Water buffets for horses have gained popularity recently thanks to the hot weather – although hydration is also important in winter – but what are they and why do people use them?

Simply put, water buffets involve offering horses multiple water buckets with different extra ingredients in each. Various retailers sell starter kits with herbs and other additions you can put in clean water buckets.

Independent equine nutritionist Clare MacLeod tells us: “Some owners are interested in using them as a way to offer their horses variety and environment enrichment.”

Offering variety, however, does not mean a horse will self-select particular nutrients in accordance with their needs.

“We have to remember that a number of horses and ponies are harmed every year by eating poisonous plants like acorn and ragwort, and some by eating too much grass,” says Clare.

“Self-selection is a nice idea and it is a good thing to offer horses more choice, but we cannot rely on our horses to always know what is good for them, nor be able to select a balanced diet. Researchers have shown that horses will consistently select a sweetened feed over a balanced feed.”

That said, Clare adds that it can be useful for finding out the flavourings your horse likes.

“Knowing what tastes they like means you can replicate their preferences when you are away from home at riding camps, clinics or competitions, when some horses may be reluctant to drink different water.”

What to put in water buffets for horses

Herbs that are commonly added to water buffets include:

• Chamomile
• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Peppermint
• Cleavers
• Fenugreek
• Rosehips
• Dandelions
• Aniseed
• Fennel
• Cinnamon
• Garlic 
• Spirulina
• Cider apple vinegar

Other common additions are clays and a variety of mineral salts, and sometimes fruit and vegetable pieces or fruit juice.

Golden rules of setting up a water buffet

Clare says that, at best, a water buffet adds variety and interest to your horse’s day-to-day. At worst, water buffets for horses can be a breeding ground for bacteria and potentially do more harm than good.

Clare’s rules of thumb to follow when setting up a water buffet are:

1. Keep buckets clean

“When I visit yards, I see a lot of water sources that are unclean,” says Clare. “While horses will happily drink from a puddle, there is a distinction to be made between a pool of natural rainwater and a dirty container of water that is stagnant and stale.

“Keeping buckets of water clean is especially important when you start mixing organic matter. You can create a lot of bacteria, which I’m not sure people always realise.”

According to Clare, horses are particularly susceptible to digestive disturbances, such as colic, due to their delicate digestive tracts.

“Therefore, we want to keep contact with preventable bacteria and potential pathogens to a minimum.”

2. Balance the diet

“Everything a horse ingests should be considered as part of a balanced diet,” says Clare.

“We always need to balance the diet first, considering any extras like what's added to water, then consider adding extras like herbs, which are generally added for their properties, and not essential nutrients.

“Speak to an independent nutritionist about what you plan to use if you aren’t sure.”

3. Plain water is essential

Clean, plain water should be offered at all times and as well as water with added ingredients.

Does a water buffet make horses drink more?

Some owners use water buffets to encourage their horses to drink more water, which could help support good hydration and prevent dehydration.

“We have research that tells us horses prefer things that taste sweet,” she says. “So, if you are in a situation where you really need your horse to drink, adding something sweet like apple juice will likely be the most attractive flavouring.

“Of course, you need to be guided by any underlying conditions your horse or pony might have. You wouldn't want to be tipping an unknown amount of sugar into the water of a horse with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), which now often described as insulin dysregulation (ID) or hyperinsulinaemia-associated laminitis (HAL), for example.

“If your main aim is to rehydrate your horse, for example after heavy sweating, then the quickest and most efficient way to do this is with an oral rehydration solution (ORS), which has a very specific electrolyte salt content, at 0.9%.”

While she is for anything that represents positive enrichment in a horse’s environment, Clare adds that owners would benefit from ensuring their time is spent doing so in the best possible way for their horses.

“In some cases, the time spent keeping multiple water buffet buckets clean and fresh every day might be better used taking your horse out for more exercise.”

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Keeping horses properly hydrated to help prevent digestive upset can be a real challenge. The challenge increases when your horse is subjected to anything out of the norm, which could be travel, intense exercise, cold winter weather or hot summer temperatures. The best rehydration mashes for horses offer an effective solution, combining a tempting feed with electrolytes already mixed in to help replace vital salts lost through sweat or decreased water intake.

Like the best electrolytes for horses, high-quality rehydration mashes support fluid balance and encourage horses to drink more. They’re also quick to prepare, often highly palatable and can be a valuable part of any horse’s routine – whether for competition, travel recovery, or everyday training.

From fast-soaking options for busy yards to tasty recipes designed to tempt even the fussiest eaters, these are the best rehydration mashes worth adding to your feed room shelves.

NB: The Feeding rates are offered as a guideline and have been calculated per day for a 500kg horse.

Best rehydration mashes for horses: H&H’s quick guide

Best for fussy eaters: Saracen Re-Covery Mash

Best for sensitive horses: Pure Feed Company Re-fuel

Best value for money: Spillers Perform & Restore

Best for versatile feeding: Simple System Horse Feeds Simply Complete

Best rehydration mashes for horses

Saracen Re-Covery Mash

Sizes: 1.5kg, 20kg

RRP: £8.99 (1.5kg), £21.99 (2okg)

Soaking time in cold water: 5 minutes

Feeding rate: 500g–1kg per day (adjust as needed)

This mash is designed to boost hydration without upsetting your horse’s usual diet. It’s made with familiar ingredients and high in super fibres, while staying low in sugar and starch – ideal for horses needing a low-starch feed.

It also includes salt to encourage drinking and vitamin E to support muscle recovery. Plus, the distinctive banana flavour tempts even fussy eaters. Also, with both travel-sized pouches and larger bags available, it’s easy to keep on hand for any situation.

H&H’s products editor Franchesca Slack uses this mash regularly during the summer months and says: “My horses struggle to drink when we’re away from home and this mash has really helped. I have the smaller bag on the lorry ready to hand and I love the smell! Also great for those extra hot days to keep the horses hydrated.”

Pure Feed Company Re-fuel

Sizes: 15kg

RRP: £26.55

Soaking time in cold water: 5 minutes

Feeding rate: 500g dry weight per day

Pure Refuel sets itself apart by including three crucial amino acids – lysine, methionine and threonine – that are essential for proper muscle repair after exercise. It’s also rich in antioxidants, such as selenium, vitamin E and vitamin C, to help combat oxidative stress.

Low in sugar and starch and completely free from molasses, cereals, alfalfa, and soya, it’s a safe option for sensitive horses or those with metabolic conditions. It’s packed with electrolytes and soaks down into an appetising cherry mash, making it a thoughtful, comprehensive choice for horses needing careful dietary management.

Spillers Perform & Restore Mash

Sizes: 20kg

RRP: £17.95

Soaking time in cold water: under 2 minutes

Feeding rate: 3.5kg dry weight per day (split into at least two meals)

This cost-effective mash is designed for performance horses needing fast recovery and condition support without excess starch. It’s cereal-free and low in sugar and starch, making it a smart option for horses prone to muscle issues or excitability.

It has added amino acids to promote muscle health and recovery. It also has electrolytes and antioxidants to help replace what’s lost through sweat. The mash soaks in less than two minutes and has an enticing apple aroma, making it easy to feed after hard work or travel.

Simple System Simply Complete

Sizes: 20kg

RRP: £27.25

Soaking time in cold water: 5 minutes

Feeding rate: Up to 0.5% of bodyweight per day (up to five feeds of 500g)

Simply Complete is a handy, quick-soaking mash that brings together top-quality forages and essential extras in one feed. It’s especially useful for performance, endurance and competition horses needing a boost in stamina, hydration and sodium levels.

Because it’s purely forage-based and free from starchy cereals, it can be fed right before exercise – or even immediately after, while your horse is still hot – to help with recovery. It’s a versatile option whether you’re looking to “target feed” small portions around work or feed larger amounts to support overall condition.

Rowen Barbary Sports Mash

Sizes: 1kg, 10kg tub, 20kg

RRP: £6.90 for 1kg, £22.50 for 10kg, £29.95 for 20kg

Soaking time in cold water: 10 minutes

Feeding rate: 500g dry weight per day

Rowen Barbary Sports Mash packs a lot into each serving, blending highly digestible fibres like soya hulls, sugar beet and grass nuts with electrolytes to help replace minerals lost through sweat. It also includes vitamins E and C for antioxidant and immune support, making it a solid choice for horses needing a bit more after intense work or travel.

