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As temperatures drop and winter weather sets in, many aspects of horse care need to shift to accommodate the season's's unique set of circumstances. Snow, ice, and frigid temps increase the workload for many farm owners. Caretakers need to pay more attention to the weather forecast and anticipate the needs of their horses. Many horses need to be blanketed on chilly days to stay warm or have to be fed more to maintain their weight. Providing horses with ample clean water can also become a challenge in the winter. However, its importance only increases during these dark, cold months.
Water: The Essential Nutrient
Horses are huge animals that need to drink a lot of water each day. On average, horses should drink between 5 and 15 gallons of water per day. Water is an essential part of a horse's diet and not drinking enough can have negative impacts on their health and performance.
Special care must be taken to ensure horses stay hydrated over the winter. Frozen troughs and hoses can make it more difficult to keep clean, fresh water in front of horses over the winter, however, their hydration needs do not change over the winter, and can even increase based on weather conditions, feed, and activity level.
The importance of providing water in winter
Even though the hot summer days have subsided, horses' water needs do not change. Water is often at the forefront of owners' minds when steamy summer days cause horses to sweat and watering is as easy as pulling out a hose. However, winter dehydration can be just as dangerous and can cause serious health complications.
Impaction colic
Many owners and veterinarians note an increase in the number of colics when the temperature drops. Many of these colics are impaction colic, which is caused by a blockage in the intestinal tract. The average horse can consume over 20 lbs. of dry matter every day. That's a lot of material to be moved through the horse's twisting digestive system. Over the winter when horses are stabled a lot more and tend to drink a lot less, they become prone to this dangerous condition.
When horses are dehydrated, the food in their digestive system becomes dry and stiff, making it harder to pass through the digestive system and leading it to form a large mass at a bend in an intestine. Lack of movement, when stabled, can also contribute to an impaction. This painful condition will need to be treated immediately by a veterinarian.
How does water consumption change in winter
Even though horses' water needs do not change over the winter, their consumption can decrease if they're not provided a suitable water source. The temperature of the water provided has a huge impact on the amount of water horses will consume in the winter. While providing a plain trough of water is adequate over the summer, once temperatures get closer to freezing, the subsequent drop in water temperature can decrease its palatability. Horse's water consumption can begin to decrease at just 45º.
Studies have shown that when given the choice between near-freezing water (around 34º) and lukewarm water (around 66º), horses consistently chose the warmer water. Horses that only had cold water drank 40% less on average than horses that were only provided warm water. Interestedly, this study found no change in water consumption between warm and cold water over the summer.
If you want to maximize your horse's performance over the winter and help prevent colic, it's important to be able to supply an adequate amount of lukewarm water daily.
Maximizing Horse's Winter Water Consumption
To prevent serious health complications and keep horses performing at their best, caretakers will need to ensure horses are drinking enough throughout the winter. Following a few simple best practices can help ensure horses always have access to drinking water even on the coldest winter days.
Temperature matters
If the only water horses have access to has a layer of ice over it, they will consume less of it. On average, horses will consume 40% more water when provided with lukewarm water. Once temperatures drop below 45º, horses' water consumption can begin to decline. The ideal water temperature for horses in chilly weather is between 45º and 65º. Most caretakers would like to be able to keep warm water in front of their horses all day, but frozen hoses and cold weather can make that challenging.
How to keep your water from freezing
With frigid temperatures come snow and ice. Filling water buckets can become a hassle without access to warm water or a hose. However, there are numerous options caretakers can choose from to help keep water warm and palatable for horses even on the coldest nights.
Automatic waterers
For those with access and means, automatic waters are a great year-round solution to watering horses. An automatic waterer is a device that is fed a continuous supply of fresh water. They are connected to a water source through underground pipes and can be gravity fed or operated by the animal with a lever. As long as the pipes are installed deep enough in the ground, these waterers will not freeze in winter. They come in a variety of sizes, from large ones that can go out in a pasture to small ones for use in a stall.
Automatic waterers are great for year-round use as they eliminate the need for dumping and filling a trough or buckets every day. They do need some cleaning and maintenance but are a worthwhile investment for large stable operations.
Insulated buckets
Many horse owners use regular water buckets in stalls. These are an easy, cost-effective solution for most owners however, they will freeze quickly when the temperatures drop. Adding a layer of insulation will help keep water warm at lower temperatures. SmartPak offers an insulator for regular 5-gallon water buckets.
Those that don't want to spend a lot on an insulator can easily make one themselves. All you have to do is wrap a bucket with a layer of bubble wrap, a layer of double reflective insulation and then cover the whole surface in duct tape. This can be made for less than $15 and works just as well as a store-bought product.
Water heaters
Large water troughs is a popular way to provide water to horses. In winter, water is at the mercy of the temperature and it can become frozen solid after a cold night. Adding a stock tank water heater is a great option for keeping large troughs of water from freezing in the fields. For owners that keep their horses outside, a water heater is a must-have in winter.
These will need a source of electricity which, for many means running extension cords out to the trough. A surge protector will need to be in place for safety measures. However, once they are up and running, they will keep the water warm on more mild days and leave at least a drinking hole in the ice on the coldest of days.
Add warm water
Horses will consume about 82% of their daily water intake within three hours after eating. That means, as long as they have access to palatable water during that time, they should maintain adequate hydration. Because of that, those that are unable to heat their horse's water can add a few gallons of hot water to the bucket at feeding time. This will raise the temperature of the water for at least a few hours. Horses watered in this way were found to drink 38% more water than those that only had access to near-freezing water. Even if you have insulated buckets, adding warm water at mealtime will ensure your horse has temperate water for as long as possible.
Other ways to keep horses hydrated
Electrolytes- Electrolyte supplements can be given to help entice a horse to drink.
While the supplements themselves won't hydrate the horse, they will make them
thirsty. Giving horses free access to mineralized salt can allow them to consume as
much as their body needs and encourage drinking.
Flavoring- Sometimes horses may be turned off from drinking because of the taste of
the water. This is especially true when a horse moves barns or is out for a day.
Adding flavoring, like a powdered drink mix or apple juice, can give it an enticing
flavor.
Bran mash- A warm bran mash is a good way to give a horse extra hydration. These can
be made by soaking bran in warm water. Often apples, carrots, or molasses are
also added. The horse's gran ration can also be soaked to increase water intake.
