Horses drink less in the winter and this can lead to fecal impaction colic. This is a common problem among many horses but is more prevalent when the water temperature lowers below 45 F.
Contrary to what you may think, the decreased water intake occurs before the water actually freezes.
Efforts should be taken to ensure that your horses continue to consume as much water as possible during the winter months. A few tips to make sure that your horses keep on sipping are:
- changing the water often to prevent freezing
- using automatic waterers
- using water heating devices
- adding salt or electrolytes to the feed
- water can also be added directly to the feed to encourage additional
intake
Increasing the amount of water a horse drinks is an easy and inexpensive way to keep your horse at the peak of health during the winter. If your horse stays outside, and an automatic waterer is not an option, consider carrying buckets of hot water out twice daily to the horses.
If you are wondering how warm or cool to make it, remember, if you would not drink the water outside in the cold, don’t ask your horse to drink it.
There are many stock de-icers that can do the job economically for you. Many of these heaters are equipped with automatic shut-off and thermostat control and are designed to sit on the bottom of the tank to prevent your horse or other livestock from disturbing them. Others attach to the side of stock tanks, clamping securely on to prevent playful horses from removing them from the water. The heating elements run along the bottom of the tank, to prevent
accidental burns. Thermostats are adjustable and replaceable in case of malfunction.
