Top Tips For Keeping your Horse Hydrated

Keeping your horse hydrated is essential for your horse's health and welfare

Keeping your horse hydrated is essential for your horses health and welfare. Our top tips are as follows:

• Make sure you have clean fresh water available in both the stable and field
• When it is hot try to ride early or late when the temperatures are cooler, avoiding the midday heat. 
• Encourage drinking by giving electrolytes either in the water or feed and provide salt licks to stimulate thirst.
• Add water to feed.
• Rug accordingly to the weather especially keeping an eye on the temperature.  
• Make sure you cool down properly after exercising at home and at competitions. Horses create a lot of heat during exercise. Cool down until the horse is breathing easily and they feel cool to touch.
• Increase the ventilation in the lorry or trailer when travelling as this reduces sweating.
• Bring your own water to a show or make sure there is a water source at your competition venue.
• Offer water to your horse after competing.  
• In extreme heat try to travel early or late in the day when it is a little cooler which also minimises risk of getting caught up in traffic. Ensure you have enough water on board to cool down your horse if necessary should you hava a breakdown or unavoidable delay. 
• If you are at a stay away show and think your horse is not likely to drink a new water source, take enough water from home. Get your horse accustomed to water from a plastic tank at home first. You can increase water intake indirectly through adding extra water to feeds or soaking hay while away or feedignn haylage over hay for higher moisture content. You can also try adding a flavour to the water to tempt drinking. This should all be practised at home while in a stress free environment.