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Keeping Water Available in WinterBy Kentucky Equine Research Staff · March 2, 2011
Horses need access to water in all seasons, even in the winter when they may not be in regular work. Water intake is essential for proper movement of ingested material through the digestive tract, and the risk of impaction colic increases significantly if drinking is restricted for only a few hours.
Insulated buckets are a help for stalled horses, while electric or solar water tank heaters can help keep pastured horses supplied. Horse owners can slow ice formation by constructing an insulated wooden box around a water tank. Covering part of the tank will allow horses to drink and will keep them from coming into contact with the tank heater.
An aerator can be added to keep water moving. In areas where the temperature doesn't drop far below freezing, place a floating log or basketball in an outdoor tank. Horses will learn to push the object down through thin ice to get a drink, though in very cold areas this is impractical because the entire tank can freeze solid, regardless of how many floating toys are added.
Remember these additional cold weather tips:
- Examine water source several times a day to make sure all horses have access to open water.
- Check tanks and buckets frequently to be sure they have not become contaminated by feed, hay, or manure.
- Inspect open water sources for the presence of dead birds or small animals that may have fallen in.
- Have an alternate plan in place to provide water to horses in case of power outages caused by storms.
- Watch old and subordinate horses to see that more dominant animals are not blocking them from the water source. Placing two water tanks or drinking stations in a pasture is a way to prevent this situation.
