Reducing the Risk of Colic During Cooler Weather

Horse owners have long known that any change in a horse’s management—travel, diet, exercise level, water intake, even the weather—can increase the likelihood of digestive upset. Disrupt the horse’s routine too much by changing three or four things at once, and the risk of colic heightens further. With winter on the way, some important management strategies should be addressed to optimise your horse’s health. One specific management point may affect the incidence of cold-weather colic more than any: water consumption.

Three Factors Affecting Water Intake During Cooler Weather

Changes in Exercise and Workload

During the winter months, it’s not uncommon for horses to experience a reduction in workload. Some horses will be brought into stables and will have limited opportunities to exercise. Even horses that are kept in paddocks may spend many hours in a shelter, hiding from the wind and remaining sedentary. Reduced movement increases the chance of digestive upset, so it is important to keep horses moving, even when structured exercise is limited.

For those horses who do remain in work, activity will increase the horse’s water requirement, with working horses potentially doubling their water intake if they sweat routinely. When water sources are cooler and sometimes less appealing to horses, ensuring adequate water consumption is important. If a horse is not clipped and sweats regularly, electrolytes should be provided in the diet. Use a high-quality, well-formulated electrolyte such as KER Restore, which is designed to replace electrolytes in the same ratio in which they are lost.

Changes in Fibre Intake and Dietary Factors

Adequate roughage consumption supports optimal gastrointestinal health, and most owners aim to feed around 1.5% of the horse’s body weight in roughage per day. Owners typically provide supplementary hay during winter to assist with maintaining weight and body warmth.

In general, high-fibre diets increase water consumption, though the type of fibre also affects water intake. Fresh pasture is approximately 60–80% moisture, meaning horses obtain a substantial amount of water while grazing. During months when little pasture is available and horses consume more hay or chaff, which contains far less moisture, horses typically drink more to meet their water needs.

Forage quality can also impact water consumption. In general, the stalkier the hay, the less digestible it is. When horses eat large amounts of dry, indigestible forage but do not drink adequate water, they have an increased risk of impaction colic.

Changes in Water Consumption

Do you know how much your horse drinks every day? Horses normally consume between 20-55 litres of water in 24 hours, depending on their physiological state. For an adult horse in little to no work, the average is 35 litres daily. When horses do not drink adequate water, they can begin to show signs of dehydration and impaction colic within 48 hours.

Environmental factors frequently affect water intake. For instance, water consumption may drop sharply if the water is cold or icy. Even though we don’t have many frigid days, water sources may freeze, leaving horses without appropriate water. Do not expect horses to break through ice to reach drinkable water.

Certain health conditions may affect thirst. Horses with Cushing’s disease, for example, are known to drink more water than usual, and without water, these horses may have complications beyond dehydration. Horses with diseased teeth may have an aversion to cold water, experiencing sufficient pain to reduce intake substantially, if not completely.

A horse’s water intake should be monitored closely. When intake slows, horse owners should act swiftly to determine the cause and institute a solution.

Management Strategies to Optimise Water Intake

Though the causes of impaction colic vary, one irrefutable trigger during cold weather is inadequate water consumption. Ensuring water intake is therefore the most important factor in preventing impaction. Use these strategies to keep your horses drinking.

Monitor Water Intake and Manure Production

Know your horse’s water intake. Water sources should be checked daily. While it is easy to determine intake if a horse drinks from buckets that are refilled once or twice daily, automatic water troughs and natural water sources such as a dam or pond make monitoring intake difficult or impossible. In these instances, keep track of manure quality and production. Dry manure or reduced manure production may be a sign that the horse is becoming dehydrated. If you notice any changes in manure consistency, contact your veterinarian.

Keep Water Sources Clean

If water is too dirty, unpalatable, or foul-smelling, horses may decrease intake or cease drinking altogether, which can quickly lead to dehydration and other health concerns such as colic. Algae growth or leaf decomposition in water troughs can make the water unpalatable, and some horses will refuse to drink. Keep water troughs and buckets as clean as possible. A water bucket that contains bits of manure, grain, or hay is not appealing to most horses. Remember not to overlook automatic water systems as they too can become dirty and require regular cleaning.

Add Water to Hay and Feed

Feeding wet feeds and damp hay is a way to increase a horse’s water consumption. While this is useful as part of an overall plan to boost water consumption, it alone will not provide sufficient intake.

Use Electrolytes and Supplements

Adding electrolytes, such as KER Restore, to a horse’s feed or water can be beneficial, but should be done with a degree of caution when horses are not drinking well. Providing the horse with electrolytes can cause further dehydration if adequate water is not also consumed. Electrolytes should always be provided alongside a clean, fresh water source from which the horse can drink once the thirst response is activated.

A combination of water-enticing strategies often works best. KER Drink-Up is a scientifically formulated, complex combination of ingredients that work together to increase a horse’s willingness to drink. Research has shown that 90% of horses increased water intake with Drink-Up.

Drink-Up uses multiple proven methods to entice horses to drink, rather than relying solely on disguising the taste of the water. Smell is an important factor and leaving Drink-Up in the water for 20-30 minutes before offering it further enhances this. Drink-Up includes a small amount of KER Restore, an electrolyte to help further stimulate the thirst response. Because it is economical and easy to use, Drink-Up can be kept in your tack room, first-aid kit, or float and is available in individual 80-g sachets.

Ensuring your horse drinks enough water when temperatures are cooler can help reduce the risk of impaction colic. Remember, your horse needs constant, adequate water intake. If you are in anyway worried about your horse’s water consumption, it is always best to contact your veterinarian.

If you have any questions about your horse’s diet, are concerned about water intake, or have some equine nutrition questions you want answered, contact Kentucky Equine Research’s nutrition consultation service on 1800 772 198, email advice@ker.com or submit a diet analysis.