Frequency Conclusions V

Long post. Conclusion at end.

How often need the horse do speed work to get any calcium producing effect at all?

Complex question. What follows is purely educated guesswork.

Begin with the assumption that the force and concussion of race, the crunching of the mineral lattice, has very little to do with stimulating calcification other than to create diffuse micro damage (theorized to be 1% of bone bone cells per work in appropriately trained horse). In the damaged part of the bone they do know that the osteoclast/blast system will commence immediately to repair the damage.

The other density or size increasing processes that have been (on this blog) theorized:

1. Increase in number of HA crystals within the single developing collagen fibril.

2. Increase in number of HA mineral rings on the exterior skin of the fibril.

3. Calcium crystals flowing to dead or weak areas due to calcium receptors

None of those seem logically to be connected with concussion from speed work.

Instead possibly these three processes might be stimulated by post race increases in heat and circulation, and therein probably lies the key to calculating frequency in terms of calcification!!!

Take note that whatever stimulates initial calcification (unknown to the researchers) the start takes place at the nano-level resulting from chemical-physical processes involving mineral ions, atoms, catalysts, genes, temperature, pressure, etc. all in some still mysterious combo.

For purpose here we need only understand that very possibly post race heat and circulation will jump start this process, initiate calcification in certain ways described above, and then the heat and circulation resulting from the race will subside within 48 hours.

If then, our horse is trained by Preston Burch, 72-96 hrs. post race the horse will go out and work again, and thus within exactly 48 hrs. of initial heat/circulation subsiding this same condition is reproduced, and in Burch training, over and over and over. We might assume in this sort of exercise protocol there is an on-going and very vigorous chemical physical calcification process that will optimize cannon bone strength except as limited where damage overbears new growth (see the Sept. 2008 thereabout posts for the damage process).

The question then becomes--how long can the horse go without additional speed work to keep the calcification process going, which is to say how often must the heat-increased circulation be reproduced.

First, we take note that the heat-circulation phenomenon requires speed work instead of merely galloping. I'd suspect that post race slow gallops might have some minimal beneficial effect and would fall far short of what is required.

To determine the necessary frequency again requires logical guess work. I considered the extremes of TB training--Preston Burch doing speed work every three days and Mr./Ms Out to Lunch conventional trainer (see e.g. Linda Rice who does very little breeze work once racing begins) who may wait two weeks or more between breezing.

The guess is that waiting 2 or 3 weeks between temp/circulation increases would stop any calcification process begun resulting from a race in its tracks. So--we narrow the window--breeze/race every 10 days--is 10days sufficient to keep the process going.

Logically the answer is negative. If e.g. a race starts the production of a single additional HA crystal, and then you wait 10 days to stimulate the process again, would the new calcification necessarily be directed to what was begun 10 days ago. Guessing in the negative.

There needs thus to be heat/circulation produced by breezing close enough in time that the processes begun continue to be directed to the correct area. What does that require?

I am reducing the days and considering--9 days I think roughly the same as 10. Ditto 8 days for this process. 7--thinking any connection would probably be gone.

6 days, on the other hand is only 4 days from the reduction in heat/circulation that lasts 48 hours post race. Thinking 6 days, there might be a residual effect. 5 days certainly

My conclusion: The calcification process requires appropriate speed work at least every 6 days.

Training:

Wed. 12/1: 5 miles riderless fartlek to full speed + 15 min trail ride.

Thurs. 12/2: Off

Fri. 12/3: 5 times trot gallop up and down the hill. Nob reports a break through in rider-horse getting along. Synergy!