Carbohydrate loading in horses is futile – if the regular diet contains a moderate amount of carbohydrate anyway, then the muscle will be at maximum glycogen storage capacity. Studies have shown that feeding an increased amount of carbohydrate a few days before a race or competition will only raise the stored glycogen a very insignificant amount and this drastic change in diet has no beneficial effect upon performance. In fact it will probably serve to raise the horse’s heart rate and increase the blood lactate accumulation, not to mention put the horse at severe risk of laminitis and colic. Horses’ muscles need to be conditioned to the amount and type of energy being supplied.
