Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

After reading Darolyn's account of apparent over drinking in her horses, it reminded me of something that happend to my horse at a ride last fall.  We were at the 40 mile point of a 55 miler, and my horse was doing great...we were riding slow, as usual.  My horse is a little (ok, a lot!) odd in that he prefers to drink muddy water rather than clear (must be due to him being an East Texas horse, where none of our water moves, and all of it is muddy)  <G>  Anyhow, this ride was in the Texas Hill Country, with beautiful clear flowing streams.  He was drinking fine and hydrations was ok, but right before we got back to camp for the 3rd vet check, my friend's horse made a muddy spot at the edge of the creek, and my horse chugged that muddy water till I thought he would pop.  We proceeded the last 100 yds or so into camp, and he started to act a little colicky for the first time ever.  Gut sounds were good, he passed the vet check fine, but I elected to pull for Met. reasons.  He pooped several times over the next hour, but would not eat.  Colic signs were very mild...a little neck stretching, dull look to his eye, an occasional paw or two.  The vet thought he'd overstretched his stomach with too much water.  An hour or so later, he was fine.  Live and learn...I certainly pay more attention to how much he drinks at a time now, and try to not let this happen again.

Dawn in East Texas
and Chivas (mmm...muddy sludge!!)