How to Keep Your Horse Hydrated
When temperatures have gone thru the ceiling, you wish to very meticulously watch the water intake of your horses. They may not be drinking enough water, and when they do that, they are prime candidates for all the ailments arising from dehydration.
While dehydration afflicts horses most in the summertime, it is actually prevalent at any time of year. The general suspect is hot and humid weather, but it is not the only cause. An idle horse in a hot stall with poor ventilation can fall prey to dehydration. Even in intense cold weather, a pony can get dehydrated if the water in his bucket freezes and he hasn't any alternative supply nearby.
These are some ways of getting your horse to maintain a good level of water intake.
1. Obviously, the 1st need to be met is to give your pony access to enough water. Even idle horses drink about 10 gallons a day, while active ones can put away 25 gallons when the weather is hot.
2. Feed your horse only squeaky clean water, and make sure it is easily accessible. Your horse will be no more disposed to drink water from buckets that are tipped over, or are leaky or cruddy than you'd be.
3. Give hay a good soaking in water before feeding so that the horse absorbs more water. A single flake of hay can soak up between 1 and 2 gallons. When you feed completely soaked hay to your pony, you'll be favourably impacting his intake of liquids.
4. Feed your pony with food rich in water content like fresh grass, weak bran mash and watermelon, apples and carrots.
5. Keep a clean block of salt within reach of your horse.
6. Stir a small spoon of salt into some applesauce (2 tablespoons) and shoot the mixture with a deworming tube or a syringe into your horse's mouth. The mixture will stimulate thirst in your horse.
7. If you can, squirt a spoon of corn syrup right into your horse's mouth. By coating her tongue, the syrup will make your pony drink more water.
8. Keep your horse's water from freezing. If the water gets too cold, adding some hot water.
9. Horses are not too keen on water with a 'different' flavour. If you are travelling, carry sufficient home water with you if you can do so. If you can't, start adding some apple juice, cider vinegar or sugar beet doused water to your horse's water starting some days before the travel. By continuing to add one of those items to water while on the road, you'll be in a position to hide any 'new' flavours.
10. Take your horse out for regular rides. Even a comparatively fast walk of 15 minutes, a short ride stimulates thirst. But if your pony is getting over a spell of dehydration, get your vet's approval before you take her out for a ride.
You won't cause colic in your pony by exercising her straight after she's had some water. Horse stomachs push water thru awfully fast.
While dehydration afflicts horses most in the summertime, it is actually prevalent at any time of year. The general suspect is hot and humid weather, but it is not the only cause. An idle horse in a hot stall with poor ventilation can fall prey to dehydration. Even in intense cold weather, a pony can get dehydrated if the water in his bucket freezes and he hasn't any alternative supply nearby.
These are some ways of getting your horse to maintain a good level of water intake.
1. Obviously, the 1st need to be met is to give your pony access to enough water. Even idle horses drink about 10 gallons a day, while active ones can put away 25 gallons when the weather is hot.
2. Feed your horse only squeaky clean water, and make sure it is easily accessible. Your horse will be no more disposed to drink water from buckets that are tipped over, or are leaky or cruddy than you'd be.
3. Give hay a good soaking in water before feeding so that the horse absorbs more water. A single flake of hay can soak up between 1 and 2 gallons. When you feed completely soaked hay to your pony, you'll be favourably impacting his intake of liquids.
4. Feed your pony with food rich in water content like fresh grass, weak bran mash and watermelon, apples and carrots.
5. Keep a clean block of salt within reach of your horse.
6. Stir a small spoon of salt into some applesauce (2 tablespoons) and shoot the mixture with a deworming tube or a syringe into your horse's mouth. The mixture will stimulate thirst in your horse.
7. If you can, squirt a spoon of corn syrup right into your horse's mouth. By coating her tongue, the syrup will make your pony drink more water.
8. Keep your horse's water from freezing. If the water gets too cold, adding some hot water.
9. Horses are not too keen on water with a 'different' flavour. If you are travelling, carry sufficient home water with you if you can do so. If you can't, start adding some apple juice, cider vinegar or sugar beet doused water to your horse's water starting some days before the travel. By continuing to add one of those items to water while on the road, you'll be in a position to hide any 'new' flavours.
10. Take your horse out for regular rides. Even a comparatively fast walk of 15 minutes, a short ride stimulates thirst. But if your pony is getting over a spell of dehydration, get your vet's approval before you take her out for a ride.
You won't cause colic in your pony by exercising her straight after she's had some water. Horse stomachs push water thru awfully fast.
About the Author:
Horses are Heather Toms
passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of
articles with other horse lovers visit HorseHorses
passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of
articles with other horse lovers visit HorseHorses
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