Unique touches include calcareous marine algae and probiotics to promote gut health. Beetroot powder not only boosts recovery but also helps make the mash more appealing. Supplied in resealable pouches, it’s practical for both yard and travel use.

Premier Performance Fibre Hydration Mash

Sizes: 1kg, 2.5kg, 5kg, 20kg

RRP: £6.50 for 1kg, £12.50 for 2.5kg, £19.99 for 5kg, £32.99 for 20kg

Soaking time in cold water: 4 minutes

Feeding rate: Up to 3kg per day, or 500g with 1 litre water for rehydration

Premier Performance Fibre Hydration Mash is a versatile, grain-free mash. It’s low in sugar and starch (both just 4%), making it a smart choice for horses needing a controlled diet.

Packed with high-quality fibre sources, it includes a full spectrum of electrolytes to help maintain fluid balance, along with Acid Buff for digestive comfort. Alltech Nupro Technology adds further support for muscle recovery and performance. The highly palatable apple flavour encourages fussy eaters, and the mash soaks in just four minutes in cold water.

Whether used for rehydration after work, as a top-up feed, or even as a forage replacer, this mash is a practical option for horses needing extra care in training or competition.

Cavalor Sportmash Recup

Sizes: 1.5kg, 15kg

RRP: £7.50 for 1.5kg, £23.08 for 15kg

Soaking time in cold water: 5 minutes

Feeding rate: 500g dry weight per day

This mash features a blend of puffed grains and high-quality proteins with a carefully balanced amino acid profile, tailored to support muscle repair after intense work. It’s designed to be easily digestible while offering quick energy replenishment for horses in heavy training or competition.

Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and chloride help restore mineral balance after sweating. It’s a practical choice for maintaining condition and aiding recovery without excessive starch or sugars.

What is the best mash for horses?

The best mash for your horse depends on why you’re feeding it and your horse’s individual needs. Different mashes serve different purposes. For hydration and recovery, rehydration mashes are a great choice. These quick-soaking feeds encourage water intake, help replace electrolytes lost through sweat, and support muscle recovery after exercise or travel. If your horse is prone to metabolic issues like equine metabolic syndrome, look for mashes that are low in sugar and starch.

If your horse needs extra fibre or conditioning, fibre-based mashes made from ingredients like beet pulp, grass nuts, or soya hulls can help boost calorie intake and support digestive health. Some mashes also work as forage replacements, which is helpful for horses with dental problems or reduced appetite.

When choosing a mash, check factors including soaking time, ingredient list – especially for horses with allergies or sensitivities – electrolyte content for hydration, and whether it suits your horse’s workload and dietary needs. Always introduce new feeds gradually and follow recommended feeding rates.

Does recovery mash have electrolytes?

Most recovery mashes do contain electrolytes. They’re designed to be fed as a soaked product to help increase your horse’s water intake and replenish the minerals lost through sweat after exercise, travel, or hot weather. Electrolytes like sodium, potassium and chloride are essential for maintaining hydration, muscle function, and overall recovery.

However, not all recovery mash recipes automatically include electrolytes. Some are purely fibre-based or designed for digestive support rather than post-work recovery. Always check the product label or description to see if electrolytes are included, and ensure the mash you choose matches your horse’s specific needs and workload.

What is the fastest way to hydrate a horse?

Dehydration not only seriously impacts a horse’s performance, it can also become life-threatening. Horse sweat is hypertonic, meaning it holds more salts than body fluids, so a sweating horse loses electrolytes faster than it loses water. Therefore, giving plain water to a dehydrated horse isn’t enough to fully rehydrate it.

Water alone can dilute the fluids around the body’s tissues and reduce the horse’s natural urge to drink more. That’s why the most effective way to rehydrate a horse is to include electrolytes in its feed or water. This helps replace lost salts and encourages further drinking.

For more tips, read our full guide on how to prevent, recognise and treat dehydration in horses.

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With the UK enjoying some warmer weather this week, H&H asks the experts how best to help horses and their riders cope in hot temperatures with their advice on riding in hot weather.

When is it too hot to ride?

Emmeline Hannelly, welfare education manager at The British Horse Society (BHS), says: “If you are going to ride, it is best to do so either in the morning or evening when it is coolest. If you are riding in warmer weather, take more breaks in-between different exercises – horses can’t be expected to do as much in hot weather as they would at other times if they are not acclimatised to working for longer periods in the heat.

“Be mindful of your horse’s fitness as overweight horses may struggle more in hot weather. After riding, make sure you cool the horse down properly. This can be achieved by continuously pouring water all over the horse’s body surface.”

What are the signs of dehydration and what should you do if you are concerned?

Emmeline says: “The single most important thing is to keep your horse hydrated. Horses can easily consume more than double their normal water intake in hot weather, so be prepared for this.

“Knowing what is normal for your horse is important so you know when your horse isn’t right. Signs of dehydration in horses include lethargy, depression, poor performance, thick and sticky saliva, mucous membranes that become redder in colour, increased pulse and breathing rate, nostril flaring, decreased appetite, producing dark urine or not passing urine for long periods of time.

“Feeding electrolytes can help replace those lost through sweating. But if you are adding them to water, make sure the horse doesn’t mind the taste, because if it puts him off he may not drink anything at all, so always offer an electrolyte-free option.

“If dehydration isn’t acted on, this could lead to heat exhaustion and potentially heat stroke which is extremely serious. If you are concerned for your horse, move him somewhere cool to rest and offer him water. Allow your horse to graze if possible and monitor their pulse and breathing rate. If your horse does not show signs of improvement, contact your vet immediately.

“If you are travelling your horse anywhere, take more water with you than you think you will need. Remember some horses are fussy about drinking water away from home, so it could be essential to have a familiar supply.”

Is water alone enough to rehydrate a horse?

Dr Francesca Compostella DVM, MRCVS, MSc, the RSPCA’s equine senior clinician, explains: “Water makes up approximately 70% of a horse’s body, so plenty needs to be available to maintain such levels. Horses absorb water through food and from drinking. On average, a horse should intake between 25-50 litres of water per day. So, during the hot weather, ensure they always have access to plenty of clean water.

“Water alone however may not be enough, as the fluid component of our bodies also contain important electrolytes that are responsible for keeping our blood pressure and cell and nerve functions active.

“Your horse could lose vast amounts of electrolytes by sweating, but normally these are replenished in the feed. If, however, he or she is sweating more than they can replenish, supplementary electrolytes can be administered.

“There are a number of commercially available powders, which are diluted in the water for your horse to drink. These have additives which are appealing to horses, such as apple flavours.

“Rehydrating solutions can also be made at home using 1.5tbsp of salt and 2tbsp of sugar in 4L of water. Amino acids such as glutamine can be added. It is, however, easier and most reliable to invest in a tub of commercially available electrolytes, which are easy to store and have a very long shelf date.”

Help – I’m competing. How can I help keep my horse cool?

Dr Francesca Compostella says: “The body’s mechanism to release heat and thereby cool down, is by sweating. During water loss, the heat is lost to the environment in a mechanism called convection.

“To help your horse cool down, hose them with cool water, let them stand in a shaded, well ventilated area and ensure there is drinking water available. Don’t use wet towels or fabric covers over your horse, as these prevent the convection of heat.

“Don’t leave your horses standing in a trailer or other enclosed transport, as despite being shaded it may not be well ventilated. Likewise, avoid leaving them standing in the sun.

“A makeshift shaded cover using tarpaulin sheets or old bed sheets can help create some artificial shade while you wait for your class. Be creative if there are no trees or shade and you have to wait for long periods. And remember that you are as likely to suffer from the heat as your horse, so take care of yourself too!”

Riding in hot weather: advice for riders

As part of the Melanoma Fund’s current Sunguarding Sport Campaign, which is being supported by the British Equestrian, The Pony Club and the British Horse Society (BHS), the following specific tips have been developed with the help of the BHS to help keep riders safe while riding in hot weather.

• Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen product with an SPF of 30 or higher, paying special attention to your ears, nose and other areas that are prone to burning
• Get into the habit of applying sunscreen before being active outdoors
• Once applied to the skin, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or more often if you are prone to excessive sweating, or getting in and out or water
• The sun is strongest between 11am and 3pm so on particularly hot days, if possible, ride outside of these hours
• A helmet is not only an essential way to protect your head while riding, it also provides a degree of sun protection
• Wearing summer riding gloves will not only protect hands from wear and tear, but also protect them from the sun
• Ensure a bottle of sunscreen is available wherever you are
• Wear clothing that covers your arms (as legs are usually covered). Compression sleeves are a good alternative for those that might find long-sleeves too hot. There are also long sleeved summer riding tops available with partly mesh arms to help with ventilation
• Using a sunscreen applicator or cleaning palms with a small towel and alcohol gel, is a good way to avoid a greasy grip on the reins
• Hydration is essential in reducing the risk of overheating, so keep a bottle of water on hand and sip regularly
• Wearing wraparound sunglasses when riding will help protect eyes from insects and branches, as well as the sun
• When not actively riding and during breaks, make sure to rest in shaded areas to reduce your exposure to the sun
• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Are you confused about the best electrolytes for horses, why they are important and how to ensure your horse has the right levels? Or are you looking for the best electrolyte product for your horse? Then we are here to help.

Electrolytes are commonly fed to horses, particularly in the summer months, but in order to get the best out of them, choose the right one and know how to feed them, it’s important to understand how they work.

Electrolytes for horses: what are your options?

Here is a selection of the best electrolytes for horses on the market…

NB: Cost per day has been calculated using the maintenance measure for a 500kg horse in light work (where there was variation) and the RRP of the smallest available tub. Some products require you to feed more with a higher workload, which will increase the cost per daily measure, while buying a larger tub will likely decrease it – these costs per day are a guide only.

Electro Salts is a concentrated combination of the essential plasma salts combined with dextrose to aid efficient absorption. It should be fed following exertion, after heavy sweating or during periods of very hot weather, and can be given in the feed or dissolved in water.

This is rapidly absorbed to replace vital salts required for recovery and maintaining stamina. The peppermint-flavoured powder can be added to water or feed after sweating, during hot weather, exercise or in times of stress. Also available in powder form.

This balanced blend of the essential electrolytes will help keep competition horses performing at their best by maintaining correct muscle and nerve function for optimum health.

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals dissolved in the blood and tissues of the body, which carry a positive or negative charge and can bind with another ion to make a “salt”. They help to preserve the correct balance of fluids in the body’s cells and are involved in muscle function and the processing of wastes. Deficiencies cause dehydration, impaired performance and may exacerbate clinical problems such as azoturia.

The main electrolytes are:

• Sodium (Na+)
• Chloride (Cl−)
• Potassium (K+)
• Magnesium (Mg2+)
• Calcium (Ca2+)

Horses lose electrolytes daily through sweating, in urine and faeces. These losses can normally be replaced in the diet. Horses rely on sweating to control body temperature during exercise and it is generally accepted that 90% of a horse’s weight loss after exercise is due to sweating. It is important that this weight loss is monitored and the fluid and electrolyte losses replaced, otherwise poor performance will result.

During periods of exertion such as competition and training, electrolyte losses can be considerable, particularly during hot weather. Even under normal exercise conditions, a 500kg horse could lose 10 litres of sweat during two hours of exercise.

Signs of electrolyte deficiency in horses include:

• Dull coat
• Sunken eyes
• Depression
• Listlessness
• Poor performance
• Dark urine

How to provide electrolytes to horses

The horse’s body cannot retain water without the presence of electrolytes, so simply offering water after exercise, while important, will not fully rehydrate your horse. Electrolytes should be added to either the water or the feed.

Adding electrolytes to water to form an isotonic solution (a solution that contains the same electrolyte concentrations as that of the body fluids) will ensure that both fluid and electrolyte losses are replenished and the horse becomes quickly rehydrated. However, after prolonged sweating it will take several days of electrolyte supplementation to completely replenish losses.

Alternatively, if your horse is a poor drinker or there is no opportunity to replace fluid losses during the competition, electrolytes may be fed alongside a small amount of concentrate feed. Electrolyte pastes are also available. However, a large single dose can cause the horse to absorb water from the blood vessels surrounding the gut and actually worsen the effects of dehydration in the short term.

Sodium chloride (table salt) can be made available for the horse ad lib in the form of a salt lick, but intake should be monitored, particularly in hot weather, as evidence has shown horses do not naturally self regulate their intake. Alternatively feeding a tablespoon of table salt daily will ensure your horse receives sufficient sodium chloride.

Giving electrolytes to competition horses

The electrolytes most commonly used in supplements – sodium chloride, calcium carbonate and potassium chloride – are not included in the FEI Clean Sport prohibited substances list. Neither are other common ingredients, such as sodium bicarbonate or glucose.

Simple electrolyte supplements should, therefore, be safe for use in competition horses. However, it is advisable to check the label of any supplement or ask the manufacturer. For the full list of banned substances visit feicleansport.org

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Dehydration in horses will not only affect a horse’s performance — it can also be life-threatening. Long hot dry spells are being seen increasingly often in the UK, so when they do occur, owners need to take extra precautions to keep their horses fit and well.

How to prevent dehydration in horses

Have fresh, clean water available at all times. Do not restrict your horse’s access to water at competitions. If your horse does not like the taste of water when you travel, take some from home or flavour it with something like mint, apple juice or one of the special products designed to help horses drink that are now on the market.

For a horse who doesn’t drink well, a switch to haylage can be advisable because of its higher moisture content. This provides the horse with water and may reduce the risk of colic. Soaked hay is a cheaper alternative.

After exercise on a hot day, reduce sweat losses by cooling your horse off thoroughly as soon as possible after exercise. Once the horse stops sweating, it will become less dehydrated.

At summer competitions, try to keep your horse in the shade wherever possible. Your horse will be losing water without you necessarily being able to see it.

Electrolytes should be used to help replace the essential salts in the body that are lost through sweat.

Measuring dehydration in horses

The gold standard test is to take a blood sample as this will reveal the level of proteins in the plasma and the proportion of red blood cells in the blood compared with the plasma.

However, there are other, more practical, indicators of dehydration that you can keep an eye out for:

• A horse that produces dark urine or who has not passed urine for some time
• The appearance of the mucous membranes — if they are congested and are red in appearance, the horse is dehydrated

For a long time the skin pinch test was used to test hydration levels. The skin, typically over the neck, is pinched up and the time it takes to return to normal is counted in seconds. However, several recent studies have shown that this is not a particularly good indicator of dehydration, so it should not be relied upon.

Why do horses become dehydrated?

The horse is highly adapted to lose heat through sweat, and does so more efficiently than any other animal. In the performance horse, heat is dissipated through not only sweat, but also by increased respiration rate. Both cause the horse to lose water.

Equine sweat is hypertonic — it contains more salts than body fluid — which means that a sweating horse loses more electrolytes than water. Typically, a working horse will lose 7-8 litres in an exercise bout, although the maximum sweat rate measured for horses is 15 litres per hour. The rate does vary depending on temperature, sunshine, level of fitness and work.

Offering water alone to a dehydrated horse does not rehydrate it. Instead, the water dilutes the body fluids surrounding the tissues, which in turn “turns off” the thirst mechanism. The best rehydration therapies include the use of electrolyte preparations, either in feed or water, to stimulate drinking.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Water troughs left in fields inevitably fill with algae and dirt, and cleaning is them one of those tedious tasks no one really likes. But what if there was a way to keep them clean without the elbow grease?

Searching internet forums intimates that there might be — keeping goldfish in the water trough. An article on the Horse Network states that the fish can live off algae growing on the sides and the bottom of the tank and will eat insects that fall into the tank.

Searching threads on forums reveals a range of opinions — as one expects from forums — and anecdotal evidence from some people saying it works and others saying it doesn’t, and back-and-forth internet debate over the veracity of these claims.

Looking for a more definitive answer, Horse & Hound approached Meredith Clawson of puregoldfish.com, the author of The Truth About Goldfish.

