What Do We Need To Know About "Frequency"?

The June 26 post contained a summary of what I believe may be the processes working on equine bone at speed. These are a combo of mechanical/physical/chemical and are described as slow working processes in conditioned bone that over time will produce increases in strength and fracture resistance(FR). In a practical sense as we look at those cannon bones post race we need realize that indeed things are happening in there as exemplified in part by the emanating heat that we feel, and that what we do subsequently with the horse may affect this in a positive or negative sense. Our calculation of what comes next, I think, is extremely important.

We look at this here in terms of "minimums"--what is the least we need to do to achieve and maintain race appropriate fracture resistance while understanding that as in the training of the horse Assault by Max Hirsch in days of old, we might also do a lot more!

And so, if, as the blog has surmised our speed and distance minimums for FR are 12.5 sec/f over 4f, how often need we do such speed work? How to analyze?????

Step #1 possibly is to understand that the "processes" described on June 26 are by and large temporary. If we retire the horse after the race the "bounce back" effect will operate, and so will "detraining" of the tissues involved.

Thus, what we need to know is "how to keep the positive processes going". In simple terms-- it appears to me that after passage of a certain period of time that bounce back will restore the bone to its pre-race form and there will be zero increase in FR from that work "if we wait too long" before the next speed work.

Please note that I have made some prior frequency conclusions with regard to some of the processes. I concluded that with regard to lattice compaction at the micro level, and bone glue rearrangement that bounce back will be completed within 8 days, that the 3-4 day post race period is the crucial phase when reinforcement is most effective, although there will be some reinforcement if the horse breezes in 5, 6, 7 or 8 days with the 8th day provide some minimal benefit, and by day 9 there is no benefit at all. Breezing on day 9 means the bone is starting all over.

Another way to say the above--if we have a 12 months schedule and there is speed work every 8 days there should be improvements in FR over time, and, we will eventually get there even though there might be some danger points especially early. And, we may do anything less than 8 days over time and again feel fairly comfortable the we'll get to FR somewhere along the way.

I'd decided with regard to these two processes--lattice compaction and bone glue rearrangement that Ivers probably got it right and that the point of maximum benefit is speed work every 4 days.

Since making that conclusion I have decided that possibly the most important processes in FR are the realignment of the fibrils, fibril arrays, and osteons in optimal directions and the "adherence" of fibrils to each other and arrays to each other. I'll look next to see if we can glean anything from this in terms of frequency.

Training:

Wed. 6/30 Off.

Thurs. 7/1: Riderless about 3 miles total with 2 x 1 mile spurts at about 75% speed with short rests on the turnaround in the middle of the miles + still limping Nob gets on for 5 min. walk. Neighbor arrives by horse in the middle of this. Just what we needed, but all ended well.