Don't Drink the Water

A recent post on the BC Horse Council forum highlighted the importance of water quality in cases of chronic colic. The posters (who strike me as knowledgeable and sane) had their well water tested after one of their horses coliced three times. The results were vastly different from those of the previous test (two years earlier) and the water could no longer be classified as potable. They installed a high-end filtration system and they have had no further colics. They changed other management practices at the same time, so it is impossible to wholly (or even partially) attribute the colics to the water. Still, it did get me thinking about the variability of our water supply. Much of Deroche relies on a gravity-fed water system driven by a stream (know as Crazy Creek) that originates in the Garabaldi region of the Coast Mountain range. Therefore the water composition is affected by the spring runoff, possibly changing its flavour -- I haven't noticed a difference, but maybe Raven has? Her first episode did coincide with the beginning of the freshet.