getting horses to drink after ride

[Kathy <KC85124@UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU>]

Help!!  I'm having problems getting my horses to drink water after a 50 mile
ride.  I pretty much give electrolytes like Roger does with a dose at each
vet check and sometimes in the middle of a loop if it is long and hot.  Still
my horses don't want to drink once they are finished with the ride.  This has
caused my one horse to get a spazmodic colic a couple of times the night after
a ride.  I usually don't trailer home until the next am after a ride so this
is a real problem.  Just wondered if I am doing something wrong or if it is
just the nature of my horses (they are both full brothers and half-saddlebreds)
I really baby them and always give their oats with lots of water, hand graze
them in camp and let them eat on the trail especially on the last loop.  I
bring water from home and if they won't drink that I haul water from a pond if
handy.  If there is a regular stock tank in camp they sometimes will drink
better from that.  As soon as they get home they head to their tank and really
tank up on water.  I have a nice pen for them to be in at the ride and have
offered them water with electrolytes in it also but they never drink that.  I
also offer loose mineral salt plus give electrolytes after the ride though
not as concentrated as I do on the trail.  I use perform and win the night
before the ride and after the ride and use ABC Ride Rite before and during
the ride.  They usually drink well on trail except for the first hour on trail
and sometimes on the last hour on trail.  They don't drink much on training
rides either unless it is real hot.  Also any suggestions what to do for a
spazmodic colic (ie. over active gut sounds)?  The vets have always given
the horse banamine but I'd like to do something to help him ease the pain.
Or better yet prevent it from happening.  My horse is really fit and when
he has had the colic after the ride has checked out at the final check with
a good vet score and was not ridden fast on the ride.  He tucks up in the
flank when he gets these attacks of colic.  He still wants to graze even
when he has these colic attacks.  He tends to get colic more after a hot
ride so I feel it is heat or electrolyte related.  He has only had colic
after 3 rides in 1000 miles of rides but enough to be a worry for me.  I
don't want to do 100's on him until I get this problem solved.
Thanks,  Kathy,  Fox ("100's?  I think I'll get colic"), Trav ("don't be such a
whimp, little brother")  I live in central region where it is now hot & humid