Q: My horse often drinks less in the colder months. This especially worries me because he’s eating more dry forage (hay) than he does during the warmer months when he has access to pasture. How can I encourage him to drink more? Does the temperature of the water influence how much he wants to drink?
A: Hydration often stays at the forefront of horse owners’ minds when the weather heats up, but it is important in the cold weather, too. The old saying “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink” is true; however, there are several ways to encourage your horse to increase his water intake.
Risks Associated With Decreased Water Intake
In the winter, horses generally consume little to no pasture, which in turn means their hay intake increases. Hay has a lower moisture content than pasture, so horses must drink more water to meet their daily requirements. Horses might also move less in the winter months—and movement helps keep the gastrointestinal tract moving properly—so appropriate water intake is important to support gastrointestinal health and gut motility.
Veterinarians see more cases of impaction colic in cold weather. If a horse does not consume adequate water and moves less, the risk of developing this type of colic increases.
Water Temperature and Equine Water Consumption
Temperature plays a key role in winter water management. Horses drink less when water gets too cold or nears freezing. If you must break ice in your horses’ water, they likely have been without water for too long. Depending on the area you live in and where your horses’ water source is, you might need to use bucket or trough heaters to prevent ice formation.
Researchers have shown that when equids are provided with heated (i.e., warm or room temperature) water, instead of water at near-freezing temperatures, they consume about 40% more. (Though, if they’re offered both warm water and cold, they opt for the cold.) When encouraging horses to drink during winter, start by ensuring they have a clean, heated water source. A variety of heater options exist. Please note that whichever heater you choose must be compatible with the type of water trough you’re using. A heated or insulated bucket might be a better option if your horse is stalled.
Salt for Increased Water Consumption
Providing your horses more salt might also help increase their water intake. But keep in mind a free-choice access to a salt lick does not sufficiently meet a horse’s sodium and chloride requirements. Add 2 tablespoons of loose salt per day to an average-sized 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) horse’s diet to meet his daily needs. The gold standard involves adding salt to his feed and offering free-choice access to a salt block or loose salt.
Horse Water Flavorings
Once you have the fundamentals covered of heated water and adequate salt intake, you can play around with different water flavorings. Whenever you offer flavored water to your horses, be sure they also have a plain water source available. Safe options to flavor water include equine electrolyte products, a drop of peppermint extract, a handful of sweet feed, or even a small amount of molasses or apple juice.
When you consider trying flavored water for your horses, keep their health status in mind. For example, if you have a pony at a higher risk of developing metabolic issues, choose a low-sugar flavoring option.
Take-Home Message
While you can’t force a horse to drink, many strategies can help encourage hydration. Start with a safely heated bucket or trough filled with fresh, clean water, and make sure horses get enough salt from their diet and a free-choice source. If your horses still struggles to consume enough water, you can also offer flavored water, but be mindful of sugar intake for at-risk horses and ponies.
