Winter water

[Marsha Cassada]

I read an article in The Horse magazine. A study was done whether horses preferred warm or cold water in the winter. When they were offered both, the horse preferred the cold. It was suggested to top dress with salt to encourage them to drink more.
I have a tank with a heater in it. It seems to be a good temperature for them. I should drop a thermometer in the water next time we have an arctic blast.

 

[Kelly]

Arctic blast next week! hopefully snow!! Get out that sled!! When my water freezes in the winter I break it up then add hot water from the house on top. The water trough inside the barn doesn’t freeze too often though.

 

[1roadtoad]

Very interesting. During the winter, I place heaters in all my animals stall buckets as well as the water trough outside the barn. Over the years, I have noticed the donkeys (who share a stall and therefore a bucket) seem to drink a gallon or two every night. The horses, on the other hand, don't seem to hardly touch their water, but in fact go directly to the trough when I let them out in the morning. The trough has the same size heater as the buckets, so the water is much cooler than it is in the buckets. Funny, all the water seems pretty cold to me when I empty them for refills when I do my daily barn chores.

 

[LostandFound]

I would expect them to prefer cold, but from what I've read they prefer cold to icy. I don't use heaters, I melt the ice with warm water from the house and they seem to like that just fine. Most of mine seem to prefer to drink outside, although it's the same temperature water.

 

[Dragon Hill]

One word of caution, when using heaters that are placed in the water especially, make sure they are in good working order and that your horses are actually drinking after placement. Some animals are extremely sensitive to stray current. I'm sure I'm not saying this right, but when you place an electric device in water or a very wet location a small amount of electricity can stray from the device in the right circumstances. This amount can be so small you can't feel it, but they can, and won't drink.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

One word of caution, when using heaters that are placed in the water especially, make sure they are in good working order and that your horses are actually drinking after placement. Some animals are extremely sensitive to stray current. I'm sure I'm not saying this right, but when you place an electric device in water or a very wet location a small amount of electricity can stray from the device in the right circumstances. This amount can be so small you can't feel it, but they can, and won't drink.

Definitely need to make sure the heating device is grounded and on a GFI.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

I only have one heated bucket for emergency purposes. It’s out right now just in case their trough or other buckets freezes. So they always have water.

 

[Minimor]

I guess none of my horses have ever read those study results. Most of ours prefer warm water. A few like their water almost hot. Our Morgans were this way, and the ponies now are the same. They will flock to me when I bring out hot water. They will even check their water tub, discover it is still cold and come over to try and drink the hot water. I have a couple that I don't even leave water out for because they never drink it. Never. They come and drink when I bring out warm water and then won't touch water again until the next batch of warm come from the house.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I guess none of my horses have ever read those study results. Most of ours prefer warm water. A few like their water almost hot. Our Morgans were this way, and the ponies now are the same. They will flock to me when I bring out hot water. They will even check their water tub, discover it is still cold and come over to try and drink the hot water. I have a couple that I don't even leave water out for because they never drink it. Never. They come and drink when I bring out warm water and then won't touch water again until the next batch of warm come from the house.

You are spoiling them!

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

I guess none of my horses have ever read those study results. Most of ours prefer warm water. A few like their water almost hot. Our Morgans were this way, and the ponies now are the same. They will flock to me when I bring out hot water. They will even check their water tub, discover it is still cold and come over to try and drink the hot water. I have a couple that I don't even leave water out for because they never drink it. Never. They come and drink when I bring out warm water and then won't touch water again until the next batch of warm come from the house

How often do you give them water. Also what in the world! That’s crazy.

 

[Minimor]

How often do you give them water. Also what in the world! That’s crazy.

In winter I water 2x per day. We used to take warm water out 3x per day but quit that when they showed they weren't interested in drinking that often. They always have water out if they want to drink but some of them wait for me to bring the hot/warm water out. If it's -40 and the wind is blowing I dump the tank and just take warm water out 2x a day. Experience has shown they won't drink the cold water anyway, and I just end up with a tank full of ice. Not much point jn that! In summer of course they like fresh cold water

 

[Abby P]

On the flip side, I have had horses who thought it was treat time when you broke ice off the tank and threw the pieces on the ground. Crunch, crunch! They all have their own preferences I guess!

 

[Cayuse]

Mine would rather have warmer water. If they have dental issue frozen water can bother their teeth and I'm always blessed with at least one with wonky teeth so I give them the warmish water.

 

[thathorsecrazychick]

In winter I water 2x per day. We used to take warm water out 3x per day but quit that when they showed they weren't interested in drinking that often. They always have water out if they want to drink but some of them wait for me to bring the hot/warm water out. If it's -40 and the wind is blowing I dump the tank and just take warm water out 2x a day. Experience has shown they won't drink the cold water anyway, and I just end up with a tank full of ice. Not much point jn that! In summer of course they like fresh cold water

Ok read this again… but don’t your horses get dehydrated in the winter? Just really curious wouldn’t they get thirsty in between getting their water?

 

[Minimor]

Not at all. I will repeat--most of the time they have water (cold) available--so if they get thirsty they can drink it. Sometimes some of them do drink it. Other times they wait for the warm water. When it is super cold--40 below and a wind blowing, they have little to no interest in drinking cold water. If I leave it out on a night like that it simply freezes Into a giant ice cube. So, I take them their warm water 2x a day and they drink their fill. They wouldn't touch cold water in between, they would not even be Interested in warm water if I took it out a 3rd time. (Speaking from experience!!) Dehydrated ? No--we have never had a dehydrated horse. The last time we had a colic due to insufficient water intake? That would be never. That's a lot of horses over a lot of years.

 

[LostandFound]

Way back when horses were expected to work for a living it was common to only offer them water twice a day.