[RC] RC: Re Electrolytes/dehydration, bad road trip - Tracy Cann
Sounds like an awful experience. It's hard to say what you could have
done besides found a grass pasture with shelter for her to take a day off
in. Those are hard to find on road trips I've been told. Actually,
since it got cold she probably wasn't as dehydrated as she would have been if it
had stayed hot. Sounds like she got chilled and generally had a miserable
time. It's a hard call on how much you should've electrolyted or at
all. The idea is for them to drink but it doesn't always work like
that. (by the way, you didn't put the electrolytes in the water did you,
probably not, just checking, it's a sure way to discourage a horse from
drinking) I've been told that the cold makes the horse not want to drink
and I have found that to be true. When my guy won't drink I give extra
electrolytes (this is when it's hot and humid by the way) and he is stimulated
to drink. In your case it's hard to say what to do. I would think
that if the horse is sweating and losing electrolytes you should replace
them. But what if the horse is just the opposite, cold and miserable
instead of hot and sweaty. I hope more people respond so you can get a
better answer. Sounds like you tried your best to take care of the mare
and sometimes that's all you can do.
