Long Trailer Rides

Successfully Traveled from CO to AK up the Alaska Highway. Traveling 3500 miles gives a person lots of time to think. Its a wonder all long haul truckers are not poets.

Traveling with horses has its own set of extra tasks. First teaching the horses to drink when you offer them water. The old you can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink, can't hold true when traveling. No water equals compaction colic. What do you do? First offer water at every stop, if the horse takes a good long sip, give the horse a treat (food is good) a hay bag is great. Always offer water first and if they drink, great give them their hay. Only give enough hay so that at your next stop the horse is not eating and is ready for some water. A few times of drink up and you get a hay bag. Once the horse realizes a good drink equals hay, they are much more interested in drinking.

I have had one or two try the well I am not thirsty right now, how about my hay trick, don't fall for it. The first time they turn their noses up at water, I consider how much hay the horse has already had that day, and if they have had breakfast, I may wait (not give hay at that stop) till the next stop. If they don't drink and I am concerned about them missing a meal I soak their hay. Nothing liked soaked hay to help a horse decide drinking from a bucket is better.

Traveled Alaska to Florida with a picky drinker, and by the time we reached Florida she was doing great drinking at every stop. I will totally admit my yearling who drank up at every stop helped the horse realize that drinking when offered was the way to lots of treats and praise.