Hydration is More Than
a Drop in the Bucket
by Lisa Ross-Williams
P
roper water intake is crucial for a healthy horse.
It’s so important that it is imperative horse
guardians take it very seriously in order to
prevent dehydration.
Water is life and without it both horse and human
would perish. Approximately 68% of a horse’s body
is water and this fluid is necessary for almost every
bodily function. It helps regulate body temperature,
transports nutrients, is key in digestion and
elimination, and much more. By understanding some
key points about water and hydration, horse guardians
can ensure their equine partners stay hydrated and
healthy throughout the year.
How Much Water?
Although the average water intake for a mature horse is
10-12 gallons per day, in reality there are many factors
which dictate how much a horse really needs. It will
depend on the environmental temperature and humidity,
the horse’s size, body temperature, activity level, diet,
salt intake and even his overall health. Hard-working
horses and lactating mares may require twice the normal
amount. Therefore, it’s extremely important to provide
full access to fresh healthy water in a clean tank.
Dehydration
Dehydration is the loss of body fluids and can range
from mild to serious. A loss of 12-15% of body water
can be life-threatening and requires immediate
veterinary intervention. Dehydration can be caused
by inadequate water consumption, fever, choke, heat
stroke, long trailering trips, diarrhea, over- exercising
in hot weather, and even some medications.
Signs of this condition include heart rate over 60 beats
per minute (bpm), depression, weakness, capillary
refill time over 3 seconds, dark urine, dry manure and
sunken eyeballs. Pinch the skin on the lower chest; if
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it stays tented or is slow to spring back, this is a sign of
moderate to severe dehydration.
Prevention Tips for Dehydration
1
Keep your water tanks clean. Heat, sunlight and
organic material quickly contribute to algae and
fungi appearing in tanks. Loose white salt is great for
cleaning tanks and unlike typical cleansers it leaves
no harmful residue behind. For tougher cases, Lemon
essential oil can be added to the salt for added punch.
Just be sure to rinse well. You can also add a teaspoon
of copper sulfate into a large tank as it deters algae.
For large tanks, some use goldfish to eat the algae and
organic material but this may not work for those with
mischievous horses.
A good rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t consider
drinking the tank water, your horses won’t drink their
optimum amount.
2
Provide safe, fresh water. Although most drinking
water sources are safe, some well water may contain
high levels of selenium, arsenic, lead, iron or bacteria. If
in doubt, have it tested. Never connect copper tubing to
galvanized pipes as it could result in toxic levels of zinc.
Even city water with added fluoride is being linked to
serious health issues in horses and dogs. Here’s that
story-Cathy Justus was an everyday person enjoying her
life with her family, pets and horses until many of her
horses started showing mysterious symptoms after her
town of Pagosa Springs, Colorado started fluoridation
of the water supply. Eventually, she ended up losing
seven horses and four dogs with no diagnosis from
eight different vets. Symptoms included colic, metabolic
issues, lethargy, neurological problems, chronic coughs
and skin issues, joints freezing up, soft tissue hardening,
deformed hooves, crooked legs appearing after maturity,
thyroid problems, and reproductive issues.
Water helps to
regulate body
temperature,
transports nutrients,
is important for
digestion and
much more.
Finally, through Cathy’s
persistence and the
help of Dr. Lennart
Krook, PhD, Emeritus,
Cornell University in
New York, a diagnosis
of Chronic Fluoride
Poisoning (CFP) was
made. For more information
about Fluoride Poisoning visit
www.myspace.com/poisonedhorses.
3
Don’t forget the importance of salt. Sodium is
critical in sustaining normal hydration. Offer freechoice loose white salt (sea salt is preferable) 24/7 and
add a minimum of 2 tablespoons per day in feed. In
very hot and/or humid weather or strenuous exercise,
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August 2014
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