| Good management of horses includes supplying | | | | can make horses agitated and at times shorten |
| drinking water that is clean. There are many | | | | their temperament towards people. |
| reliable methods to ensure this is accomplished, | | | | If a horse refuses to drink water, it will become |
| depending on what method you choose to | | | | malnourished. It will eat less because it cannot |
| provide drinking water. | | | | digest the food easily. Malnourishment cannot only |
| If you have buckets, troughs, or any type of | | | | be expensive to counter, it is can have deadly |
| automatic waterer that has standing water inside | | | | consequences. |
| of it constantly, it is appropriate to keep an eye | | | | To show the importance of clean drinking water is |
| on it. In warmer months and climates, you may | | | | best depicted when a livestock owner has an |
| need to scrub algae from the water source on a | | | | unclean water supply. On possible pitfall is the |
| regular basis. This is very important, as water | | | | West Nile virus - a virus carried by mosquitoes. It |
| that becomes infested with algae can develop an | | | | is a very real threat that all horse and livestock |
| unpleasant taste for horses and they may reduce | | | | owners should be aware of. It affects humans |
| their water consumption. | | | | and livestock alike. When water is standing or |
| With stagnant water, the potential for rodent | | | | impure, mosquitoes (the carriers of the virus) can |
| infestation is also possible. Rodents, whether mice, | | | | lay their eggs by the thousands. Unfortunately, |
| rats, or even at times birds can find their way | | | | this virus has been found in every state in the US |
| into and drown in drinking water thereby poisoning | | | | where many horse breeders live, work, and raise |
| the water of horses needing to drink. The | | | | their equine stock. There is still no cure for the |
| bacterium that come along with this situation, can | | | | West Nile virus, and those animals that do survive |
| cause salmonella poisoning and other potentially | | | | the seizures, fevers, and other symptoms could |
| fatal diseases. A logical way to prevent this is to | | | | be scarred for life. |
| avoid standing water when possible. | | | | With a frost-free system, the horse handler can |
| Temperature also has a large factor in whether | | | | ensure that there is no standing water to become |
| or not a horse will drink enough water. In hot | | | | ridden with algae or other contaminants. This is |
| climates or summer months, a horse is more | | | | because there is no standing water. These types |
| prone to lose body weight because they do not | | | | of systems only deliver water when a paddle is |
| drink enough water. This can cause problems with | | | | pushed. This eliminates the opportunity for algae |
| their digestion, temperament, and overall health. | | | | to form in the drinking water. |
| Warmer weather means that there are more | | | | Having clean drinking water is critical in keeping |
| chances of stagnant, high temperature water that | | | | horses healthy. The temperature, and quality of |
| is apt to produce algae and bacteria. | | | | water has a direct and undeniable link to |
| In the winter months, horses will refuse to drink | | | | avoidance of illnesses, and other very serious |
| water if it is too cold or frozen over. This can | | | | health related issues that are all easily preventable |
| cause severe health related problems such as | | | | with the proper planning and equipment. |
| digestive problems and colic for the animals. Colic | | | | |