Re: PRE-RIDE CARE

[lkinsky@silcom.com (Lynn Kinsky)]

>Dear RideCamp Subscribers:
>
>The AERC handbook (where newbies like me go to find out what questions
>not to ask) sez that the crew should get up in the middle of the night
>to feed the horse four hours prior to departure, but that some people
>feed 2 hours prior to departure without ill effects.
>
>My crew has threatened to boycott our event (not a good sign) if I
>make her get up to feed my horse at 2 in the morning.  I explained
>patiently to the crew that the AERC book sez specifically that THE
>CREW, NOT THE RIDER, is responsible for getting out of bed in the
>middle of the night to feed THE HORSE, and now the crew is insisting
>on a UNION CONTRACT!  The nerve!
>
>Kindly share with me:  How far in advance of ride departure do you all
>recommend feeding your horses?

>Susie & Tez

In our camp THE RIDER is very grateful to THE CREW for getting up and
making coffee and pulling together some breakfast.  THE RIDER doesn't push
it beyond that. <g>

As to the horse -- before I go to bed I make sure the horse has a full
water bucket and two hay bags (usually one oat hay, one alfalfa) of food in
front of them.  In the morning (about 2 hours before departure) I top up
the water bucket and give some bran mash and/or pelleted feed with powdered
electrolytes mixed in.  In effect, I let the horse munch all night -- that
way morning feeding isn't such a strain on either of our systems:  if I
overslept and had to jump right in the saddle I'd still have a fueled up
horse.


-- Lynn K. (Santa Ynez, CA)
   http://www.silcom.com/~lkinsky