Dog takes capricious horse to water, and makes her drink even when its minus 50C

Siberian Times ^ | 05 December 2017

[TigerLikesRooster]

Dog takes capricious horse to water, and makes her drink even when its minus 50C

By The Siberian Times reporter
05 December 2017

Even in the intense cold, animals need to drink, but shaggy horse Kunduchene refuses to budge, unless escorted by Umka.


Umka the dog with Kunduchene the horse. Picture: Sakha Press

The unusual scene is from Dyupsya village in Ust-Aldan district of Yakutia, the largest and coldest region in Russia, also known as Sakha Republic.

One of the oldest sayings in English is: 'You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.'

But Umka seems to manage both these tasks well with stubborn Kunduchene.

Each day the mixed Central Asian and Caucasus Shepherd takes the disobedient six year old horse across the snow to the ice hole for a drink.

'It was impossible to make her move and go, she was such a nuisance - so we taught the dog to help us'. Pictures: Sakha Press

Semen Sivtsev, the horse's owner, said: 'When Kunduchene was a foal, I had a lot of trouble with her, but now my helper walks her to the watering place.'

His daughter Maria Zakharova: 'It was impossible to make her move and go, she was such a nuisance - so we taught the dog to help us, and Umka enjoyed his new mission.

'At first, the horse did not obey Umka either but he kept pulling her and now they are managing well.

'Umka is about 60 kg and Kunduchene is 160 kg, so it took them just about two days to understand who is more stubborn, and now they are great friends.

'Kunduchene loves Umka, she allows him to smell her, and she is smelling him too, checking if this is her friend. He is protecting her.'

Umka with Kunduchene, at home and walking another horse to an ice hole. Pictures: Sakha Press

The horse joins other animals queuing at the ice hole.

Umka waits patiently while the horse takes a daily drink no matter how cold it is.

The owner says his dog has also started escorting other horses back from the ice hole.

[Olog-hai]

You can take a horse to water, but only a dog can make him drink?

[texas booster]

If there are still wolves in those woods, an escort either human or Ursa is welcomed.

[bigbob]

Wow, a story about a Russian icehole that doesn’t refer to Putin...

[dfwgator]

Wow, a story about a Russian icehole that doesn’t refer to Putin...

[mairdie]

Love it! Adorable, both of them.

[ransomnote]

You can take a horse to water, but only a....... 132 POUND dog .....can make him drink.

[Harry Pothead]

From the dogs I have or have had, I think the over riding thought in their head is “where is my human?” #2 is “Whats my job?”

It looks like he knows both and is a happy dog.

[gattaca]

Great story!

[Olog-hai]

The horse is pretty lightweight, at 353 lbs.

[Mariner]

-50C is pretty cold.

I’m sure the ice hole has to be drilled at least twice daily...two big drinks per day.

[blueunicorn6]

I went out back this morning and Little Dog was furiously digging a hole through the snow.

When he finished, a little bunny came over and started to eat the grass.

I was glad to see that Little Dog could be so kind.

Then, he hit the bunny with a snowball.

He’s a mean little shirt.

[Texan5]

That smart dog looks a lot like my neighbor’s Mastiff with shorter ears-about the same weight, too-and the horse is the size of some of the miniature ones people here keep as pets/self propelled lawn ornaments.

[shotgun]

Cute story, but I think the horse is also drinking on its own without any assistance.

I own a horse farm and horses will not eat if they have no water. If the farmers are maintaining the same water hole then the horse will figure it out. I move horses to different pens with different types of waterers. I have never taken the time to lead them to it to show them where it is. Their pretty good at figuring it out on their own.

[Hot Tabasco]

In the second picture the dog looks like it’s thinking “It’s cold out here, how did I get stuck with this crap?”

[Envisioning]

You've heard the one about how to catch a polar bear right?

You cut a circle in the ice and put a line of peas around the edge of the hole. When he bends over to pick one up you kick him in the ice hole.

[Hot Tabasco]

a lot like my neighbor’s Mastiff with shorter ears-

Looking at the dog while its on the couch, if I didn't know better, it looks like it lost its ears to frostbite.........

[siamesecats]

Paws look bloody, too

[Uversabound]

This is why I love Free Republic!

[Hot Tabasco]

We had 8 inches of snow two nights ago here in S.E. Michigan. With that being said, I don’t know how or why people are willing to live in such extreme cold environments as in this article..........Hopefully the ice fishing produces lots of jumbo perch.