Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Out here in the west there are not always a lot of locations for water.   
Having bought Blue from Jackie Bumgardner 6 years ago, he must have 
really learned how to drink out there in Ridgecrest.   Ridgecrest is quite 
near Death Valley. He always drinks well.   Atleast he always drinks well 
when he's doing well.   If he doesn't drink, I know there's a problem.    

He will pull me up through a group of horses and push his way inbetween 
to get to the water trough.   I have to really stay on his bit sometimes so 
we don't get kicked or disturb the other horses... not that the other horses 
would kick, just that he an be rude about it... and *I'd* kick him...   

He knows what a water trough looks like.   This last weekend we were to 
drink only out of the water troughs provided by ride management and not 
out of the big cattle tanks.   We had to walk past a cattle tank to find the 
water (it was not visible).   He was very miffed about the whole thing... 
why the heck didn't we just go over there and get a drink?   

Years ago training at Quicksilver Park (I was riding Magnum, that's how long
ago this was) we all ran out of people water several miles out of Mockingbird.
Oh my goodness... I've never had such a miserable time.   There was plenty
of horse water, but not safe for us people.   We had to ride in the heat for the
better part of a whole hour to get back to the trailers.   :)   After that, I loaded 
twice as much water as I thought I'd need.   4x24 oz + a 70 oz camel back.   It 
makes for great weight during training.   :)   I've been drinking a whole lot more 
water ever since.   I always have a big glass of water now on my desk at work.   

Actually, I'm kind of thirsty right now.   I'm off to get another glass of water.
Don'cha'll feel kind of thirsty right now too?

Nothing like dry desert training to teach them to drink.

:) - Kathy Myers
in Santa Fe, NM