Tevis Forum 2014

80 ★ TEVIS FORUM 2014 Happy Hour Daily from 3 to 6 p.m. 13470 Lincoln Way in Auburn 530.823.5333 On Lincoln Way (Foresthill exit off I-80) MOST MENU ITEMS UNDER $10! Fish Tacos • Soups • Salads Pork Mojo Sandwiches Chicken Curry Burritos • Pasta Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free options Body Condition Scoring the Tevis Horse (continued from page 37) less weight down the road, it also has very little range before running out of gas---literally. Likewise, a thin horse lacks the adequate body fat stores needed to supply energy over a 100-mile course. Regard- less of the type of feed provided during the ride itself, the vast majority of energy for endurance exercise comes from oxidizing onboard body fat stores, and cannot be substituted for anything else, including high-fat rations fed during the ride. In a thin horse, the lack of adequate visible body fat is an indicator that the horse is in a negative energy balance and burningmore calories on a day-to-day basis than is being sup- plied in the diet. As a result, the body burns not onlywhatever body fat is available, but will additionally break down lean muscle mass to supply energy demands. As a result, a thin, over-conditioned horse has less availablemuscle available for work, regardless of the amount of training and conditioning that has gone into preparation. Such a horse is going to deplete energy stores more rapidly and fatigue sooner than a horse that has been managed to maintain adequate body fat stores. If a BCS of 4 – 5 is ideal, would Tevis horses do even better at an even higher condition score? As with all good things, there’s a point at which “enough” becomes “toomuch.” Even during rides which take place in much cooler weather than a typical Tevis, endurance horses release a tremendous amount of heat as a by-product of muscle contraction. A horse cov- ering 100 miles of completely level trail under cool and dry conditions will nevertheless release enough heat to melt 300 pounds of ice and then bring that water to a full boil. As such, a horse ready to tackle the Tevis trail needs enough flesh to indicate sufficient fuel stores without carrying so much fat as to provide an extra insulating barrier to heat dissipation. Just as a horse’s top line should not look ‘peaky’ with a negative crease, neither should it show an obvious positive crease or dip running down the center. If the ribs not only cannot be seen, but also cannot be felt with the flat of the hand, your horse might handle the heat better with a few less pounds. Whether too thin or too fleshy, carefully consider whether your horse is truly ready for a course as challenging as Tevis this year. Have a great ride and good luck!  Condition Completion Average Miles Score Rate Completed 1.5 (extremely thin)** 0.0 22.35 2.0 (very thin)** 0.0 26.10 2.5 (very thin)** 0.0 33.08 3.0 (thin) 9.5 53.0 3.5 56.5 75.8 4.0 (moderately thin) 59.1 79.9 4.5 64.3 87.7 5.0 (moderate or “ideal”) 90.7 98.2 **As part of the equine welfare program instituted this year, Tevis horses presenting at the pre-ride check with body condition scores of less than 3 will not be allowed to start.