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DVeritas@xxxxxxx wrote:

> 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.
> :^))
> Frank
>  
>  

One vet told me of some studies analyzing both sweat and blood that 
showed that on many horses the concentration of salt in the sweat and 
the blood was identical during a ride. Since the thirst response is 
triggered by higher than normal concentrations of sodium,  in theory a 
horse like this could sweat himself dry and not know he was thirsty.

Another "rat" to the mix. Like Angie, I just electrolyte as normal. I've 
seen the Jbird stop and drink a mile out. I've seen him go 15 to 20 
miles before he wants any. If all other systems are go - I don't pay 
much attention to it. He's been doing it for 10 years so I suspect he 
knows the drill.

However, if I ever have to question if a horse of mine is too dehydrated 
to give electrolytes - his day is finished. If he's too dehydrated for 
electrolytes he's to dehydrated to go on in my book.

Truman

--

"Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what 
we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true."  - 
Bertrand Russell




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