O'Neill hit with bad test

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:05 pm

Wait a minute - are we comparing a potassium jug to shoving a tube into a horse with baking soda and sugar?

horsenuts · Postby **horsenuts** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:29 pm

Rokeby Forever wrote:Wait a minute - are we comparing a potassium jug to shoving a tube into a horse with baking soda and sugar?

"Tubing" is a common practice that has been around for 100 years or more. At one time nearly all horses were "tube wormed" though that practice is not near as common today. Also common practice was to "oil" a horse via "tubing" when they coliced or use other treatments with the "tube" to try and relieve the colic pain. When horses areshipped some trainer still "oil with a tube". But with the advent of the "track vet" and the IV/hypodermic needle injections, tubing has faded out of use or been replaced but at one time it was very common.... and still has a place.

But sounds like some trainers are taking it a bit to the extreme with milkshaking. Put video cameras in any trainer with bad tests and you'll slow a lot of this stuff WAY down.

Rokeby Forever · Postby **Rokeby Forever** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:17 am

Hi Nuts,

When I was around, baking soda was added to feed for horses that tied up and worm paste was squeezed into a horse's mouth - we didn't tube anything with this stuff. That's not to say that other guys didn't, but it wasn't a practice in our barn. For tying up, my trainer now uses something called Releve (I think that's the name) and it works. I don't know much about it, but it's low in starch and horses that tie up do well with it.

Video cameras sound like a practical idea, but I'm sure there are guys sitting around thinking of ways to beat it.

20dourmdd · Postby **20dourmdd** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:40 am

A nutritionist told me to add a tablespoon to all my horses feed once a day and that would be one of the best things for there digestive system and the use of food by the body. Does it build up in the system? The horses at the track and farm have a much better appitite and no colic ever. I guess we better stop with the horses at the track. I could understand giving a tube of bicarb before a race, but a tablespoon once a day.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 9:01 am

I am not defending bad practices.
Tubing is very common place as "Nuts" said. Electrolytes, oil, etc. But a milkshake is such a small part of any equation. it's the blocking and the cobra venom etc that I find offensive, heck I even find Equipoise offensive in some cases.
Baking soda is oddly palatable. Even with security around you can't syringe anything, but you can feed and feed whatever you want. The people they employ are clowns. It would be so easy to feed a feed that contains a large amount of bi carb, even diguise it with molasses or whatever. But the amount that tests is greater (again) than what is fed.