In a message dated 3/27/2006 9:57:01 A.M. Mountain Standard Time, skyranch@xxxxxxxx writes:
Question - it seems to me that if a horse is not drinking well,
the last thing you'd want to do is give him electrolytes.
Am I wrong?
Hi Carla,
I don't typically give electrolytes to a horse who is
not "drinking well".
Some folks have indicated that they give electrolytes
in an attempt to induce a "drink response" in the horse.
I've never done that, as for me, it's never been
indicated.
I have been successful in never getting myself
in the situation of having to divine whether a horse needs help in getting to
drink, or whether I should dose a horse who hasn't drank "well".
If I'm riding along at a reasonable pace for the
horse and the conditions, and he doesn't drink, I believe the horse and just
keep going along until he does drink. THEN, I apply my sooper-dooper,
double-secret dose of electrolytes via my sooper-dooper, double-secret
delivery system.
And, I wouldn't know if you're "wrong" or
not....only your horse could answer that question.
