Distance And Sufficiency!

In short--the horse has to go far enough so that it will receive an appropriate bone "training effect" in response to the exercise. Muscle tissue e.g. quickly "engages" in response to force as the little nano-forks of tissue holding fast against each other lock and pull the tissue into contraction.

At the outset, before spending two years of post analyzing bone tissue, the thought was that bone tissue possibly undergoes a similar process of "engagement" in response to force although you'd think the rate of achieving bone cell engagement much slower than with muscles, ligaments or tendons! And, indeed, on studying the makeup of live bone with it's collagen, water, and various ennervations, its far less brittle and static than we might think, and probably there is definitely a process of engagement in response to force which I have called "girding", tightening, or the like, but also, as described in post after post, numerous additional processes that take place before (in response to warm up), during and after the equine speed work.

In terms of distance we would like to know where within the work these processes engage, and how long after engagement the horse need travel to get a beneficial effect. Thus the concept of "sufficiency" in thinking about distance and injury prevention. What distance is sufficient for FR?

In answer--and way before my own studies involving bone at the nano level--the effort was to imagine or visualize what's happening from the first stride of the breeze on down the track through 1f, 2f, 3f and so on. We know that with the onset of :12.5 sec/f concussive force at nearly 12,000 lbs./sq. inch there will be within the cannon bones the vibration, shaking, colliding of tissues-- such things as bone disturbance, strain gradient, electric polarization, piezoelectric stress, fluid flow effects and so on as described in the posts--a cascading series of events at the nano level resulting in a girding of bonds to force, rearrangement of materials, and finally and probably the most important response in terms of FR--the alignment of atoms, molecules, cells etc. at the nano level in the direction of the force and stress.

The process of repeating hoof strikes of very short duration was likened to beating a stick of wood against a brick wall in similar rhythm and force. If we keep on beating we can shake something that is inert apart until it finally breaks. In terms of the nano materials that make up the stick or the bone it all commences inward with mild disturbance that will increase in intensity with each succeeding strike to breakage.

My own efforts then in visualizing and imagining what was going on in bone from the first stride of the breeze on down the track was that it would take 60-90 strides or probably about 2.5 F until the internal bone mechanisms that respond to exercise are fully engaged. AND remember (or be informed if you have yet to read), that it is the engagement of these processes that will produce the subsequent bone remodeling/strengthening effects, and thus, unless the horse travels at least 2.5 F in its work, I would be doubting there would be much FR benefit. If B. Pressey would be reading this, then, I would differ with his 2-4f in :12s + 6-8f in :13s as producing FR unless the horse goes at least 3f in in :12s. Why? Because neither 2f nor the longer work in :13s has a sufficient FR effect imo. Of course, that sort of work combined with racing might do the job. But, more on racing-breezing combos later.

Next post will discuss how these thought processes fit in with what trainers are doing.

Training:
Mon. 2/14: 10 min walk.
Tues. 2/15: 10 min walk
Wed. 2/16: Off as we decide to transition to morning work.
Thurs. 2/17: Howling wind this morning that will dry things out, but Nob refuses to board, and so we'll try this aft. at 12 min-walk trot, and possibly some paddock work. The knee is looking better.