# You can lead a horse to water **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146 "2016-12-19T16:56:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/21 "2016-12-20T18:39:20Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Remember the old maxim: A watched horse never drinks. But when you aren’t watching, the water is simultaneously inside and outside the horse. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/22 "2016-12-20T19:00:18Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > But when you aren’t watching, the water is simultaneously inside and outside the horse. The same circumstance occurs when watching them pee. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/23 "2016-12-20T20:32:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Yes, horses can be that stupid. > > People who trailer their horses to competitions will often bring water from home, and the bucket from their horse’s stall so that a picky horse will drink. Subtle changes in temperature, pH, and dissolved solids can cause a horse to refuse water or drink less. > > The concern isn’t that the horse will die from dehydration, but rather that the horse will be mildly to moderately dehydrated and then colic secondarily. Apparently this is “a thing”. When I was showing my horses, a friend had a picky horse who wouldn’t drink “strange” water. She started putting apple cider vinegar in all his water, at home and away, and from then on he had no problems. Plus, apple cider vinegar supposedly keeps enteroliths at bay. Your GF is right to be concerned, for all the reasons you’ve already mentioned. I think the only way to know is to hook up a motion-activated camera with a view of the tank. I can’t think of any other ideas, aside from flavoring all your water which isn’t all that practical! ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/24 "2016-12-20T23:57:16Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > When I was showing my horses, a friend had a picky horse who wouldn’t drink “strange” water. She started putting apple cider vinegar in all his water, at home and away, and from then on he had no problems. Plus, apple cider vinegar supposedly keeps enteroliths at bay. > > Your GF is right to be concerned, for all the reasons you’ve already mentioned. I think the only way to know is to hook up a motion-activated camera with a view of the tank. I can’t think of any other ideas, aside from flavoring all your water which isn’t all that practical! Yeah, the motion-activated camera is your best bet. My old mare was one of those picky horses. She wouldn’t drink anything at shows unless it was her water from home in her familiar bucket. I tried apple juice, apple bits, and even a product designed to make them drink. None of it worked. She knew it was apple juice in strange water. My current gelding will drink a dirty puddle. He is not fussy about water. He does, however, spook at his own farts. They are wonderful animals, but not all that bright. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/25 "2016-12-21T02:18:03Z")
> [@MaddyStrut](#): > > Yeah, the motion-activated camera is your best bet. My old mare was one of those picky horses. She wouldn’t drink anything at shows unless it was her water from home in her familiar bucket. I tried apple juice, apple bits, and even a product designed to make them drink. None of it worked. She knew it was apple juice in strange water. > > My current gelding will drink a dirty puddle. He is not fussy about water. **He does, however, spook at his own farts.** > > They are wonderful animals, but not all that bright. I can picture this and am ROLLING. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/26 "2016-12-21T21:17:38Z")
Well, here’s what we decided to do. My gf spoke with the horse vet. Jake is due for (annual?) blood work soon. We will allow him access to his water bucket up until his blood draw next week. Immediately after that he will be locked in the barn with food, mineral block, and the stock tank as his only water source for 72 hours. After 72 hours his blood will be sampled again, looking for evidence of dehydration. I have a camera I could put up in the barn, but it’s too far from the house to use wifi. Blood work is actually cheaper than extending our wifi range to the barn. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”, true dat. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/27 "2016-12-22T02:53:10Z")
Is this horse in work? Or sound enough to be worked/ridden? If so I’d give him a good vigorous bit of exercise, enough to warm him up and get him sweating a bit, then see what he thinks of the stock tank. Worst come to worst, can the pet sitter dip a bucket OUT of the tank to put in his stall if the water freezes? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/28 "2016-12-22T12:59:06Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Worst come to worst, can the pet sitter dip a bucket OUT of the tank to put in his stall if the water freezes? :smack: :smack: :smack: Had never considered this. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/29 "2016-12-22T13:09:20Z")
