Recovery after exercise, not to be underestimated!

Especially after prolonged exercise and in summer temperatures, due attention should be paid to recovery. A horse's body temperature is usually between 37 and 38 degrees, but can rise sharply after exercise. Muscle activity increases heat production. An important aspect to consider with our sport horses!
A horse is more sensitive to overheating than humans, but has some ingenious mechanisms to manage excess heat. Seeking shade is a natural reflex. After ridden exercise, a horse should likewise be taken to a shaded area as soon as possible to cool down, possibly supplemented by cooling with water. During exercise, breathing will accelerate to release heat through the airways and, just like humans, horses cool down by sweating.

In a horse, we see that this sweat sometimes foams, which is due to the composition of horse sweat. It contains a protein that increases the cooling effect of the sweat. This protein creates an intermediate layer on the coat between the sweat and the outside air to stimulate evaporation, thus removing the heat faster. This combined with friction from, for example, reins, the saddle or your horse's legs, causes the protein to foam. This is why you often see the white foam especially on the neck, under or along the saddle and between the horse's buttocks.
Besides thermoregulation, exertion also affects muscle, electrolyte and energy balance. It is important to rebalance these processes as soon as possible after heavy exercise to limit damage to muscles and metabolism.

FLUIDS & ELECTROLYTES
A 500kg horse in healthy condition, drinks between 30 and 40 litres of water a day. When a horse is working hard, suckling a foal or sweating a lot due to high ambient temperature, the requirement increases.
Under normal sweating conditions, a horse loses about 6 litres of fluid per hour through the skin. When the horse is noticeably dripping and foaming with sweat, it quickly loses up to 10 to 12 litres of fluid per hour. As a result, the horse also loses about 100 to 120 grams of electrolytes. If this continues for a long time, the amount of minerals lost rises sharply.
Electrolytes are important minerals such as sodium, chloride, potassium and magnesium, among others. These are used to maintain fluid levels. Also for regulating acidity and for muscle and nerve function. In case of electrolyte deficiency, for instance after heavy sweating, prolonged exercise or very high temperatures, there is a risk of muscle pain.

Lannoo Mash herbs is extra tasty, which improves absorption. Also very tired horses or animals with stress, which have difficulties drinking during competition, transport or movement, are thus motivated to still take in sufficient fluids.

PROTEIN & AMINO ACIDS
When muscles perform labour, small defects occur. These need to be repaired after exercise. A muscle is made up of protein. Proteins are made up of amino acids. To recover muscles after exercise, a supply of easily digestible proteins with high-quality amino acids is needed. One kilogram of dry Lannoo Mash Herbs provides sufficient high-quality protein. From this, essential amino acids such as lysine, methionine and leucine can be obtained, which are necessary for muscle recovery.

ENERGY
The negative energy balance after exercise should be rebalanced as soon as possible. By administering Mash herbs shortly after competition, on transport or in the stable, easily digestible energy is provided in the form of puffed grains and oats.