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msar-riders - [MSAR] Water and Electrolyte Balance for a MSAR Equine While on Task

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "T'mi Finkle" <tfinkle@erols.com>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] Water and Electrolyte Balance for a MSAR Equine While on Task
  • Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2010 08:29:14 -0400

Now that summer and warmer more humid weather is approaching most regions of
North America, I am wondering what other MSAR teams have in there standards
that address or reference electrolytes or flavored water for their public
safety mounts?

The topic of electrolytes has been discussed before and there has been mixed
of feelings on the issue.  While I agree the knowledge and use of
electrolytes is essential for an endurance equine or sports horse; I am not
sure if the same can be said about the routine use of electrolytes with
public safety equines. We must also keep in mind that during days with
extreme heat and humidly an operational period will likely be reduced to 4
to 6 hours, or in some cases not deployed at all (the safety of rider and
horse always come first).

With about 95 percent of MSAR task being conducted at a walk, short
distances or some just standing during passive searching assignments, are
giving electrolytes always necessary? Heat build up from extensive muscle
movement is not the same for the MSAR as it is for endurance and sport
horses; the rate of water and electrolyte between riding disciplines greatly
varies.  Most of us know that the use of electrolytes is commonly given in
endurance horses race/sport horses in training. However, it seems that many
police mounted units and many MSAR teams mostly rely on water intake (alone)
as the means to keep a public safety equine hydrated.


T’mi
www.trotsar.org     






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