How to Keep Your Horse Drinking for Maximum Health
Winter weather brings all sorts of horse health issues, and keeping horses hydrated is often a top challenge. Dehydration can lead to serious health issues, such as impaction colic, but as temperatures decline, horses naturally drink less. These seven tips can help keep your horse hydrated to support their health all winter long.
Use Automatic Waterers
Automatic Waterers not only make it easier to keep your horse continuously supplied with water, but also help prevent the water from freezing or becoming too cold to drink. Products like Nelson automatic waterers can be installed with an optional thermostatically controlled heater. That heater helps prevent water from freezing, encouraging your horse to drink.
These waterers can be installed in your horse’s stall, though there are also models that can be installed in turnout areas, saving you from dealing with frozen hoses or from having to haul buckets of water outside throughout the winter. They’re highly durable and can be an investment that pays off in peace of mind and a reduced workload for you year-round.
Want to elevate both convenience and care in your stalls? Don’t miss our article Water & Feed Options for Your Horse Stalls, a helpful guide on choosing the right feed doors and watering systems to keep both horses and handlers comfortable, safe, and efficient year-round.
Use Heated Buckets and Troughs
Heated water buckets and troughs are another option that can help keep water accessible by preventing it from freezing. These options are designed for temporary use over the winter, and you’ll find numerous products available to choose from.
When installing heated water troughs and electric buckets, it’s essential to be vigilant about safety. Consider how you’ll protect the power cord from your curious horses, and make sure that you can plug these devices directly into a GFCI outlet, rather than using an extension cord. Review the manufacturer’s installation and safety instructions; many water trough heaters require the trough to be grounded, but that’s an important safety instruction that many barns overlook. This is also a good time to have an electrician out to inspect your barn’s wiring; they can confirm that it is adequate to handle the increased load from heated buckets and troughs, and install any additional outlets you may need.
If you use heated buckets and troughs for several seasons, always carefully inspect them for wear before reinstalling them in the fall. Bent plug prongs or a frayed or damaged cord can cause these devices to malfunction, potentially contributing to the risk of electric shock or even fire. If you have any doubt about a device’s safety, throw it out and purchase a new one.
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Cold weather shouldn’t compromise hydration. Explore our article 6 Safety Tips for Heated Water Troughs and Buckets in the Winter to learn how to safely keep clean, fresh water available and protect your horses’ health all season long.
Insulate Your Water Buckets
Water bucket insulators may also help prevent freezing, particularly if you’re in a milder climate or if you keep your horses at home and can top off the buckets with warm water before bed. These insulators are available from several retailers, and they fit over your horse’s standard water bucket.
Insulators can help slow the rate of freezing and are a helpful non-electrical solution for horses stalled overnight. They may not entirely prevent freezing when temperatures get close to zero or dip into the negatives, but they do help reduce the amount of ice you’ll find on the buckets in the morning.
Add Electrolytes to Feed
Adding electrolytes to your horse’s feed can help create a sense of thirst, encouraging your horse to drink. Even better, feed your horse’s grain soaked to maximize water intake, and then add electrolytes to that soaked grain.
In addition to adding electrolytes to your horse’s feed, keep a supply of loose salt available. Horses can more easily consume a higher volume of loose salt than they can get from salt licks, so provide loose salt in a bucket or other feeder.
Soak Hay
Soaking your horse’s hay can also help increase their water intake, though it’s not always an easy feat in freezing temperatures. If you have a heated Tack Room or Feed Room, you can set up a hay soaking station in these rooms to prevent the hay from freezing.
It is easier to incorporate chopped forage, such as hay cubes or pellets, which are more manageable during soaking. Use plenty of hot water and be sure to soak the hay well in advance of feeding time so the pellets or cubes are thoroughly soaked and broken up, reducing the risk of choking.
Bring Water from Home
If you travel during the winter, such as when attending winter shows or clinics, bring a supply of your horse’s water from home. Some horses are sensitive to the taste of water and are reluctant to drink when they’re in new locations.
You can also still use many of these tips, including soaking feed and hay and adding electrolytes to help encourage your horse to drink while traveling.
Use Water Additives
If you’re still having trouble getting your horse to drink sufficiently, you might try some of the commercially available water additives. Products like Horse Quencher can help encourage horses to drink during weather changes and travel. For example, Horse Quencher is a supplement that can be added to your horse’s water. It features electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals to support hydration, along with flavors that appeal to your horse.
Contact American Stalls About Automatic Waterers
Automatic waterers can make a tremendous difference in your workload while giving you peace of mind, knowing your horse has a continuous supply of water. Contact American Stalls today to learn more about the available automatic waterer options. We’re happy to discuss the pros and cons of each waterer and can help you determine which option is best for your barn, your needs, and your budget.
Contact us today at (855) 957-8255 or email us at sales@americanstalls.com to schedule a sales and design consultation or with any questions.
