber absorption and maintains pH. Contains antiacids, prebiotics and probiotics which offer the maintenance and protection that the stomach needs.
RECOVERY
After the competition, sport horses tend to suffer from general exhaustion, sore, fatigued muscles, etc. Recovery can be a very slow process, worsening their performance. After an intense workout, a good recovery is key during competition to go through the vet gate without problems and continue the race, or once the raid is over, to be able to return to daily training without losing physique. Tactics used in all events, such as spraying liters and liters of water, are very effective in lowering the heart rate of the equine athlete. Supplements like RECOVER can help the horse reduce recovery time much faster.
RECOVER is an innovative restorative with an antioxidant and antiinflammatory formula that relaxes muscles, eliminates toxins, and improves the general condition of the horse. Contains MSM, Magnesium Chloride, Turmeric and Rosehip among other ingredients.
ICE COOL is an effective clay formulated with Hamamelis and Arnica, with an invigorating action for tendons, providing instant cold and reducing swelling.
