Frequency Conclusions II

Summaries of the trainer stats have now been inserted into that last post. Anybody interested where those came from may look at the detailed look at those trainers on this blog prior to 1/29/09.

And so--I am now ready to pronounce my personal conclusions, first with regard to each individual process that has been identified as playing a role in fracture resistance, and also then an overall conclusion that will represent my belief how often a horse minimally needs to do speed work to stay sound.

Begin with again listing each process, and the a brief discussion.

contraction/compaction (increase density) of the mineral lattice--this one has already been concluded--the minimum to maintain this is 8 days.

increase in bone glue proteins that hold everything together--this one also, the minimum necessary to maintain the effect is 8 days.

adherence between some fibrils creating a stronger structure--the basic idea here is that the pressure, force, and concussion of the speed work pushes certain fibrils closer together reducing the nano-distances between them until e.g. two bone fibrils essentially adhere as one. Larger groups of fibrils at locations along the angle of force may do the same, thus creating a stronger structure. Adherence is probably an important component of what happens in the cannon bone of horses that do frequent speed work and galloping. What happens then if the horse fails to go back to the track for speed work within a specific time. When 2 fibrils are squeezed together during the race, and then kept together post race by increases in heat and sticky bone glue proteins they will still have, by inertia, the tendency to revert back to their original positions. Adherence is one of of the properties that probably needs quick additional speed work to reinforce itself and cause the fibrils to stick together permanently. My conclusion is that the minimum necessary here probably is about 5 days. If there is no speed work within 5 days of the race, suspect the fibrils will simply return to their pre race spacing. If there is speed work within the 5 day period, over time there would be a tendency of certain specific fibrils to permanently adhere.

Continue next post.

Training:

Tues. 11/23: The 36 hr. rest between training is working out very well. It seems that the extra rest increases the "quality" of the w/o that is possible as well as the volume that myself as trainer feels comfortable with. The horses certainly are more enthusiastic than a daily grind, and wind up doing substantially more work in terms of volume. With this protocol I have been able without problems to extend riderless speed work heats over up to 4 miles. Were we somehow to be able to maintain this schedule at a race track, suspect the volume of speed work that is possible under tack could also safely be dramatically increased.

This date: 4 times up and down the hill, trot-gallop, about 15 min. under tack. The gallop was slow as the horse finally got into it middle of heat 4. Riderless in light mud, they were really into it on a brisk night--I lost count. There were a couple of full speed 4f heats with the horses chasing each other all the way, and several 2-3f heats a little slower as well as a final slower mile. Full rests between.