When temperatures have gone thru the ceiling, you wish to very rigorously watch the water consumption of your horses. They might not be drinking enough water, and when they do that, they are prime candidates for all of the illnesses stemming from dehydration.
While dehydration afflicts horses most in the summertime, it's really prevalent at any time of year. The general suspect is hot and humid weather, but it isn't the only cause. An idle horse in a hot stall with poor ventilation can become a victim of dehydration. Even in extreme colder weather conditions, a horse can get dehydrated if the water in his bucket freezes and he has no alternative supply close by.
Here are some techniques of getting your horse to maintain a good level of water intake.
1. Obviously, the first duty 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 pony only completely clean water, and ensure it is easily reached. Your horse will be no more disposed to drink water from buckets that are tipped over, or are leaky or cruddy than you would be.
3. Give hay a good soaking in water before feeding so the horse absorbs more water. A single flake of hay can suck up between 1 and 2 gallons. When you feed totally dunked hay to your pony, you will be favourably impacting his intake of liquids.
4. Feed your horse with food loaded in water content like fresh grass, weak bran mash and melon, apples and carrots.
5. Keep a clean block of salt within reach of your pony.
6. Stir a teaspoon of salt into some applesauce (2 tablespoons) and shoot the mixture with a deworming tube or a syringe into your horse's mouth. The mix will excite 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 horse drink more water.
8. Keep your horse's water from freezing. If the water gets too cold, adding some hot water.
9. Horses aren't 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, begin adding some apple juice, cider vinegar or sugar beet doused water to your horse's water starting some days prior to 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 relatively quick walk of 15 minutes, a short ride excites thirst. Nonetheless if your pony is recovering from a spell of dehydration, get your vet's approval before you take her out for a ride.
You will not cause colic in your horse by exercising her immediately after she's had some water. Pony stomachs push water thru very fast.
While dehydration afflicts horses most in the summertime, it's really prevalent at any time of year. The general suspect is hot and humid weather, but it isn't the only cause. An idle horse in a hot stall with poor ventilation can become a victim of dehydration. Even in extreme colder weather conditions, a horse can get dehydrated if the water in his bucket freezes and he has no alternative supply close by.
Here are some techniques of getting your horse to maintain a good level of water intake.
1. Obviously, the first duty 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 pony only completely clean water, and ensure it is easily reached. Your horse will be no more disposed to drink water from buckets that are tipped over, or are leaky or cruddy than you would be.
3. Give hay a good soaking in water before feeding so the horse absorbs more water. A single flake of hay can suck up between 1 and 2 gallons. When you feed totally dunked hay to your pony, you will be favourably impacting his intake of liquids.
4. Feed your horse with food loaded in water content like fresh grass, weak bran mash and melon, apples and carrots.
5. Keep a clean block of salt within reach of your pony.
6. Stir a teaspoon of salt into some applesauce (2 tablespoons) and shoot the mixture with a deworming tube or a syringe into your horse's mouth. The mix will excite 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 horse drink more water.
8. Keep your horse's water from freezing. If the water gets too cold, adding some hot water.
9. Horses aren't 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, begin adding some apple juice, cider vinegar or sugar beet doused water to your horse's water starting some days prior to 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 relatively quick walk of 15 minutes, a short ride excites thirst. Nonetheless if your pony is recovering from a spell of dehydration, get your vet's approval before you take her out for a ride.
You will not cause colic in your horse by exercising her immediately after she's had some water. Pony stomachs push water thru very 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 read more
passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of
articles with other horse lovers read more
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