Gatorade

[Backinthesaddleagain]

Hubby is taking a trip to South Carolina to trail ride and is looking for information about using Gatorade in the water to make sure his mare Jessie will drink enough. I saw several references here so I'm looking for help....how much, how soon and does it matter what flavor?

Oh yeah, he's also looking for someone to ride with this fall, maybe in the Tennessee/Georgia area. Any takers?

[Heidi]

I think the reasoning behind using gatorade when traveling is to flavor the water and disguise the different smell/taste of something that isn't what they are used to.
To use this trick, just get her used to it at home before you travel with her.

Q will drink anything in a bowl or bucket that she sees you pour for her. I think I could add a few cups of gatorade to a bucket of water and she'd drink it anywhere.

[reuben T]

need to establish communication, we might be able to coordinate something eventually. Nothing is planned currently but I know we'll be doing something, either with the group or independantly, or both. We're 60 mi N of Chattanooga


and here they be http://saddleupusa.net/

[TrueStepPaso]

also has electrolytes (added bonus).

[Abejita]

and lots of extra sugar,,if you have horse electrolytes you can flavor her water with that too (although ,many of them have lots of sugar) I would think it would take a lot of gatorade to change the flavor of the water..just try mixing it and drink it yourself and see how easy it is to water down the taste..I would think to flavor a 5 gallon bucket you almost would need a quart bottle or more?? Unless you use the powder..I rarely drink the stuff ( once or twice a year maybe)I have also heard of using apple juice to flavor...
If you are worried about her electrolytes ( not just flavoring her water) I would start putting regular electrolytes in her feed about a week before the ride. There are also paste electrolytes he can carry on the ride.

[Pasofinoguy]

electrolyte paste is the way to go

[CarolU]

I like paste electrolytes too, that way I KNOW the horse will get them. If I give electrolytes, I've never had a problem with a horse not drinking enough. Koolaid works to flavor the water too.

Just watch when you add sweeteners to water, to clean and change often so molds don't grow in the water.

[motorgypsy]

There are some studies out there that indicate that adding sugar significantly reduces the absorption of water into the system so electrolytes would be better than gatorade and just getting them used to a little powdered electrolytes in their water before they go would certainly be a good idea. You'd be surprised what they'll drink though and I don't think the taste is the problem. If a horse isn't used to drinking from a running water source they may be afraid to approach it or drink from it.

We have the opposite problem. Our guys are used to drinking from a running water source and don't like "stale" water so SloughP turns on the hose full blast so the water goes all over the ground and they will drink from that instead of their nice clean big recently filled water tub. GRRRRR

We've not had a problem with our horses drinking strange water but have had a problem with them drinking in a strange situation so you could carry a light weight collapsible bucket in a saddle bag and teach them to drink from it and that should solve your problem.