Lactic acid build up during XC

[MagicMelon]

So I have a horse who I've tried doing XC with a few times, she gets around 3/4 of the way round a course perfectly happily then its like she completely loses power and siezes up, she slows to literally a snails walk and prefers to stand. If I let her stand for say 1-2 minutes she will suddenly perk up and off we go again with no further issues. It's not napping, I've had nappy horses and this is absolutely not what's happening. It's like her brain zones out at the same time.

She has a shiver in a hind leg and has tied up twice just randomly at home in the field (she lives out 24/7).

She's on a high vit e and high spec vit&min supplement and gets regular electrolytes but I feel she's predisposed to having excess lactic acid. Can anyone recommend anything I can do about it or do I just give up on XC? She mainly showjumping and it's never happened during that or when ridden at home (although I don't have the space to do lots of fast work).

 

[SEL]

Presumably you've already ruled out PSSM? If a horse with a lot of blood in the breeding then it could also be RER which would require a muscle biopsy to confirm or asking the vet to pull bloods following a tying up episode (including planting on x-country) to look at CK and AST levels. I understand the brain zoning out because my PSSM mare would do the same and I can only think it is a pain response.

If not PSSM tying up comes down to 1) not fit enough for the work you are asking - and that's generally not doing enough faster work. or 2) incorrect feeding for the work she is doing.

Its actually rarely lactic acid with horses when they tie up.

If you are regularly galloping for the period of time she would be doing x-country then I'd have a look at your feeding regime. I found that higher energy food before galloping really helped (higher sugar grass nuts rather than cereal) and feeding post exercise needed to include something to replenish glucose levels along with a protein supplement (more grass nuts but with tri aminos added as well as electrolytes)

My PSSM one got retired after she damaged a suspensory but avoiding tying up became my specialist subject for a good many years and I still feed accordingly for faster work even with the 'normal' horses

 

[GrassChop]

An L-Carnetine supplement I believe is designed to reduce lactic acid, like this one for example:

Equine Products UK L-Carnitine 1KG

FOR FAT METABOLISM & LACTIC ACID BUFFER L-Carnitine is an essential co-factor in muscle metabolism, during exercise, forming the transport system which moves fatty acid into the mitochondria (cell furnaces) for energy production. L-Carnitine also acts as a physiological buffer in inhibiting the...

equineproducts-ukltd.com

First one I picked when I googled it so I can't say whether that particular one is any good.

 

[I'm Dun]

It's very rare to tie up without some sort of muscle disorder. I'd revisit that before I looked into lactic acid, as that would be less likely. Do you know what selenium levels are like in your area/the feed, etc.?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

If not PSSM tying up comes down to 1) not fit enough for the work you are asking - and that's generally not doing enough faster work. or 2) incorrect feeding for the work she is doing.

Its actually rarely lactic acid with horses when they tie up.

This is interesting, I did not know that!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

deleted, wrong thread

 

[LEC]

Mares are much more prone to tying up. I know Alex Bragg with Quindiva has to make sure she is fed absolutely correctly and it would be worth analysing from scratch with a good horse nutritionist if you are feeding everything you should be. I am obsessed with daily salt, an amazing vits and mins and then a gut supplement which pro and prebiotic.

 

[maya2008]

That screams pssm to me. That said, the solution is to pay more attention to fitness and look at diet, which would benefit any horse so is definitely worth a try now. Lower the sugar, up the work on a daily basis (especially canter) so the horse is fit enough.

 

[SEL]

This is interesting, I did not know that!

There's proper sciencey stuff proving it isn't lactic acid!

Mainly via the racing industry so focused on blood horses and - as LEC as said above - various bits of research as to why mares are more susceptible.

I became a proper nutrition nerd with my PSSM mare but its been really useful generally. Understanding quick release sugars, replenishment of glycogen stores in the muscles and how useful it is to feed protein after exercise all help with even small cobs - although my super fit younger cob still hates me trying to feed him salt