Winter Water Woes and Equine Colic Prevention

More water at feed time: You can add water to concentrate ration and/or soak the hay for 10 minutes prior to feeding as this will bring more water into the gut. You may also wish to discuss with your vet or equine nutritionist the use of soaked and shredded beet pulp as an addition to the diet for getting more water into the digestive system. Adding a bran mash once a week was once a popular practice, but the sudden introduction of a different feed is actually another colic risk factor. Adding water to their regular feed is recommended. Be consistent and make feed changes slowly.

Access to water 24/7: Horses are trickle feeders and their digestive systems operate optimally when forage is always available. This means water must be available at all times to aid in digestion and avoid blockages. In winter, water needs may increase as a result of the increased hay being consumed, which is also much dryer than moisture rich pasture. Always make sure there is lots of fresh, clean water provided 24 hours a day.   

Snow is not a substitute for water. Ten inches of snow equals one inch of water. If two inches of snow fell, a horse would need to consume over four football fields worth to get enough water.