We do a lot of dry camping. Many BLM and forest service campgrounds are dry. I’m not so spoiled that I expect potable water everywhere although it would be great if everyone on the planet had ready access to potable water where they lived!
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I camp mainly in the desert, we always plan on being near a stock tank or lake. We bring plenty of water, but also ride or lead the horses to the water source several times a day.
At every endurance ride I’ve been to they truck in water if it’s not available. I think it’s irresponsible to hold a horse event and not have water for the horses. Of course people bring their own, but having a second water source is crucial.
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That is definitely another reason why I always bring my own water when I’m showing off of my trailer, even if the facility does have water. Trailer parking is usually a long way from the water source.
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This really must be regional and show-specific. I can’t imagine a venue being responsible for providing water – especially a one day venue. I wouldn’t call it the organizer’s responsibility to provide water for YOUR horse. You are opting to go to a show, bring your own water.
I can understand permanent, big venues over the span of multiple days where there is stalling (like HJ shows)… but yeah, this is not the norm at all in lots of parts of the US.
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Every dressage show we go to now has water available. Most have stabling. The two that don’t have stabling provide a single hose which is no where near the trailer parking. It absolutely works if you need it, but I usually just fill my 10 gallon trailer jug and use that. I’m rarely there more than a few hours.
That said, I grew up in Pony Club and we had plenty of venues that did not provide water. In fact, my favorite cross county course in CT required us to bring our own water when we were there for clinics or rallies.
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I think the key, if it is written correctly from a legal standpoint, is the ‘potable’ water bit. Potable is a word that has a very clear legal meaning: safe drinking water for people. A lot of places with a well have perfectly good water, for horses and humans. However, if it is a public event, in some jurisdictions that well water is only safe for human drinking water if it meets a rigorous testing schedule. So I can see many events having water, but not having water that meets the legal ‘potable’ definition.
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The rule could be satisfied by having bottled water for sale at convenient locations throughout the venue, yes?
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It does appear so. But it has to be available before the event begins.
I know at some events in my part of the world the food vendor does not pull in until mid morning and leaves mid afternoon. So to meet this new requirement they would have to find some other way to have water available during those other times.
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It sounds like it. Or a potable water truck; but those aren’t readily available. There is nothing, it seems to me, that prevents the show secretary’s booth from having a couple of cases of bottled water and handing them out for the asking either!
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Great, just what the show secretary needs, another thing to do.
Does anyone know what the impetus was for that rule? Were there tons of complaints from competitors about venues not providing water? Were there lawsuits from people that suffered heat exhaustion/dehydration at competitions that didn’t provide water? Did the insurance companies mandate the change?
And I am a bit dismayed to realize that today’s competitors are so molly-coddled they think someone else is responsible for providing food and water at a site. Back in the day, we always took our own food and bottled water - even to venues that we knew had concession stands, etc.
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You have a point, but I was just sort of tossing out the fact that the show isn’t required to have a food vendor in order to provide water.
No, but they have to come up with a way to provide it. Which is yet another volunteer and another expense.
I too am very curious why this rule was even asked for.
Because people are incapable of taking care of themselves and bringing their own water…
I have to assume it was brought up using some reason that sounds better than this.
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Sigh, so much for civil discussion.
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This is very much the norm in lots of parts of the US. Granted, my experience is limited to CA and NV, but literally, I’ve never been to a venue, even at a 1 day show that did not have potable water.
I guess that’s why it’s important to have representation of the general community.
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Definitely - there are so many variations within the sport and venues.
The more I’ve thought about it the more I’ve wondered if this is not aimed towards spectators versus competitors. Many venues hope for some level of spectators; it could be this is one of the minimum requirements in general sports/admissions for non-equestrian related venues?
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My thinking is that is almost certainly spectators. And that is an awfully hard line for the show organizers to walk. I really can’t see the people with the horses having the expectation of potable water as an always there thing. Because, let’s be honest…we pretty much all have drunk from that green, non potable water hose at some point. But, I definitely can see the spectators having that expectation. But…if high profile events are to survive…you Have to have the spectators, and they need to be buying tickets. And that has a whole different level of expectation.
I usually bring water with me, in containers like those described above, because I’m usually showing off my trailer. Even when I’m showing somewhere that does have water readily available, like at PGEC tomorrow, I’ll bring water along just so I don’t have to lug it.
I have seen prizelists for one day shows that specifically say “No water available” and that’s not a big deal, but I don’t know how you’d be able to have a multi-day show with stabling and not have water. That does not seem to be what this rule is addressing though–it’s an addendum to the “Food” listing, which makes it sounds like plain drinking water available for humans.
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