It turns out that the idea isn’t completely spurious, but it’s not as simple as throwing a few fish into the tank. Clawson explains: “It really depends on the kind of algae, as there are many varieties. Goldfish aren’t that great at eating most strains of algae to be honest, especially the kinds that are flat on the sides of the tank (i.e. brown algae, green spot algae), though if it’s hair algae — the stringy kind that can grow quite long — they will go nuts over this and keep it trimmed to about half an inch or less as they graze on it all day. So yes, if hair algae is your issue, they can help keep the trough clean by feeding on this.”

There are other issues as well. The fish themselves produce waste, and Clawson says: “Without filtration or live plants the water, this can cause issues like bacterial blooms (cloudy water). They also produce nitrates, and if you are feeding them commercial fish food, phosphates. Both of these nutrients are utilised in conjunction with sunlight to actually produce algae.”

In other words, if goldfish are swimming in unfiltered water, you will end up with more algae than you started with. It’s also unhealthy for the fish, eventually exposing them to high levels of ammonia. Clawson expounds: “Unless something is removing the pollutants the fish create as a result of feeding, the waste continues to build up over time until it reaches very toxic levels, causing chemical burns and caustic damage to the goldfish.”

Frequent water changes can keep toxins at bay, but if the water isn’t sufficiently aerated, either with plants or an airstone, the fish become anoxic. “Gulping at the surface,” Clawson explains, “Is a telltale sign the fish is struggling to breathe.”

However, if you want to keep goldfish in your water trough, it isn’t impossible and if done right, it can create very clean water and happy fish. But you need a whole ecosystem, not just a single species.

“Ideally you would have lots of live plants and snails,” Clawson says. “To deal with the organics produced by the fish. Plants themselves suck up nutrients from the fish waste that algae would use, so those also help in competitive exclusion. Goldfish eat many kinds of plants. Snails eat algae and break down organic waste. It all works together.”

She recommends Japanese trapdoor snails, which feed on algae and live in cold water, and Hornwort, a fast-growing, nutrient-loving plant, tough enough to survive the winter. Not only do the plants help filter the water, they provide the fish with other things they need, like shade if the trough gets direct sunlight.

So yes, the theory has elements of truth. It is feasible to provide horses and other livestock with clean water and not scrub the tanks yourself, but you have to essentially make your own pond, or as Clawson explains: “a balanced ecosystem [with] crystal clear water and a completely algae-free trough, with beautiful fish to boot.”

While this might appeal to some owners, others might find it easier to just clean the tank.

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You can lead a horse to water…

Riders at Richmond Equestrian Centre can now take advantage of what may be the first ever vending machine for horses.

The North Yorkshire venue has installed a machine dispensing servings of hydration supplement Hi-Drate to try to tackle equine dehydration, which can have serious health consequences, especially in horses who are reluctant to drink at shows and events.

Abigail Turnbull, who owns Richmond with husband Andrew, said: “I’m delighted to be the first equestrian centre to install this machine; we have used these products in the past to help with a colic on the yard and we think this is a fantastic idea for our visiting customers.”

The grass-based supplement is mixed with water to form a soluble fibre gel, which travels into the fluid reservoir of the horse’s hindgut, on which the horse can draw when needed.

The vending machine sells single-serving 250g sachets, which make up five litres each, for £5, and 750g pouches at £10.

“Highly palatable, once mixed it appeals to the equine’s very powerful instinct to forage; this encourages voluntary uptake which overrides the thirst response, which can sometimes prevent equines from drinking at the most important times,” said a spokesman for Equidiet UK, which manufacturers the product.

The aim is to install the vending machines at more equestrian centres, “giving owners total peace of mind when it comes to ensuring their horses do not suffer dehydration when visiting these establishments and events”, the spokesman said.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

What’s involved in rehydrating a sick horse or restoring the body’s natural fluid balance? Karen Coumbe MRCVS explains the importance of fluid therapy

Horses can be surprisingly reluctant to drink when you want them to.

Different methods have been developed to encourage them, from adding apple juice to the bucket or warming the water, to feeding supplementary salt or soaked hay and wet feed to up the water intake. Such tactics can help, but not when a horse is seriously unwell.

The amount of water a healthy horse needs to drink daily will vary, depending on factors including his age, environment, nutritional status, workload and temperament. Certainly, some will only want to drink out of their own buckets containing their usual tap water, in their own stable, so it is worth trying to accustom a horse to change before it is required.

On average, a healthy 500kg thoroughbred will drink approximately 12 to 40 litres of water per day. With one big bucket holding 10 litres, that means a lot of fluid to administer to any sick horse who is unable to drink – especially if he is losing additional fluids from bleeding, for example, or diarrhoea.

Fluid therapy can be life-saving for the sick horse and is crucial for treating conditions such as dehydration, shock and serious inflammatory responses.

In many colic cases, intravenous fluids are essential during surgery – or sometimes instead of surgery – as well as post-operatively. Fluids help to support a horse suffering from post-operative ileus (reduced or absent gut motility), which is an unfortunate complication of some colic surgery cases.

If the intestines are not functioning properly, quantities of fluid can pool in the stomach and elsewhere. Since horses cannot vomit, this results in the challenge of nasogastric reflux and the need to pass a nasogastric (stomach) tube to decompress the stomach and remove trapped fluid.

Catheter or tube?

Intravenous (IV) fluids work by rapidly boosting the circulatory system volume, hopefully helping recovery. Different fluids options are available, including whole blood, plasma and various types of saline.

A vet will administer IV fluids to a horse via an IV catheter, which is typically inserted into the jugular vein on the neck. Complications can arise, including venous injury with thrombosis or infection, causing a blockage. This is more likely to happen if a sharp-ended hypodermic needle is used to access the vein. It is better to use a purpose-designed catheter.

There is also a risk that air can enter and cause an embolism or blockage elsewhere in the horse’s circulation. More likely is that the catheter will come loose and slip out of the vein, resulting in fluid leakage and bleeding. It is essential that the horse is carefully monitored.

In some cases, it is simpler to administer fluids by the enteral (oral) route. This removes the need for sterile fluids and catheters, carries a low risk of infection and costs less.

In very sick patients, however, blood is diverted away from the gastrointestinal tract to the vital organs, limiting the absorption of fluids by this route. Serious colic cases will not tolerate fluids by mouth, and nasogastric intubation is not ideal for recumbent horses.

There are also potential complications with this method, including the rare chance that

a stomach tube may be misdirected so that fluids enter the lungs. A more common problem is that passing a stomach tube causes a nosebleed.

The general rule is that, ideally, a horse should drink water of his own accord. If he will not, fluids by stomach tube are the next best choice, in most cases, before IV fluids are considered.

Liquid assets

Whereas a human will receive tiny 250 to 500ml bags of intravenous sterile fluids, administered slowly, a horse will be given several huge five-litre bags. These larger bags are efficient and, when needs must, can be set up to hang from a beam in a stable or barn (pictured).

We are fortunate in this country that such large bags of sterile life-saving fluid are available for equine veterinary use. In some countries, only smaller bags can be obtained, making IV drip administration more difficult.

Recent studies have shown, however, that excessive fluid therapy might be more harmful than once thought. Strategies are being investigated to reduce fluid doses to optimise the level that is beneficial, which will also reduce costs.

This feature is also available to read in the Thursday 25 March issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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Whether he’s indoors or out this winter, a horse’s health can soon suffer if his water intake drops – as Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS explains

Often referred to as ‘the forgotten nutrient’, water is essential for all life. Without it, dehydration occurs and most physiological functions, including digestion and growth, rapidly become compromised.

Most people are conscious of the need to drink plenty during the summer months, as our own increased thirst is directly related to the hot, sticky conditions. In contrast, during the winter months we naturally drink less. It is easy to assume that our horse’s needs will be similar.

Whereas most horses are out in summer eating grass, however, with its high water content, during the winter many are stabled. Their grass intake is supplemented or even fully replaced by a forage hay diet, which has a relatively high dry matter content. Drinking enough water to compensate for this unnaturally dry diet becomes vital.

Various factors will affect a horse’s water requirements during winter.