I’ve always heard that you can lead a horse to drink but you couldn’t make him water. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/30 "2016-12-22T13:31:12Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Is this horse in work? Or sound enough to be worked/ridden? If so I’d give him a good vigorous bit of exercise, enough to warm him up and get him sweating a bit, then see what he thinks of the stock tank. I don’t know the details, but apparently he has his “winter shoes” on, and that makes him slightly less rideable(?). He’s actually being ridden right this minute, but just “light work”. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/31 "2016-12-22T16:06:32Z")
> [@saje](#): > > Worst come to worst, can the pet sitter dip a bucket OUT of the tank to put in his stall if the water freezes? Not really a good idea – all the gunk on the outside & the bottom of the bucket will be left in the water of the tank. Best to avoid this if possible. Filling a bucket from the hose is much cleaner. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/32 "2016-12-22T16:23:57Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Not really a good idea – all the gunk on the outside & the bottom of the bucket will be left in the water of the tank. Best to avoid this if possible. Filling a bucket from the hose is much cleaner. If that’s a problem you could get a big plastic ladle. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/33 "2016-12-22T20:20:46Z")
**How to make a horse drink** Whisper in his ear that his mare is cheating on him and that foal ain’t really his. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/34 "2016-12-23T02:57:09Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Not really a good idea – all the gunk on the outside & the bottom of the bucket will be left in the water of the tank. Best to avoid this if possible. Filling a bucket from the hose is much cleaner. What gunk? Dust etc? A little bit of floaty stuff in a 100 gallon tank isn’t going to matter much, especially in winter. After all, horses’ muzzles aren’t exactly pristine, and they dunk those in the trough every time they drink. Plus some suck up a big mouthful, swallow a little and then spit the rest back in the trough. There’s very little about horses that is truly clean. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/35 "2016-12-23T03:27:49Z")
Peppermint oil. Much stronger smell than apple, and even vinegar. And horses love peppermint. Never known a horse to turn down peppermint. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/36 "2016-12-23T03:40:26Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Not really a good idea – all the gunk on the outside & the bottom of the bucket will be left in the water of the tank. Best to avoid this if possible. Filling a bucket from the hose is much cleaner. But the whole point of this is because the water supply to the barn freezes sometimes. It sounds to me like **kayaker’s** girlfriend is a pretty good horsewoman and would clean their buckets, but she could always leave a clean one in the barn just in case. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/37 "2016-12-23T08:41:28Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > If he doesn’t drink from the stock tank … We return from vacation to a sick/dying/dead horse. Sorry, but this reminds me of \*We just spent 6 hours burying the horse. \*6 hours to bury the horse? _Well, it wouldn’t keep still, thrashing about, neighing._ So it wasn’t dead, then. _No, but it was not at all a well horse, and, as we were going away for a fortnight …_ Quite right, don’t want to come home to a dead horse. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/38 "2016-12-23T12:57:33Z")
All is well. Jake now loves the stock tank. Out of nowhere yesterday he walked up to it and drank a huge amount. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146/39 "2016-12-23T20:00:10Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > All is well. Jake now loves the stock tank. Out of nowhere yesterday he walked up to it and drank a huge amount. Sounds right. A common trait of horses in my experience is that they find certain things _Scary!! Lions!! Look Out!!_ for no apparent reason. This can be something new like your stock tank, or even something old that suddenly brings a new reaction. One dry season I had a pole mounted sprinkler in the middle of a paddock, fed as needed by a standard garden hose. One horse would walk over that hose a hundred times a day with no reaction. Then suddenly, for no reason – I mean, same hose, same position on the ground, no water running, nothing different at all – he would freak out when approaching it. Shy, whinny, jump sideways, buck, run away… Then five minutes later plod right over it again without the slightest notice. Sounds like your horse just took a little while to convert the stock tank from “new and suspicious” to “familiar as furniture”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water/775146.md?page=1)