Re: [RC] methods to encourage drinking in ridecamp - Suzi Maiorisi
Regarding the buddy thing...is that the norm? Holly and I have done
several trail rides - nothing endurance/ld yet, but we're getting there - with
my sister and her QH. Holly LOVES my sisters horse. She lived
briefly with my sister when I first got her last year (1 month) and has been
here with me alone since with dogs/chickens for friends. Every ride I've
done with her the 'bond' has gotten worse to the point that she totally blew up
at the last ride we did together in March. I've worried that she'll be a
space case tied to the trailer alone at a 'real' ride as my sister can't be
convinced to go this distance, even tho we've done 25 miles at a walk/occasional
trot on one of our trail rides in 8 hours with a ridiculous amount of 'breaks'
and 1 hour lunch. Do they settle more if their buddy isn't there?
Subject: Re: [RC] methods to encourage
drinking in ridecamp
> Now that I've purchased something I must return-
(Equi-ade), I need to > get ideas of how to encourage my horse to drink
in camp so he's got a > full tank on race day. Anyone have a very
excited pony who can't focus > on taking care of himself in ridecamp? I
already have a buddy in camp > with him, but this hasn''t proven to help
him take care of himself any > better.
Do rides. Do
SLOOOOOOW rides. Do LOOOOONG rides. Get him used to the concept
that it is gonna be a LOOOONG day out there.
I've seen several that did
not get the idea to relax in camp until they either did multidays (so that
they were tired, hungry, and THIRSTY in camp), or until they did longer
distances (may mean 50 miles, may mean 75 miles) so that they did not
perceive the upcoming day as being a lark.
And by doing SLOW miles with
them, they have a longer and thirstier day, which makes them think about it
a lot more the next time--but also does not risk overriding them if they
are dehydrated.
The buddy thing can backfire sometimes--have you always
had a buddy with this horse? I am riding a horse now that was a
nervous nellie to start with, and always had a buddy in camp because hubby
was riding him at rides where I was riding another horse. I was
really pleased to see how much BETTER he was by himself--I was dreading it,
but it was actually a
big improvement.
Heidi
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