Won't drink water

[guest@endurance.net]

Ellen trailshappy@aol.com
I am just beginning to train my gelding for a LD ride this fall.  Heis
terribly reluctant to drink on trails.  I have tried giving him
electrolytes the night before a ride and the morning of a long training
ride.  He will barely sip water on trails, but simply does not seem
interested in drinking.  He's never been a great drinker at home,
especially in the stall.  He is on 24/7 turnout with his pasture buddy, so
I can't determine how much he drinks on a typical day.  I do feed him a
very wet mash of soaked beet pulp and pelleted concentrate, twice daily,
hoping that he will at least be well hydrated at the start of my rides.
There are occasional ponds from which he'll drink, but streams and puddles
don't interest him much.  Of course, my average training ride is only 10
miles.  Perhaps there are other endurance horses that don't drink the
first 10 miles, but that will begin to drink later in the ride??

Any suggestions or "been there" comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Ellen