Points to consider include the horse’s management. Is he at grass, or predominantly stabled and on a dry forage diet? What is his workload — is he hunting twice a week, or only hacking out occasionally?

Temperature will play its part. A clipped-out horse is less likely to lose fluids through sweat while working than one who is fully coated. Being over-rugged, especially given that our winters are getting warmer, will increase thirst.

A horse’s age can significantly increase his water requirements. Equine veterans may already have compromised digestive capabilities, while those suffering concurrent clinical conditions such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), or Cushing’s, may be influenced by an excessive endocrine-driven thirst.

Given adequate water, under natural conditions most equines appear to self-regulate their winter water needs. This balance is only really upset when we interfere, by feeding an overly dry diet, perhaps, or by clipping and over-rugging.

Dehydration can occur relatively quickly during the summer months and is usually related to a sudden increase in water loss, such as excessive sweating. In winter, dehydration is often insidious and is more likely to be caused by inadequate water intake.

An affected horse may be depressed, lethargic and easily fatigued, with a dull coat, sunken eyeballs and a tucked-up appearance. His droppings may be infrequent, small and hard in texture, and his urinary output may decrease and become darker in colour.

Additional signs include dry mucous membranes, reduced salivation and a loss of appetite. The horse may become uncomfortable, with visible muscle tremors, a subnormal temperature and an increased heart rate. The skin on his neck may not return to normal following a pinch test, although this is not considered a reliable indicator.

Impaction danger

By far the most common winter veterinary issue is impaction colic, or constipation.

Representing approximately 10% of all colics, impactions occur when water is reabsorbed in the large intestine from an already relatively dry ingesta (food intake). This slows the passage of the food, allowing even more time for further water to be reabsorbed. Gradually, things grind to a halt, with the blockage usually building up at the narrow U-bend of the hindgut known as the pelvic flexure.

Symptoms can be subtle at first and are often missed. If the issue is caught early enough, stomach-tubing fluids, electrolytes and possibly liquid paraffin may be sufficient. Often, however, by the time the vet is called the blockage is pushing right back into the pelvis. It can then take several days of intravenous fluids and medical analgesia until everything is moving again.

While other factors can contribute towards impactions, including poor hay quality, inadequate trickle feeding, a lack of exercise, intestinal parasitism and compromised dentistry, the most significant is insufficient water intake. These colics often begin after a sudden, sharp cold spell, when feed, exercise and water may suddenly become compromised and the horse is unable to adapt quickly enough.

The equine urinary tract appears to be surprisingly resilient to dehydration, and incidences of renal or bladder stones are uncommon. Other factors, such as excessive dietary calcium (leading to a calcium carbonate-rich alkaline urine), are usually involved. Attention should always be paid to urinary output, however. Any signs of dark, concentrated urine, perhaps with blood, and accompanied by low-grade abdominal pain, warrant veterinary investigation.

Beating the freeze

So how can we ensure adequate water intake in winter?

Freezing over of water is one of the biggest challenges. Ice must be regularly broken and removed in its entirety, and containers will need topping up much more frequently. Electrically heated automatic drinkers and buckets are available, but they are expensive and the electrics must be impeccably maintained. A horse’s sensitive muzzle will easily sense any stray voltage in the water, which will put him off drinking very quickly.

Research by the University of Pennsylvania, USA, found that horses drank up to 40% more if the water was warm, and less if offered chilly water. When presented with both options, however, horses would choose the chilly water. It thus follows that horses will drink more during cold weather if the water is heated, but only if no other source of water is available.

They also found that stabled horses do most of their drinking within a few minutes of eating their hard feed, and within an hour or two of consuming their hay. They should therefore always have access to at least two buckets of water at feed-time – preferably warm water, if prone to impactions, or if there has been a recent drop in ambient temperature.

Additional ways to increase water intake include feeding soaked hay or haylage instead of dry forage, making hard feeds sloppy by adding water and increasing the amount of time spent at grass. Ensure that all horses turned out have plenty of safe access to shared water containers, so that even the most submissive are not discouraged from drinking.

If your horse is working hard or has additional needs, ask your vet about adding salt and/or electrolytes to his feed. These can also be added to his water, although plain water must also be made available in case he dislikes the taste.

Since several diseases use water as a vector for infection transmission, biosecurity is especially relevant where horses are sharing buckets or troughs.

Just one drop of infected nasal discharge contains sufficient Strep equi bacteria to infect 2,000 horses with strangles. In winter, this source of infection can last for several days on inanimate objects, such as buckets, and up to a month in water. The EHV-1 equine herpes virus can remain stable and infectious in water for up to three weeks, while the equine flu virus is only slightly less durable.

Containers must be regularly cleaned or disinfected, especially if shared, and filled with clean, fresh water. Horses can be selective and will be reluctant to drink if the water provided is dirty, unpalatable or foul-smelling.

Crunching the numbers

85% – moisture content of summer grass; dry hay contains just 10%

4 litres – the water required to digest every kg of dry matter ingested

40 litres – the water a 500kg horse, eating 10kg of dry matter daily, needs for digestion alone

10 litres – average water bucket capacity

5 minutes – the time an average horse spends drinking per day

Winter watering methods

Buckets

PROS: allow intake to be monitored

CONS: capacity is limited; can be kicked over or broken; labour intensive; freeze easily

Trough

PROS: good capacity

CONS: individual intake cannot be measured; difficult to keep clean; can freeze over; infection transmission risk if shared

Automatic drinker:

PROS: a constant supply; rarely freezes if pipes are lagged

CONS: cannot assess intake; risk of unnoticed mechanical failure

Ref: Horse & Hound; 10 December 2020

Watch the Horse & Hound Awards 2020 virtual ceremony

Electrolytes (body salts) play a vital role in a horse’s body, helping to maintain the correct balance of fluid in the body and enabling muscle contraction, nerve function and digestion. These substances, which include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium, are found dissolved in the blood and various tissues. Once combined with another electrically charged atom, an ion, an electrolyte produces a salt such as sodium chloride, which drives the body’s essential processes.

Sodium plays an important role in the regulation of thirst. This is the electrolyte that horses tend to be deficient in, as grass and hay are low in sodium.

An electrolyte deficiency can manifest itself in various ways. One of the common yet frequently overlooked signs is poor performance: a small deficit in electrolyte levels can result in subtle signs of dehydration, affecting muscle and nerve function, leaving the horse athletically below par. Other, less subtle signs include dark urine, sunken eyes, listlessness and poor recovery from exercise.

In more extreme cases, exertional rhabdomyolysis (also known as azoturia, or tying up) may be linked. A condition called synchronous diaphragmatic flutter, or “thumps”, can also occur, producing hiccup-like contractions of the diaphragm.

Electrolyte deficiency, or imbalance, has been known to take days, weeks or sometimes months to correct. During deficiency, the horse’s body will attempt to maintain normal levels in the blood by removing electrolytes from other sources, such as bone.

Therefore, taking a single blood sample to check electrolyte levels is misleading, unless the horse is very sick. Paired samples of both blood and urine, taken two weeks apart, can help to monitor electrolyte levels in the high-performance horse, or those with an issue caused by an electrolyte imbalance.

A sticky situation

A horse loses electrolytes even while grazing in the field, via urine, faeces and breath, but they are largely replaced in what he ingests when on a balanced diet. Salt and other electrolytes are supplemented within some feeds, so it is always best to check.

If your horse does little more than the occasional hack, he is unlikely to need electrolyte supplementation — but horses in moderate to hard work will.

As a horse sweats, electrolytes are lost along with the evaporating fluid — a horse can lose an average of 10g per litre of sweat, with at least 3g of this being sodium. When working moderately hard in warm weather, a horse produces around five litres of sweat per hour — that equates to losing 50g of electrolytes, of which 15-20g is sodium — so may require supplementation with electrolytes. To do this, add them to his feed. If you add electrolytes to water, any change in taste can discourage a horse from drinking. It is also difficult to monitor intake if electrolytes are dissolved in water.

There is a wide range of commercially made electrolyte supplements for horses, but check the ingredients carefully. Aim for a supplement with less than 5% sugar and a high sodium content, with minimal added extras. While sugar is not necessary for optimal absorption of electrolytes, and is not ideal for many horses, it can improve palatability for the fussy eater.

