Hydration and Your Horse

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An average 1,000 pound horse can drink anywhere from five gallons of water a day to as much as twenty or more.  As with humans, weather and activity is a big factor.  Expect your horse's consumption to increase when it is hot or humid even if you aren't working him.  When you are exercising, training and riding your horse, expect even a higher amount of water to be required.

What your horse is eating has a great deal to do with how much he drinks.  A horse on a predominately hay diet will drink much more water than a horse grazing on lush summer pasture grass.

Even with easy access to water, your horse still may become dehydrated.  Keep the water source clean, fresh and cool.  Water sources that are dirty, stagnant or too warm deter your horses interest in drinking.  Take a look at his trough or bucket.  If you wouldn't drink the water that you see and smell, neither would your horse.

Hal Schott, DVM and a professor from Michigan State University, suggests making sure that your horse has access to salt so he can consume what his body needs.  Dr. Schott states that, "adding one ounce of sodium chloride (table salt) to the feed ration twice daily will help replace sodium and chloride lost in sweat and will make some horses drink more".

After exercise, offer your horse salted water then, twenty minutes later, offer plain water.  Studies conducted by Michigan State University proved that offering a saline solution as the initial drink after exercise resulted in a greater total fluid intake and recovery of body weight loss during the fist hours after exercise, as compared to only offering plain water.  Add 1 ounce of table salt to five gallons of water, then 20 - 30 minutes later, offer your horse plain water.  This is particularly effective for horses on long trail rides and when traveling.

I have known several horses who were rather finicky about water when traveling.  Like me, they probably did not like the smell or taste of water that wasn't from home.  

If feasible, and relatively easy for you to do so, consider bringing some water from home with you.  Another idea is to slowly get your horse accustomed to drinking slightly flavored water before travel.  You can do this by adding sugar free gatorade, apple juice or molasses to his water.  This way, when you are away from home, you can add the flavor he likes to the local water and stand a better chance of him drinking well.  Please remember, whenever you use flavored water, always offer a separate bucket of plain water!