Watering the Grass Kept Horse

Between 50% and 70% of the body weight of a horse consists of water, the actual percentage depends on the age and condition of the horse.

Water has a number of essential functions:-

It is needed for the digestion
Blood circulation is impaired without water
Lime in water helps to create bone
To quench thirst
To help regulate the horse's temperature
Aids excretion of waste products (urine and dung)
As a medium in which chemical reactions can take place
As a solvent in which substances can be transported around the body
It forms the base of milk for lactating mares

What Type of Container?

Streams and ponds that come from unpolluted sources are suitable, providing there is firm standing for the horse to approach and they have a gravel bottom.

Drinking from a shallow stream or pond with a sandy bottom could result in the horse ingesting small quantities of sand each time. If the sand accumulates in their digestive system it may cause an attack of sand colic.

A stagnant pond clogged with mud and weeds must be fenced off to prevent the horse drinking from it, as it may contain bacteria that could be harmful to them.

Self Filling Troughs

The most convenient way of supplying water to the field. The cattle trough is fitted with a ball-cock so that each they drink the trough automatically refills itself. The ball-cock is enclosed in its own covered box so that the animals cannot interfere with it. However it must be checked daily in case grit or weeds have caused it to block or flood.

Troughs should be placed away from trees, so that leaves do not accumulate in them. The ground should be well drained; otherwise the earth around the trough will become muddy and poached. The nearer the trough is to the house or gate the more easily it can be checked.

During times of frost and snow they should be checked frequently to ensure they have a supply of water.

Other Methods

If there is no water supply to the field, water has to be taken daily by hand. The amount that is needed will vary according to the weather and the amount of moisture in the grass.

Whatever container is used must be firmly placed so that it cannot be knocked over. There should be no sharp edges, handles or protrusions that could injure the horse. Old baths, which are frequently seen should be boxed in, to hide the sharp edges of the bath, and the taps removed.

How to Clean a Water Trough

A water trough will need to be cleaned out at least four times a year, more frequently if the water gets dirty of full of debris.

If you are lucky there will be a drain plug on the bottom and if you are even luckier it will work! Making the job much easier.

Tie up the ball cock with a piece of string.

Undo the drain plug at the bottom or bale out the trough with a bucket until there is about a ¼ left.

Scrub around the trough to remove the dirt stuck to the sides, using the remaining water to swill the entire dirt to the bottom.

Bale out the remaining dirty water.

Puts the drain plug back in and remove the string from the ball cock and refill the tough.

Rules for Watering

Always have a clean fresh supply of water available for the horse to drink.

Most horses like to drink from the top of a bucket rather than the bottom - keep a bucket filled to the top

Remove water approx. 1 to 2 hours before strenuous exercise.

Water your horse before you feed, drinking after a feed could wash particles of undigested feed through to the small intestine.

Change the water of the stabled horse regularly and clean out the container before refilling. Field kept horses should have the trough cleaned out at least four time a year, more frequently if it gets dirty.

Only give small amounts of water on return from strenuous exercise, until the horse is completely cool and breathing has returned to normal.