The amount of sodium (Na) and potassium (K) in the supplement should roughly equal the total chloride (Cl), to mimic what is lost in sweat. If you compete, check that any product used contains no banned substances.

It is important that electrolytes are given daily. Adding them to the horse’s feed the night before an event is too late. Not only is a horse more likely to refuse to eat before a competition if he is unfamiliar with the taste of added electrolytes, but feeding them as a one-off or higher dose can create health issues.

Just as a deficiency can result in digestion problems, a sudden loading of electrolytes can cause disturbances of the hindgut. Therefore, it’s sensible to consult your vet before adding electrolyte supplementation to your horse’s diet.

Water works

Ensure that a clean, fresh supply of drinking water is available at all times, especially if you are adding electrolyte supplements to your horse’s feed.

An average horse in moderate work, in warm temperatures, should be drinking around 30 litres of water every 24 hours. If he is drinking a lot more than this, and producing more urine than normal, the electrolyte intake may be too high — a horse can store a certain level in his body, but not an excess. Over-supplementation is very rare, however, and deficiency more common.

Electrolytes are required, in combination with water, to hold water in the cells. When water is lost from the body, sodium levels increase — activating the thirst regulator. If the horse then drinks, but only replenishes the lost water, the levels of sodium will be diluted — although he will no longer have the desire to drink, he will now be electrolyte deficient.

Eating and drinking

A horse may refuse to drink during a competition, or while staying away, so encourage him by taking water from home that has a known taste — or add a small amount of apple juice to the bucket or offer the water left over from soaked sugar beet. By experimenting at home, you’ll find ways to tempt him.

If your horse prefers to drink from his field’s water trough once turned out, offer water from a bucket straight after exercise to familiarise him with the idea of drinking wherever he stands. If he stops eating during a competition, try using an electrolyte paste. Ensure that the paste delivers at least 20g of electrolytes in a single dose.

A small amount of table salt (sodium chloride) added to the feed may be sufficient for a horse in very light work (see guide, right). It is more difficult to judge intake if salt is provided ad lib, in the form of a salt lick or block.

If you use table salt, one tablespoon is about 25g. Offering 1-2 tablespoons daily will help replace sodium and chloride lost during moderate exercise during cooler months. For horses in harder work, particularly in warmer temperatures when sweating is profuse, a balanced electrolyte supplement is a better option, but do check with your own vet.

Ref Horse & Hound; 25 April 2019

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

When temperatures soar, knowing how to keep dehydration at bay when your horse is on the move is more important than ever.

“When travelling horses, keeping them hydrated is one of the most important aspects in ensuring optimum health, behaviour and performance,” says World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers.

“While it is not always easy to spot signs of dehydration, the consequences can be devastating,” he says.

“From fatigue, loss of performance and abnormal behaviour to serious illnesses like colic and in the worse cases even death, it is a key consideration for anyone involved in travelling horses by road whether it’s a quick trip to a local pleasure ride or a full day journey to a four-star event.

“From lead rein ponies to international eventers, the risk of dehydration is just as prevalent so we’ve produced these guidelines to provide a clear and practical point of reference for anyone involved in equine transport.”

Travelling horses in hot weather

World Horse Welfare campaigns officer for research and education, Hannah Westen, gives her top tips for keeping horses hydrated when travelling by road.

1. Do your homework

If at all possible try to plan your travel around the weather conditions and avoid travelling during high temperatures and high humidity. If it is unavoidable pick the times of day when it’s likely to be coolest – setting off a bit earlier or later will make the experience much more pleasant for both you and your horse.

2. Plan ahead

Before setting off, it’s important to ensure horses are fully hydrated by providing them with unrestricted access to forage and water for at least six hours with plenty of space to rest and relax.

3. Prepare for the worst

Whilst it sounds pessimistic, when travelling by road you just never know when or for how long you might get held up, so make sure you have plenty of forage and water on board to keep your horses happy and healthy.

4. Provide good quality forage

Access to quality forage will not only maintain a healthy digestive system and provide an ongoing source of energy but also creates a small reservoir of fluid in the horse’s gut to help keep them hydrated.

5. Stick to frequent watering intervals

Horses should be offered water at least every four and a half hours whilst travelling, or more frequently in hot weather conditions.

6. Make water tempting

Anyone who has offered their horse a drink in an unfamiliar place will know that horses can be choosy about the type of container they will drink from and the taste of the water, but it’s important to stress that this doesn’t mean they’re not thirsty. If possible, try and take water from home and provide it in a bucket they are used to drinking from. In addition it’s always beneficial to familiarise them to different containers in case you can’t take your own. You can also try flavouring the water with apple juice.

7. Minimise stress

Horses can become dehydrated more quickly when they are stressed or unsettled so try to minimise this wherever possible. Loading and unloading are two of the main stressors for horses when travelling so make sure you do as much as you can to keep the process calm and relaxed. Practicing often without the pressure of heading to a show or event will help it become second nature and when you are on a schedule leave plenty of time to load. Ensure the vehicle is well ventilated and drive carefully to make the journey as comfortable as possible.

8. Prepare for the arrival

As with pre-planning before a journey, it’s just as important to give plentiful forage and water upon arrival at your destination. If you’re travelling to a show or event then make sure your horse has time to relax, eat and drink before competing or beginning exercise.

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9. Know the signs of dehydration

Whilst a dehydrated horse can deteriorate quickly, dehydration can be very hard to spot so make sure you know what signs to look out for and can act fast if required. Indicators include depression, lethargy, dullness in eyes, decreased appetite, lack of or infrequent urination or defecation, licking surfaces, abnormal drinking behaviour such as drinking for extended periods of time, taking long draughts or gulping water.

Find out more at www.worldhorsewelfare.org

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

No one is going to complain when the sun is shining and we’re out competing — but it’s more important than ever to make sure that our horses are kept hydrated when the temperatures soar.

Dengie senior nutritionist Katie Williams gives some top tips to keep your horse healthy and hydrated after competition.

5 ways to keep your horse hydrated

1. Intense activity during competition or training will cause your horse to sweat and lose electrolytes. For effective rehydration, both water and electrolytes are needed. Adding an electrolyte supplements to your horse’s water is one way to achieve this, but if they refuse to drink the solution then you may have to try an alternative method.

2. Alternatively make feed wet and slushy if this is the only way your horse will consume the electrolytes. Adding soaked sugar beet is an easy way to do this and has the added benefit of supplying highly digestible fibre.

3. Fibre and oil are great ways to provide slow-release energy – and the oil helps to promote improved stamina, which is particularly useful for horses competing in endurance competitions or if horses are doing several classes in a day. Feeds that combine alfalfa and oil can have a calorie or energy value equivalent to a conditioning mix, but without the same level of starch.

Continued below…

Competing with your horse alone? Take a look at our top tips for success

4. Fibre and oil feeds are ideal for maintaining or promoting weight gain in horses that can be over-excitable or prone to ERS (also known as tying-up). Adding a balancer or supplement designed for horses in hard work and feeding it at recommended rates will ensure essential nutrients are supplied at correct levels.

5. After competition, horses can remain very excited for a while and might be distracted from eating. It is important to try to tempt them to eat to promote good recovery. If the horse is having a rest the day after a competition, the emphasis should be on good levels of high-quality fibre sources (hay, haylage, alfalfa or sugar beet with oil) that will supply energy without significantly increasing the risk of digestive upsets. Essential vitamins and minerals are also vital to aid repair to tissues.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

As temperatures around the UK continue to soar, vets and welfare organisations are warning owners to keep their horses cool and hydrated.

Dehydration will not only affect a horse’s performance — it can also be life threatening. Earlier this month (17 July) in Utah, USA, 10 horses were found dead in a field, believed to be due to dehydration.

“There was no water source for the horses,” said a police officer of Great Salt Lake.

H&H vet Karen Coumbe said that thankfully she hadn’t heard of any such extreme cases over here, but stressed the importance of providing shade from the sun and a clean and plentiful water supply.

On average a 500kg horse (thoroughbred-size) drinks 12-40 litres of water a day.

