Saline / Salt Drenches

[The Insider]

Can anybody provide a recipe for Salt/Saline drenches that are administered by stomach tube. My vet makes vast quantities of this mixture, but will not elaborate on the ingredients ( obviously to protect his income). I am sure that there are many variants to the standard potassium, bicarb mixture but I would love some help.

[hurrikane]

in reference too
http://www.harness.org.au/99wldcon/PKOHNKE3.HTM

Electrolytes

The requirement for electrolyte or body salt replacement is relative to the speed and duration of exercise, sweat loss and climatic conditions under which a horse is working.

Studies have indicated that the provision of adequate water and a daily intake of electrolytes helps prevent dehydration, maintains the appetite and performance in racing horses.

Conditioning a Standardbred horse by jogging for extended periods of 30-40 minutes daily under hot, humid conditions will result in a sweat loss of 15-20 litres daily, or even higher volumes of 10-11 litres per hour during very hot weather. High sweat losses of potassium and chloride salts daily over a 3-4 week period, can result in an elevation of bicarbonate or alkaline levels in the blood, referred to as ‘hypochloraemic alkalosis’ due to excess chloride loss. Elevated blood alkaline levels may eventually lead to symptoms of thickwindedness or ‘blowing’ during and after hard exercise, often commonly referred to as being ‘fat inside’. When extra work is given to overcome the ‘fat inside’ condition, the heavier sweat loss results in prolonged ‘blowing’ after exercise although it is not due to excessive fat in the gut, lungs or around the heart. More severely affected horses become ‘spooky’ and may shadow jump, and are also more likely to break at the barrier. Daily supplementation with a high potassium electrolyte mix containing at least 20% potassium and 30% chloride will help to correct and prevent the alkalosis condition.

During early training under cool conditions, a supplement of 45-60g (3-4 tablespoons) of salt (sodium chloride) will normally meet electrolyte needs of a horse on a standard grain and hay diet. A horse that is nervy, or sweats heavily during conditioning work or hot weather, will benefit from additional potassium and chloride salts.
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What I found interesting in researching this was a number of things vets and tariners do to train a horse for racing. all of them legal and having dramatic effect on a horses performance.

I just want to say what I have always said. It's not always drugs that makes a horse run better overnight. Ummmm...gee...it could be a competent trainer too...