Water Consumption

[Merogsrha]

Hey everyone! I have a question regarding the amount of water a normal sized, healthy mini consumes in a day (or half way - whichever). I am noticing that Cookie does not seem to be taking in much water... or not what I was used to with riding horses anyways! I've got a large flat back bucket that I fill two times a day. It always seems just about as full as when I filled it! I do give her luke warm water with these cold cold winter days, but she doesn't seem to drink any more vs. the cold water she was getting when she first arrived and weather was warmer. So my question is - how much water do your mini's drink in between your fill ups?

Edited to add: I have been mixing Cookies grain (Mini horse and pony feed) with a little bit of warm water. She eats it with no problems, so I figure it can't be hurting anything. At least I know she is getting some water in her.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

If her appetite and attitude are normal, then water consumption is likely adequate. Some drink lots while others are like camels.

Animals prefer 40' water regardless of air temperature. I do not encourage warming water, but along the same lines, breaking ice is not good either as that water is 32'.

Dr. Taylor

 

[Minimor]

I have some that will down almost a half pail a couple times a day, others drink only a few sips twice a day, others drink a half pail or less once a day. Keep in mind that we do have snow here so the horses do eat some snow--some deliberately eat it, and all take in some snow when they are eating their hay off the ground. If we had no snow on the ground then they would drink more--a lot more--I notice a huge difference in the amount of water I have to take out after the first snow as compared to what I took out prior to there being any snow.

While I don't believe in horses having only snow, no water (as some people believe--there are plenty who do not water their horses when there is snow on the ground) I do know that horses do eat snow. I had one mini mare that would go days without drinking--she would ignore the water and eat snow instead, I assume because that is what she had been used to prior to my getting her.

I do haul out warm water for my horses--some of them like warm water, one colt here likes his water almost hot, and some prefer the water to be cool--if I put warm water in their pails they will wait & drink after it cools off. I don't have heated waterers so I just leave water out, then top the tubs up with hot water twice a day--and knock/scoop out all the ice. When it is really cold and the water freezes too hard through the day or overnight then I just take warm water out to water everyone twice a day.

 

[Merogsrha]

Thank's Dr Taylor and Minimor! Glad to see that miss Cookie's water habits seem normal! She is eating, poopin, and peeing normally, so must be she is taking in enough. I just had the thought that if she wasnt drinking a noticable amount, she must not be getting enough - Could be from years of having riding horses who DID down a half bucket at LEAST between the am/pm chores. I will rest a little easier now, knowing that the amount she is taking in seems to be adequate for her as long as she is behaving normally

And out of curiosity, I am going to take the temp of the water I am bringing out, just to see what side of 40degrees it is on

 

[little lady]

Not to repeat others but I have one that drinks lots, one that drinks little and two(one big horse and one mini) that are in between. I do not warm their water however in the winter they have heated buckets and tanks so the water does not freeze and have never had a problem with water consumption.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I have two heated buckets. I plug one in at a time and switch the plug between so I always have thawed water. They drink much better this way and my two minis will drain a whole bucket in about 24 hours. Not much grazing.. free choice hay here. They drink much less when I forget to plug in bucket. They don't seem to enjoy even lightly skimmed with ice water for drinking. My goats like warm water.

 

[lucky seven]

I use heated buckets in the winter also, For my mini I use the smaller sized one. I only fill it with 3 gallons in the morning and add to it in the evening. Seven eats snow when we have any but doesn't like cold water. He drinks the same amount year round.

 

[Marty]

All mine are different except to when I add the warm water then they all drink like crazy. I also soak beet pulp in the warm water just to be sure they are getting enough.

 

[bevann]

I have several that don't drink enough in spite of using heated buckets.I always check poop.If it is small(grape size or less) and hard then they are not drinking enough.I also feed several in water - their breakfast and dinner is dumped in about 4 inches of water and gets a handful of beet pulp added(this brings moisture to the gut)their food is senior feed and has beet pulp in it.I also add powdered electrolytes to the food to encourage drinking. Long history here of horses not drinking enough.

 

[SonriseHorsmanship]

hi...I had the same ? awhile ago but some1 told me to feed 1x daily of loose minerals and now my big and mini horses r drinking more water...even the 1s that didnt drink alot in the first place...I recommend the loose minerals for sure.

 

[Matt73]

I love my heated buckets and can't imagine how I survived without them. The water doesn't really get warm, it just stops it from freezing and takes the edge off (lukewarm); nice on a frigid day/night, i think; my one mare won't go near icy cold water. I dump and fill 5 gal. buckets (each has one in their stall) each morning, and if they're in due to weather etc. each is usually down by at least half by night time; my yearling gelding tends to drink a bit more than that. Of course, during hot days in the summer, I may have to fill buckets twice a day.

 

[Carolyn R]

Trough with a drain plug heater in the turnout, stalls get warm water when the horses are put in for the night. I add water to their feed this time of year. Warm water on pelleted feed puffs up on a few minutes. Usually two parts water for every part feed. If a horse is off or I am still not convinced they are getting enough water, I soak their hay in a five gallon bucket. I would rather be safe than sorry and turning their feed into mash will not hurt anyone.