“Never underestimate the amount of water hot horses require in warm weather, especially if they have been exercised or travelled,” she added. “The old cliché of you can take a horse to water but you can’t make it drink, still applies as some overheated horses are reluctant to drink as much as they should.”

She also warned that signs of dehydration can be hard to spot until the case is severe and the traditional skin pinch test (indicating decreased skin elasticity) is not always reliable.

“Horses can easily consume more than double their normal water intake in hot weather, so be prepared,” added a spokesman for the British Horse Society.

“If horses are out together in the field, make sure that more than one water source is available so that the submissive members of the group aren’t prevented from drinking by bullying. After riding hose the horse down all over with cool water.”

Hot horseboxes

Karen Coumbe also warned of travelling horses during the heatwave. “Owners should be aware of the stress for horses stuck in trailers and poorly ventilated lorries, especially in heavy traffic,” she added.

Victoria Walton from rural insurers NFU Mutual echoed this. In around 10% of the breakdown calls the company has received in the past few weeks the owners did not have any water with them at all.

“Keep travel accessories to a bare minimum, make sure that all available vents and windows are open and ensure that you carry more water than you need,” she said. “A simple breakdown is likely to add at least an hour onto your journey but a motorway delay could leave you sat in stationary traffic for several hours.”

However, don’t forget when carrying extra water check that you do not exceed your weight restrictions — as a general rule, one litre of water weighs 1kg.

“Driving carefully will help to keep your horse cool too as the more balancing he has to do, the hotter he’ll get,” added World Horse Welfare’s Hannah Westen.

Keeping cool at shows

Heat is not just a problem en route to competition, but also at the show. Horses should have access to shade and water. Although obvious, some owners forget this.

Showing producer Katie Jerram touches on this problem in her column in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine (p70). “Walking round horsebox parks, it’s evident that some people don’t realise that leaving horses standing on their vehicles without enough ventilation and attention subjects them to overheating,” she said.

In humid weather horses will find it harder to cool down after work — and as they sweat they lose water and electrolytes. Extra electrolytes may help, especially after exercise.

Signs of dehydration

➤ Dry or tacky gums

➤ Reduced amounts of dark urine

➤ Reduced skin elasticity

➤ Reluctance to work and loss of appetite

➤ Increased temperature, pulse and respiratory rates

➤ Cool extremities and sunken eyes are a sign of extreme problems

Read more about dealing with dehydration in horses

First published in Horse & Hound magazine on 31 July 2014

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A new bucket which aims to prevent dehydration in horses has been launched by AGSilver.

CleanBucket is produced with a material infused with “ionic silver”, which gives it anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties, controlling bacteria growth in the bucket.

“Dehdyration is one of the main causes of colic,” said a spokesman for the company.

“This can often become more prevalent in winter months when horses are stabled for longer periods of time, which is why it is imperative the water your horse consumes is as clean and fresh as it can be.”

“Tests have shown CleanBucket encourages fussy drinkers to readily consume water, giving owners peace of mind.”

CleanBucket costs £19.99.

For more information visit: www.performancerider.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

More articles on equine dehydration

Advice on winter feeding

Q: I am feeding my horse extra forage due to the lack of winter grazing, but am worried about the potential of impaction colic, particularly while the water keeps freezing.

I have heard of a hydration product that helps horses drink — do you know what it is?

KR, Pembrokeshire

Horse Quencher is a natural blend of barley, oats, beet pulp, corn, salt and a trace amount of molasses.

The product is added to water and is said to be ideal for fussy drinkers, or those requiring extra hydration for any reason.

How does it work?

Lucinda Stapleton of Horse Quencher UK, the sole distributor and supplier in this country, says the product is a natural rehydration supplement that can increase horses’ ability to perform and recover quickly from exertion.

“It is very useful for dehydrated horses. A horse’s thirst response hinges on the salt concentration in his blood,” said Lucinda.

“In instances of heavy or prolonged sweating, the horse loses water and salt equally. Because there is no build-up in salt concentration in the horse’s body, his thirst sensors fail to recognise this loss of water.

“So, even though he is dehydrated, he won’t drink, because his body is not giving him an early warning signal.

“Body condition, environmental conditions and diet can all influence how much water a horse needs to maintain its correct hydration.”

Can it help prevent colic?

Vet Graham Duncanson of the Westover Veterinary Centre in Norfolk recommends Horse Quencher for preventing colic, particularly in the cold.

“We always treat several horses with colic during very cold snaps,” he said. “Colic can have a multitude of causes, but the usual cause after a cold spell is an impaction.

“This may be because the horse has been confined and has eaten a large amount of straw bedding, or perhaps because the horse hasn’t drunk enough.”

Who uses it?

Horse Quencher is used by eventers Karen Dixon and American rider Gina Miles, while horse owner Anita Binns from West Yorkshire successfully used the product with her pony.

“Captain is recovering from three successive stomach impactions, which have occurred over the past two months, and getting him to drink has been impossible — the only way to keep him hydrated was with tubing by the vet,” Anita explained.

“The night the Horse Quencher water was put in his stable, he drank a good half bucket. He now drinks a bucket a night and sometimes a bit more.

“I feel Horse Quencher is teaching him the need to drink again. I hope this product can help other horses to recover from and even prevent illness.”

Information

Horse Quencher UK, tel: 01842 879161 www.horsequencher.co.uk

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (4 February, ’10)

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Do skin-pinch tests really work when assessing dehydration? Peter Green MRCVS finds out

The skin-pinch test is the standard clinical way of assessing hydration or dehydration in horses. If dehydration is suspected most vets use the packed cell volume (PCV) of the blood to check the relative proportion of cells to plasma as the best guide.

Vets from Bristol University and Brooke travelled to Pakistan, where dehydration is a real problem in working horses. They examined 50 horses, in average condition, working on the streets of Lahore in temperatures of 30°-44°C. All showed a positive skin-pinch test indicating some dehydration.

By allowing the horses to drink as much clean water as they wanted, the vets were able to judge the accuracy and validity of skin and blood tests.

The results showed the skin-pinch test is very inaccurate; it varied as much with the dampness of the skin, the position of the pinch, the age of the horse, than it did with the degree of dehydration.

Vets then measured the dampness of the gum membranes by seeing how much moisture was absorbed by pieces of filter paper over a standard time — this was disappointing and did not correlate well with true dehydration.

The most reliable guide to dehydration was simply the amount of clean water the undisturbed horse consumed. Even considerable amounts, taken in rapidly, caused no colic or untoward effects.

Another myth scotched.

For more veterinary news, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (27 November, ’08)

Often termed the forgotten nutrient, water comprises the largest part of the horse’s body — foals are about 80% water and an adult horse about 65% water. Most of this water exists within and around the cells of the body, in the digestive tract and in the blood.

Its main function is that of a medium by which other nutrients and essentials of life are transported around the body, and a loss of 10kg (or 2%) is known to affect performance.

Exactly how much water an individual horse will drink each day is difficult to predict because this will vary according to the moisture content of the feeds eaten, workload and the climatic conditions. In conditions of high heat and humidity, water intake might increase more than four times the norm. In general, however, horses in light work at grass tend to consume more than they need on a daily basis.

In May, the grass is so lush that the water content can be more than 85% of every mouthful. A horse turned out all day and all night is capable of consuming well in excess of 60kg of fresh grass per day, approximately 50kg of which will be water.

Such a high moisture intake precipitates water excretion, which in turn could lead to increased electrolyte losses through the urine in addition to those lost in sweat. This may explain why horses at this time of year commonly increase salt lick consumption, and others appear to eat soil.

In the midsummer (when the prolonged heat-wave we are promised is due to arrive), grass growth slows and its moisture content is lower, typically 75%. Horses will receive less of their daily water requirement from grass, although it will still contribute a significantly to daily water intake.

Whatever the time of year, if a horse’s total diet is either grass or very moist haylage, the horse should have access to a salt lick or have salt or electrolytes added to the daily diet to ensure optimum health.

Typical moisture content of equine feedstuffs

Horse & Hound (26 May, ’05)

Providing a constant supply of water is a golden rule of good management. But when you’re at a competition or staying away from home, it can be alarming to discover that your horse won’t drink.

Endurance rider Jill Thomas says that one solution is to tempt your horse to go apple bobbing.

