Kentucky's ongoing attempt to end racing in state proceeds..

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

On the other hand, how many "therapeutic" positives are the result of indiscriminate "pre-racing"? Take the Tom Amoss case from this year. Five positives for the same medication in the span of a few weeks. Or Kiarin McLaughlin at a fall Keeneland meet a couple of years ago with multiple positives for an inhalant. Superficially, does this look like bad luck or mismanagement? Should the public reasonably be expected to accept that a significant number of horses in the same barn need to be on the same medication (never mind still be entered to race)?

I cant speak for these 2 incidences specifically but as I said before often you believe that you are playing within the rules and dont find out that they changed the speed limit on you till you get the notice that you aren't.

What the public doesnt understand is that most horses have similar issues that are treated close to the same way. Sure a valuable horse may get to have expensive therapies in conjunction with a medicine regimine that a cheaper, less valauble horse doesnt get but it isnt that different than people who have bad backs. The treatments are pretty similar.

[Cannon Shell]

I think the stomach issue is something that can be easily explained as people can relate.

It wasnt that long ago that we didnt have any idea to what extent ulcers played in the health of horses. It seems amazing now but 20 years ago very few people made much of it. When a stomach scope was developed we found that a huge majority of horses had stomach ulcers, even seemingly healthy, in-form ones might have some degree of ulcers.

Before we recognized ulcers was a problem that was causing horses to be less healthy, their coats would go bad, they would act colicky, they would get sour, form would go off. Trainers would turn those horses out (good ones at least) and let the issue sort itself out (even if they didnt know the root cause). Being turned out on a grass paddock can reduce stomach ulcers either completely or to a managable level so after a few months the horse could return to training.

Now that we understand the role ulcers play we not only can manage them with medicine (expensive medicine I might add) but take other steps to try to reduce the development of them. Instead of having to give horse 3 months off and spend 3 months bringing them back we can treat them and keep them healthier. While i'm sure that some will believe that the rest isnt so bad try owning a horse that cant race for 1/2 the year. The other issue is that just because you healed the ulcers in this instance the factors that caused them in the first place are still there. So eventually the same cycle will play over again.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

What the public doesnt understand is that most horses have similar issues that are treated close to the same way. Sure a valuable horse may get to have expensive therapies in conjunction with a medicine regimine that a cheaper, less valauble horse doesnt get but it isnt that different than people who have bad backs. The treatments are pretty similar.

From news reports, the regulators seem to claim that they make an effort to notify horsemen of changes in testing standards. I don't know how strong an effort is made or whether or not a horseman can reasonably be expected to juggle all the rules, changes, withdrawals, etc., especially if he's operating in more than one jurisdiction.

However, back to the pre-race regimens, how likely is it that these are typically "cookbooked", in the sense that every horse from the same barn gets the same treatment? Does this seem apporpriate form a "horsemanship" standpoint? Furthermore, what is the dominant thought process behind the administration of pre-race treamtents? What the horse actually needs? What the horse received when he (or a stablemate) was last successful? What the rules/withdrawal times allow? What "levels the playing field"?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

From news reports, the regulators seem to claim that they make an effort to notify horsemen of changes in testing standards. I don't know how strong an effort is made or whether or not a horseman can reasonably be expected to juggle all the rules, changes, withdrawals, etc., especially if he's operating in more than one jurisdiction.

However, back to the pre-race regimens, how likely is it that these are typically "cookbooked", in the sense that every horse from the same barn gets the same treatment? Does this seem apporpriate form a "horsemanship" standpoint? Furthermore, what is the dominant thought process behind the administration of pre-race treamtents? What the horse actually needs? What the horse received when he (or a stablemate) was last successful? What the rules/withdrawal times allow? What "levels the playing field"?

They dont tell us squat for the most part. Racing labs/commissions for the most part treat horsemen as potential criminals that they are looking to get. Labs use positive tests as resume builders.

As for the other questions I'm too tired to answer properly but there is a pretty wide range of opinions (among vets and trainers) as to what should be given, when and even the effectiveness of any of it.

[Sightseek]

http://www.flairstrips.com/wp-conten...-Camp-2011.pdf

A good presentation on how the lungs work in a horse.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

http://www.flairstrips.com/wp-conten...-Camp-2011.pdf

A good presentation on how the lungs work in a horse.

What a great little reference booklet re: this subject. Thanks.

Every speed sport comes down to this:

"He whose cellular ATP lasts the longest, wins"

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

http://www.flairstrips.com/wp-conten...-Camp-2011.pdf

A good presentation on how the lungs work in a horse.

Thanks for the link. I read and it certainly was very informative. My one question would be if a horse only breathes through the nose, why are tongue ties used?

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Bill K

Thanks for the link. I read and it certainly was very informative. My one question would be if a horse only breathes through the nose, why are tongue ties used?

To keep the horse from getting it's tongue up over the bit = out of control horse.

Some think a tongue tie helps prevent dorsal displacement of the soft palate while racing, but there's not alot of real evidence it works to do that.