ays to keep your horses hydrated in summer
It is incredibly important that horses stay hydrated in the summer months and midday heat especially if they are ridden/ worked. There are many ways you can make sure that they drink enough whether they are turned out in the field or in the cool of their stable. Here are five ways to may sure your ponies are drinking enough:
SOAK THEIR FEED
Most horses have feeds in a day. Some in the morning and some in the evening and some twice a day. Adding water to their feed to make them sloppy like soup is a great way to get a little bit of water in their system.
CLEAN WATER
Dirty water troughs, automatic waters, and water buckets can put your horses off their water like stale food in feed buckets. With access to sun and heat, algae grows quickly. Therefore, it is vital they are checked daily to make sure mechanisms work, water is replenished, and everything is scrubbed down.
OFFER THEM SALT LICKS
Salt licks are brilliant for horses. When ridden in the heat, like humans’ horses sweat and lose a lot of water. They offer electrolytes to your ponies and are good way to beat boredom. They are really important for their diets too! Salt licks encourage them to drink more water out of clean troughs and water buckets.
APPLE BOBBING
This is a trick used by many equestrians in winter when it is cold and the water in buckets are likely to freeze but is also a really useful hack in summer. A lot of horses love apples and so to persuade them to drink lots adding some into their water is good. As they search for the apples, they also drink. Remember not to give them to many too often as they do have high sugar levels.
A HORSE ICE LOLLY
Refreshing, hydrating, and tasty these lollies will be loved by all horses. They are easy to make also! All you need is:
· A container with a lid
· Your horses favourite fruit/ vegetables (e.g., apples, celery, carrots, etc)
· Water
· Access to a freezer
· Knife to cut up chosen treat(s) into small pieces
How to make:
Firstly, cut the treats into medium sized pieces and put into your container. You can add just one fruit/ vegetable or a few different.
Secondly, fill the container to near towards the top and put the lid on
Next, place in the freezer and wait for it to freeze solid.
Lastly, give it to your horse and watch them enjoy. You can hold it up for them or you can give them to it in an old bucket.
(You can add apple juice however again be aware of sugar levels)
Thank you all for reading. I hope you find these tips useful to keep your horses hydrated in the heat. Let me know what you think by leaving me a line down below! If you would like to suggest any topics, I should write about you can email them to me to: admin@theequestrianblogger.co.uk. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new blog and follow my Instagram to keep update too: @the.equestrian.blogger.
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Bye
The Equestrian Blogger
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