# How to encourage a horse to drink more water!



## sommsama09 (Oct 28, 2010)

He may not like the taste of water - i know that some horses when they taste differences in water will not drink. Try to use lemons, start with half a lemon and see if that helps him drink it - it will stop him focusing on the taste, if he doesnt show much difference maybe put two halves of a lemon in. 
EDIT: I'd also probably remove the salt block from his stall incase he still doesnt drink otherwise this will make him worse.

Good luck


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## WildAcreFarms (Apr 6, 2011)

*several th ings to try*

are you replacing the water with fresh cool water every day? even tho hes not drinking it? did you recently move? horses can be very sensitive to water taste. 

I'd try the sugar electrolytes. not the salt ones.

Also I'd take a big 10CC syringe take the needle off if it has one, and squirt cool water in his mouth. sometimes if you can get a little water in the mouth they will feel like drinking. we do that alot when hauling horses in the heat. 

We have found a little lemon juice in the water of a strange town will often get a horse drinking as well.

its a huge problem if hes not drinking... you have to get it figured out asap,
good luck.


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## WildAcreFarms (Apr 6, 2011)

sommsama09 said:


> He may not like the taste of water - i know that some horses when they taste differences in water will not drink. Try to use lemons, start with half a lemon and see if that helps him drink it - it will stop him focusing on the taste, if he doesnt show much difference maybe put two halves of a lemon in.
> EDIT: I'd also probably remove the salt block from his stall incase he still doesnt drink otherwise this will make him worse.
> 
> Good luck


LOL we were posting the same thing at the same time


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## LikeIke17 (Mar 18, 2011)

Great ideas! Thank you. I saw him drinking from the "big bucket" today, so it's not like he's getting absolutely no water. He is in his stall for about 12 hours at night and I just want to be sure he's drinking during that time as well. 

Thank you again!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I've heard of people using raspberry koolaid to mask bad tasting water.


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## WildAcreFarms (Apr 6, 2011)

hey Tiny thats an awesome idea  I'll have to try that. 

My horses are crazy water guzzling machines LOL. poor babies they get hauled all over creation and are kind of "been there done that " now.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Horses have natural times when they drink, usually within an hour after sun up and later in the afternoon. This is when they drink the largest amount of water. His stall time may not coincide with his drinking times. BTW offer him loose salt, like course pickling salt. Horses does not ingest enough salt from a lick because of tongue soreness.


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## DutchFeather (May 9, 2011)

We add a tablespoon of salt to their grain, to encourage them to drink because they rarely use their salt/mineral blocks. We also add a tablespoon of baking soda to their grain to help keep their bladdrr and kidneys functioning... Not sure how much fact is in it, its just something my grandfather did and we've always done it.
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## DutchFeather (May 9, 2011)

also make sure you are claning his water bucket regularily and giving him fresh water daily even if he isnt drinking it.
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