Investigation Conclusions and Plan

Based on your feedback and also what I learned while researching, these are the management changes that I will be making to prevent a future episode.

Investigation #1 - Feed/Exercise

• Be more consistent with the beet pulp and oil/fat, even feeding it on the days off.
• If I have to be gone for 5 days, especially after a race, I will ask (and pay if necessary) someone to monitor and give her what she needs to recover - ie electrolytes, handwalking, etc. I will not depend on her to self regulate
• Hopefully with the hay changes (see investigation #3) I will be able to keep weight on her with nothing beyond beet pulp and oil, and will be able to save the stable mix for rides, which will eliminate one more variable in the diet.
• If she is up for it, follow an exercise/time off program more like 20 MT where the time off is interspersed with easy days. If she gets more than 2 consecutive days off, go very easy the first day back.
• Focus on warm up and cool down. Extend the walking warm up from 5 minutes to 10 or more.

Investigation #2 - Selenium

• Start supplementing with Selenium (I'm using the organic - yeast - based Platinum Performance product)
• Start feeding Vit. E (I started supplementing with 2000 units on Thursday - anyone have any opinions on whether I should do more?) Update - a little research shows that during this recovery period I should increase to ~4000 IU and then feed 2000 IU when she's in regular work. It's also important that the Vit E is fed with a little fat for better absorbtion. Any comments?
• Pull blood samples every 6 months, or before a multi-day or 100 miler.

Investigation #3 - Hay

• Have the boarding stables grass and alfalfa tested. Test the grass hay I'm switching to, and test the stable mix for good measure.
• Start feeding my own grass hay free choice.
• Retest the grass hay before a multi day or a 100 to verify sugar content, since this is an "at risk" time.
• Supplement with alfalfa as needed (prep for rides etc.) if boarding stable's numbers come back good.
• If only feeding grass, a ration balancer for protein and minerals, etc. may be needed.