Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I've known horses that didn't like the small water bowls with squirty 
floats in their stalls.  They'd wait to drink til they were out in their 
turnout pastures for the day where there were lovely big water barrels.
Laney

Susan E. Garlinghouse, D.V.M. wrote:
> 	I'm afraid he'll get an impaction, as there are days when he doesn't
> drink 
> a gallon of water in the 12 hours he is stalled, but eats all of his hay.
>
> 	I would very much appreciate any suggestions.  Someone suggested to
> me to 
> add plain white loose salt to his food, but I hesitate to do this.
>
> 	Thanks,
> 	Charlene 
>
>
> It's kindof alarming to see horses in pasture that never go near the water
> trough, but since pasture grass averages around 70-80% water, they get
> plenty from grazing.
>
> If he's not drinking while in the stall, and leaving him outside isn't
> feasible, then I'd make him play bobbing for apples while inside.  Fill a
> big tub with water and plop his hay in there.  Since hay is just dried
> grass, all you're really doing is reconstituting the hay back into
> semi-grass again.  Not exactly the same as the original, but at least he's
> getting in enough water to prevent an impaction.
>
> Or, you could feed him soaked beet pulp at night, and add some hay
> cubes/pellets into the mash to soak down as well.
>
> Or, try adding some molasses to the water to make it tastier for him.
>
> Or, just don't worry about it.  He's probably getting plenty of water during
> the day, and as long as he has access to clean, fresh, tasty water, he'll
> drink what he needs.  Just make sure there's nothing about his water source
> that he might be avoiding -- stale taste, ugly floaty things, a float valve
> that squirts him in the face, stray electrical voltage, a rattlesnake under
> the bucket...<g>
>
> Good luck,
> Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, MS
>
>
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