Finding water on a hack?

Roxy's Mum

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Jul 21, 2009
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How long will you hack out for before finding water?

I'm hoping to go out tomorrow for a couple of hours or so, which will be (if we go) the longest hack we've been on. My concern now is Roxy's welfare, particularly if she's thirsty. Are we best to try & find a stream somewhere to let her have a drink? (I don't think there are any though, looking at a map).

Or do I carry it with me? (that's a lot of water though!) It's also going to be warm. Suggestions?
 
I don't think you'll have any problems with a couple of hours even if it's warm. Just make sure there's some available when you get home and pop some extra salt or electrolytes in the feed to make up for any salt loss through sweat. A lot of horses don't seem to like drinking random water out and about.
 
A lot of horses don't seem to like drinking random water out and about.

Other horses take great delight in slurping noisly from Cotswold rivers in the height of tourist season in front of dozens of them armed with cameras... [name ommitted to protect horses privacy:D]
 
Silver doesn't, but its like wee-ing under saddle - if she has too, she has too!

when we "le trekked" the other weekend, she was offered the trough at the ground, but refused it - choosing to wander off to a nearby puddle :rolleyes:

Very glad she did, came home to read on here strangles can be passed through shared water :redcarded:
 
I do a river ride and always offer Joy a drink. She puts her head down as if to drink and wanders off to a green patch to put her head under water to snatch some plant life!!! She's never interested in drinking though no matter how fast and hard we've ridden to get there.
 
Joyscarer I love that :giggle:

Roxy's Mum you should be fine so don't worry. However if you want you could let her have a few minutes munching grass part way round - it's high in water & it's a rare horse that refuses a few stolen mouthfuls!
 
Moet drinks every single time we ride through any water, she will also drink out of puddles if thats all there is!

Roxys Mum - you will be ok for 2-3 hours not a problem :)
 
If I pass a puddle or stream I will offer but on our latest, and by far sweatiest, ride she chose not to drink at all even though she usually loves a muddy puddle - go figure! It would be perfectly normal to do a 20/30 km ride without stopping. Take some 'home' water with you and offer it at the end - many horses need several minutes before they'll drink. No biggie if they wait til they get home.
P.S. I have some 3 litre squash bottles in the back of the van that I've filled from the trough.
 
If I pass a puddle or stream I will offer but on our latest, and by far sweatiest, ride she chose not to drink at all even though she usually loves a muddy puddle - go figure! It would be perfectly normal to do a 20/30 km ride without stopping. Take some 'home' water with you and offer it at the end - many horses need several minutes before they'll drink. No biggie if they wait til they get home.
P.S. I have some 3 litre squash bottles in the back of the van that I've filled from the trough.

Yeah I take speedibeet as madam isn't one for drinking alot so I make a sloppy beet up for her to get her to drink more. Generally whrn she refuses to drink but I know we at going to shortly hack home
 
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