Winter is approaching and just like the acorn-scavenging
squirrel, horses similarly increase their nutrient (food AND water) intake. So,
it’s perfectly acceptable for me to have an extra doughnut or two…or
five! For every degree the temperature drops below a horse’s critical
temperature, its hay consumption must be increased by 1%. It is important that
only the hay is increased because that is the food that ferments inside their
body and lets off heat to keep them nice and toasty.
As your horse eats more hay, there is a higher risk of
impaction colic if it does not have a glass of water with every meal. As much as I look forward to my refreshing
fill of H2O in the morning, some horses aren't as enthusiastic about hydration
as yours truly. Often external factors such as temperature, weather conditions,
and stress as a result of changes in the environment or workload can affect a
horse's drinking regimen. These factors, combined with the threat of
automatic waterer malfunctions, can make it difficult for a horse to maintain
proper hydration. For this reason, it is imperative that horses have access
to fresh, clean water at all times and behavioral changes be addressed as soon
as they are recognized. In the worst cases, dehydration can impair normal
gut function, cause impaction colic, "tying up", and other health
issues.
You know what they say about horses, “You can lead them to
water, but you can’t make them drink.” Well, no one ever said anything about tricking
them into drinking water! Some good tricks are soaking a pelleted concentrate,
hay cubes, or beet pulp in two gallons of warm water as a meal to encourage
water intake. Sometimes mixing in a
teaspoon of salt into the feed can help encourage more drinking…perhaps a big
bag of salty, potato chips will do! By keeping a close eye on the horse's water
source, and getting to know what is "normal" in terms of water
consumption are both good ways to encourage proper hydration.
Also, horses may be reluctant to drink in the winter months
if their water source is freezing cold, so water heaters may be useful for not
only making the water a comfortable temperature for consumption and not a cold
shock to their system, but also preventing ice from forming on the troughs and
buckets. These can be dangerous if not installed correctly or in the case of a malfunction, so it is extremely important that they are checked on a daily basis. My friends at the Equine Science Center know all about how to maintain water supply in winter months - they wrote two factsheets about it! (Winter
Feeding for Horses and Winter Care
for Horses)
The Equine Science Center is a great source for tips,
tricks, and truths about winter care for your horses this season. Think of it
as an early gift to you from the Center!
Your pal,
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