“Put some pieces of apple or carrot in a bucket of water and you’ll often find that the horse will be eager to pick them out – and he’ll take in water at the same time,” she says.

The classic endurance technique is to tempt the horse with a very sloppy mixture of soaked sugar beet.

“One of my horses won’t touch that, but he does like water with apple juice added to it,” says Jill. “You can also add peppermint cordial or molasses. It’s a case of trying out different flavourings to see which appeals to your horse.”

She finds that while some horses are fastidious about the cleanliness of the water and the container, others prefer earthier flavours.

“If you wash your horse down with a sponge and then leave it in the bucket, he might prefer that to clean water because of the slightly salty flavour,” suggests Jill. “He’ll also go bobbing for the sponge!”

Similarly, many horses prefer to drink from puddles on long rides or out hunting. Jill believes that this is to get the mineral content.

“Some horses are put off by the noise of automatic waterers if they’re not used to them,” she says. “I cover them up and use buckets – which means that I also know how much my horse does or doesn’t drink.”

She also finds that adding electrolytes to the feed encourages the horse to drink plain water.

Dr David Marlin, head of physiology at the Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, says that some horses drink more readily from buckets in wall holders.

“It prevents bedding falling in the water. Some horses are put off by the smell of shavings,” he says.

It also means that the horse does not have to lower his head to the ground behind the door, when he may feel vulnerable because his vision is restricted.

“Try to keep everything as similar as possible to the routine at home,” David advises. “Use the same sort of containers and if you’re going to use flavourings, try them at home first.”

Ray Somers, a freelance groom who works for national and international transporters, says that horses who refuse water when offered buckets at rest stops will often drink if small corner mangers can be fitted into lorries and half-filled.

He knows some horses who are influenced by colour. “If they’re used to, say, a black bucket, they don’t like it if you suddenly put in one of a different colour,” he says.

Major competitions in challenging climates, such as the Olympics in Atlanta, have made everyone well aware that sport horses can be exercise-intolerant when placed in a hot environment without the chance to become acclimatised.

On a lesser scale, this is a concern if there is a heat wave in this country. If it is unusually hot and humid, exercising horses will find it harder than normal to cool down as they work. High humidity prevents the efficient evaporation of sweat and its associated body cooling. Any horse who is unacclimatised to the heat will sweat more, as will any animal that is unfit, overweight, or has a thick coat.

Even a fit horse can produce vast amounts of sweat. It is said that a racehorse running one mile in approximately two minutes will produce more than two gallons (literally a big bucket’s worth) of sweat.

As a horse sweats, it loses water and electrolytes (body salts). The key electrolytes are sodium chloride and potassium, with smaller amounts of calcium and magnesium. Bicarbonates, phosphates and sulphates also have electrolyte roles. All these compounds have vital roles in maintaining the skeleton, making muscles work and converting energy within the body.

A horse’s sweat is hypertonic, which means it contains a higher concentration of salts than blood does. If both water and electrolytes are lost and not replaced, the animal will become dehydrated and its performance will be affected.

Electrolyte loss can result in conditions such as thumps, properly called asynchronous diaphragmatic flutter. This is a little like hiccups in that the horse’s flank twitches and it makes an audible thump, hence the name. It is not really harmful in itself, but is alarming for the rider and indicates that a severe electrolyte disturbance is present.

Serious electrolyte disturbances can result in muscle disorders, such as azoturia (tying up), which can cause a horse to collapse. There is also an alarming syndrome of heat stroke and dehydration, often lumped together as “the exhausted horse complex”, which is the great fear for anyone competing a horse in hot, humid conditions.

Water is absolutely essential: no living organism can survive without it. A horse’s body is nearly 70% water, most of which is concentrated in the individual cells of the body and as a key component of blood. The horse’s gut, particularly the large intestine, acts as a fluid reservoir and may hold as much as 60 litres of water.

Generally, a horse will drink more water than it needs. Exactly how much water a horse drinks per day depends on the moisture content of the feed it eats, the work it is doing and the climatic conditions. In hot, humid conditions, when dehydration is a risk, a horse will need to increase its water intake at least fourfold.

Traditionally, dehydration is checked by the skin pinch test. In a normally hydrated horse, the skin will ping rapidly back into place. A seriously dehydrated horse will have a small residual fold of skin left for longer than might be expected. However, this test can be confusing and inaccurate, particularly as the elasticity of skin varies. Performance may be affected below the level that a skin pinch test would detect, so it cannot be relied on without assessing other signs.

Other clues include dry or tacky gums and in severe cases, a weak, fast pulse, sunken eyes and cool extremities. It may not be that obvious that there is a problem, especially as dehydrated horses have been shown to sweat less than normal animals.

The golden rule is to replace fluid and electrolytes at every opportunity. It is advisable to allow frequent small drinks when exercising, and wrong to withhold water before competing.

Water and electrolytes are normally replenished by a horse’s normal diet, but there may not the opportunity to do this in a lengthy competition situation. Water alone will not provide rapid rehydration as electrolytes, particularly sodium, are needed. Only offering water may dilute the body fluids and disturb the electrolyte balance further.

To prevent this imbalance, there are a variety of commercially available equine oral replacement solutions. It is important that there are made up at the correct concentration and even more crucial that your horse will take them.

Adding electrolytes to drinking water can cause a reduction in water consumption. Adding apple squash or juice can mask the taste of salts in water, whilst some competitors use applesauce to make palatable electrolyte pastes. If horses are trained to this before a competition, they should take it readily when they need salt supplementation.

It is impossible for a horse to store extra electrolytes for future needs, so there is little point in giving extra electrolytes on a regular basis except to get him used to the taste. Under normal conditions, an adult horse on a good diet will receive enough electrolytes.

Horses who sweat excessively may need additional salt added at approximately 1% of the daily ration. It is usually sufficient to give an electrolyte supplement as soon as possible after major exertion that includes sweating.

This article first appeared in H&H (12 August 2003)

Q: I own an 11-year-old Welsh Cob who won’t drink from the water trough in his field but he used to drink from the trough at my last yard. In summer, I bring him in at night to keep his weight down, and the first thing he does is take a long drink from his automatic water bowl.

I have tried cleaning out thetrough and offering a plastic bucket with clean water, without success. He shares the field with three cows and two other geldings, who do use the trough. What can I do?

Nutritionist Kate Jones replies: The most likely explanation is that there is something about the taste of the water he dislikes.

As he readily drinks from his automatic water bowl, I would suggest filling the trough, at least in part, with water from that source, rather than from the tap. As water from the trough is drunk, top it up with regular water so he gradually becomes accustomed to the taste.

If this fails, you could flavour the water sources with something he finds palatable, such as apple juice. This will require the co-operation of the owners of other animals using that trough.

We tend to take water for granted, but it’s the most important ingredient in the horse’s system, and a horse can go quickly wrong when it’s not right. Even the slightest dehydration affects the horse adversely.

The average horse is about two-thirds water: in a 550kg horse, about 360kg is water. Sings of dehydration are often not evident until it reaches 6% water loss. For a typical horse this is about 30kg of weight.

The theory is that a horse drinks 25-70ml per kilo per day, so your average sort horse will drink 14-40 litres. The total will depend on several factors: the amount available, water content and quality of feed consumed, its dietary make up, the atmosphere’s temperature and humidity and the level of activity, plus the general health of the horse.

Influencing factors

• Feed: A horse consuming large amounts of grass, which contains 80% water, will drink less than a horse eating hay or dry feedsat 15% water content.
• Exercise: Moderate work increases water intake by 60-80% whereas intense work can double these figures.
• Temperature: Water intake will increase by about 20% when the temperature rises from 13 degrees centigrade to 21 due to increased requirements for maintaining body temperature, and greater evaporative losses.Increasing temperature also increases the amount of microbial growth so summer water vessels should be checked daily for algae growth.Quality checkHave borehole water quality checked. Your local environment agency officer will oblige and recommend any corrective action required.Check header and storage tanks about once a week for dead animals. Rat populations are increasing in the UK – apparently we’re never further than three metres from the nearest rat – and this means they are sharing your water too.On more than one occasion poor performance has been linked to water contaminated in this way.