July 2010

Some processes, minimums over time (12 months) would be every 8 days speed work. I.e. if over a 12 month period the horse is taken fast once every 8 days it will eventually get to fracture resistance. Since waiting to the 8th day for the next speed work is the absolute minimum, and, because there is much less FR reinforcement by working on the 8th day instead of e.g. the 4th day, there would be danger points early in the 12 month period. Thinking you get full FR after about 12 months, going once every 8 days. Processes referred to in this regard:

lattice compaction that results in greater density, and

increase in buttressing volume of bone glue proteins and their sacrificial bonds which hold everything together.

However, have concluded the largest FR effects from speed work are realignment and rearrangement of materials. How often for this effect to be reinforced-- is the Q presented in July.

Why does your arthritis disappear when you exercise consistently? My theory is realignment of the bone fibrils at the nano level in the correct directions (instead of randomly, which makes them much weaker), and also adherence of many fibrils to each other (they are pressed together by the exercise), also increasing strength.

Degree or amount of adherence and alignment will vary widely over the whole of the bone. Depends where the pressure points are from the concussive effort! Some areas of the bone--shins, condylar aspects, very affected. Other parts, much less so!

Thinking that in any given speed work these changes are minor instead of extensive. It is the accumulation of speed work that causes the changes, and, as bone matures in terms of FR there will be less and less positive change with each speed work!

We do educated guess work considering the nature of the materials. What is the situation with the individual bone fibril post race on day #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8 and so on.

Considering this:

Days #1 and #2--i.e. 48 hrs. post race, there'll be little bounce back due to post race heat that keeps everything congealed together.

Day #3: Bounce back has begun and bone tissue is believed in full bounce back mode. Bounce back, though is slow and steady, instead of immediate and fast. Breezing on Day #3 will certainly recongeal everything and give max benefit IF excess damage and bone cell destruction over time could be avoided. I've previously opined that every 3 days is too frequent due to accumulating damage over time.

Day #4: 50% of bounce back has completed.

Day #5: the fibrils most resistant to bounce back are beginning to stir!

Days #6-8: somewhere in there bounce back will be nearing 100%.

Taking the horse back to the track will reverse bounce back. July ends with speculation whether in the above the calcification process should be taken into account.

Training: Like every other month of 2010 July was completely waterlogged. This contrasts with October were we're now in our 3rd straight week of dry. Got them almost back to their conditioning state at the end of the dry months of August. It's after the 3 week period that we start to make progress? Will the dry continue? Looking like it, right now!

Thurs. 10/21: Off.

Fri. 10/22: After the warm up, about 2.5 miles riderless continuous very snappy. Probably :16s with some :15s. Horse was then trotted under tack for 1 mile.