you can lead a horse to water...

[emszeliga@juno.com (Elizabeth M Szeliga)]

This is a rather elementary question, but important!

Any hints out there as to how to get a horse to drink well.  I've read
the comments about always offering water whenever you are passing it.  I
do that, but it is very frustrating that my horse won't even consider
drinking until he is darn good and ready.  I have him stand quietly by
other drinking horse, but he doesn't try to mimic them.

For background, we ride ECTRA CTRs, so we aren't doing any great speed. 
But it is not unusual for my horse to wait until we are 15-20 miles (
though he will have had, say, 10 opportunities to drink by then) out
before he'll drink.  Even at that point, I don't feel he drinks heavily
enough.   He is good about eating grass along the way, if it is
available.

He is, in general, a very sensible, calm horse.  In some ways I think I
should just let him decide when he is thirsty, but then I wouldn't have
anything to worry about. :)

Thanks in advance for any helpful hints!

Liz in Belchertown, MA

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