Water is an amazing gift to your horse. Offering clean water to your horse can improve your relationship ten-fold and lead to a happier and healthier horse. Equines drink 10-15 gallons daily; more if the weather is hot or humid and after exercise. Therefore, bringing your horse a 5-gallon bucket two to three times a day will guarantee proper hydration and a better partnership with you.
Most horses will refuse to drink if their water is too cold or if algae is growing in their trough. In worse case scenarios dehydration can cause death from colic, a common symptom of dehydration. Without water there is little lubrication to help pass feces through the intestines. To decrease your horse’s chance of colic switch from troughs to buckets, or change your trough water daily.
Winter is the best time to offer buckets of water. Horses like drinking water at 70°F and warm water can be brought two to three times daily to decrease the chances of ice formation. No longer will you have to worry about your trough heater shocking your horse causing him/her to become fearful of drinking. Your horse will think he/she is spoiled with every warm bucket of water you bring out to them.
Many horses have fear issues, or prefer to stand on the other side of their paddock when you are around. Water can turn the greatest of skeptics into appreciative equids. Most horses take water for granted when it is always available, but to have your equine experience brief thirst before you quench it will instantly increase rapport. Not to mention how delicious that first mouthful of water tastes when it is fresh and clean.
