Re: [RC] [RC] Horse won't drink water when offered - DVeritas
In a message dated 3/3/2003 9:00:29 AM Mountain Standard Time, heidi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
I agree with the original poster that if she has a picky drinker, she should make some effort to teach the horse to drink before getting him into a situation where the dehydration could cause him problems.
The last hundred we did, I remember riding up to the first water tank on the trail, about fifteen miles into the ride.
At the water tank were two horses, with two riders sitting atop their horses telling them to "drink, dammit"...
We eased up to the tank and my horse lowered his head to drink, I jumped off of him, loosened his cinch and did a tack adjustment.
One rider remarked, "Does he always drink like that?"
"Usually does...yup," I replied while checking my tack.
"Well, I bought this horses because my last horse wouldn't drink, hardly ever, so, I tried this horse out a few times and he drank everytime we went out. So, I bought him and this is his first ride with me and wouldn't you know it, he won't drink, now, just like my last horse...looks like I'll have to sell him and buy another horse."
I asked how long they'd been at the water tank.
She said, "Oh, we cantered all the way here, so it's been a while."
"Oh," I said, "maybe if you really want him to drink, you could get off of him, loosen his cinch and when he's breathing evens out, he might drink."
"Oh no, we can't wait any longer, we're doing the fifty and I don't want to get any further behind," she replied, and turned the horse up the trail, loping down through the hills.
Sometimes, horses who would otherwise "take care of themselves" don't get the chance due to "operator error."
They pulled at twenty-five miles.
He was a beautiful horse....I know 'cause I watched him at the vet check while his owner was stomping around saying, "How long do we have to wait for a trailer ride back to basecamp?"
Still in a hurry to be done I guess.
----Frank
