Re: Mud-licking horses

["Annette Gordon" <agordon@worldofwonder.net>]

Dear Maureen

I'm sure you are absolutely right about that. Even though I do electrolyte
him after any ride - training or otherwise, if he wants to drink from muddy
puddles I'm sure he knows what he's doing. On an endurance ride when we're
being crewed, at the moment, he won't drink from the buckets of nice clean
water we offer him. Instead he hangs on until he's really thirsty then he
will drink whatever. So any time he wants to drink, provided it's not an
oily puddle I will let him. 

I'm still going to electrolyte as and when necessary - he sweats a lot, even
in Winter, so after almost every ride really he needs something. 

Thanks 

annette

----------
>From: Maureen Mathisen <mmathise@intergate.rbuhsd.k12.ca.us>
>To: Annette Gordon <agordon@worldofwonder.net>
>Subject: Re: Mud-licking horses
>Date: Tue, Nov 10, 1998, 6:51 pm
>

>Hi Annette,
>
>
>When I first started endurance riding( millions of years ago,) I worried
>because my mare ALWAYS drank out of mud puddles instead of nice streams.
>( I knew it was warmer, but she would do it even if warm, clean water
>was available.)
>
>Once, when talking  to a ride vet, I mentioned that someday we would
>find out she knew something we didn"t! ) He replied--"we already do. 
>Electrolytes seep through the ground, along with needed minerals.  Let
>her drink the muddy stuff--she knows what she is doing!")  So--even
>though I thought I was giving her everything, perhaps she knew better!
>
>Maureen
>