Keeping horses hydrated in summer is one of the most important and easily overlooked tasks of the warm months, as a horse’s need for water rises sharply in the heat. Dehydration in a horse can develop quietly and lead to serious problems, from colic to heat stress, so ensuring a good supply of clean water and encouraging a horse to drink deserves real attention. Heavenly Pastures, a specialist provider of horse cremations across the north west, works with owners who take their horses’ welfare seriously, and this guide sets out how to keep a horse well hydrated through the summer. Because a horse cannot ask for water, the responsibility to provide and monitor it falls entirely to those who care for it. A horse that always has clean water within easy reach, and an owner who notices when it is drinking less than usual, is well protected against the quiet danger of summer dehydration. The effort of a few extra checks each day is repaid in a horse that stays well and comfortable through the hottest weather.
Why Hydration Matters So Much
Water is essential to almost every function of a horse’s body, and even mild dehydration undermines its health and performance. In hot weather a horse loses a great deal of fluid through sweating, and a working horse in the heat can lose an enormous amount, which must be replaced if it is not to become dehydrated. Dehydration thickens the gut contents and slows the passage of food, which is one reason impaction colic becomes more common in summer, and it reduces a horse’s ability to cope with heat, raising the risk of heat stress. A well hydrated horse, by contrast, copes far better with the demands of warm weather. Prevention here is far easier than cure, since a dehydrated horse can quickly become seriously unwell, whereas a well hydrated one takes the heat in its stride.
The good news is that keeping a horse hydrated is largely a matter of consistent, attentive provision, and a little care in this area prevents a great deal of trouble. The key is consistency, keeping water clean, plentiful and appealing every day rather than only when the weather turns hot.
Providing Plenty of Clean Water
The foundation of hydration is a constant supply of clean, fresh water, available at all times. In summer this means checking water more often, as horses drink more and troughs empty faster, and as warmth encourages the growth of algae and the fouling that can put a horse off drinking. Cleaning troughs and buckets regularly, and ensuring automatic waterers are working, keeps the supply appealing. In a large field, more than one water source spares a horse a long walk in the heat and prevents squabbles at a single trough. Owners around Hesketh Bank horse cremations and Banks horse cremations keep their horses’ water clean and plentiful all summer.
Recognising the Signs of Dehydration
Knowing the signs of dehydration allows an owner to act before it becomes serious. A simple skin pinch test, where a fold of skin on the neck is gently lifted and released, gives a rough guide, as skin that is slow to spring back suggests dehydration. Tacky or dry gums, a lack of the usual moist shine, lethargy and reduced appetite are other signs. A dehydrated horse needs its water intake restored and, in more serious cases, veterinary attention. Learning to check these signs, especially in hot weather and after hard work, is a valuable habit. Owners across Croston horse cremations and Charnock Richard horse cremations watch their horses closely for any sign of dehydration.
Encouraging a Horse to Drink
Some horses drink readily, while others need encouragement, particularly if they are fussy or away from home. Ensuring water is fresh and appealing, and offering water a horse is used to, helps, and some owners flavour water or provide it in familiar buckets when travelling. Providing access to salt, through a salt lick or added to feed, encourages a horse to drink, as does feeding soaked rather than dry forage. Wet feeds and soaked hay add usefully to a horse’s water intake. Owners around Wrightington horse cremations find ways to tempt a reluctant drinker in the heat.
Extra Care for Working Horses
A horse in work in warm weather needs particular attention to its hydration, as exercise and heat together cause heavy fluid loss through sweat. Offering water before and after work, and allowing a hot horse to drink in sensible amounts as it cools, replaces what has been lost. For horses in hard work or sweating heavily, electrolytes may be needed to replace the salts lost in sweat, always alongside plenty of water. Watching a working horse for signs that it is struggling with the heat, and easing off when needed, protects it. Owners who compete or hack out in summer keep a close eye on their horses’ hydration.
Watching the Most Vulnerable Horses
Some horses need extra watchfulness in the heat, as the very young, the old, and those that are unwell or overweight cope less well with warm weather and dehydration. An older horse may drink less than it should, or struggle to reach water in a large field, and deserves particular attention. Keeping vulnerable horses in the shade during the hottest part of the day, and ensuring water is always easily within reach, protects them. A little extra care for those least able to cope keeps them safe through the summer. Attentive owners give their most vulnerable horses the closest watch.
Care Through Every Stage of Life
Keeping a horse well hydrated is one of the everyday kindnesses that protects its health through the summer, and that care continues through the whole of a horse’s life. Where a horse can no longer be kept comfortable and an owner faces a difficult decision, a planned euthanasia arranged with a vet spares it suffering. For compassionate guidance on any aspect of equine care or aftercare, owners across the north west are welcome to call Heavenly Pastures on 01704 776976.