Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important nutrient for a horse?

Of the six classes of nutrients, water should be viewed as most important nutrient because horses will perish from lack of water before the lack of any other nutrient. Water is important for every metabolic process in the body because chemical reactions only occur when they are in an ionized state, or dissolved in water.

Not only can the horse dehydrate and die from water deprivation, but limiting water intake will result in decreased feed intake, growth, lactation, and performance, and higher incidence of impaction colic and non-sweating or heat-stress problems.

A horse will consume 2-3 times more water by weight than feed each day, with a typical horse drinking 10-12 gallons on a cool day and more on warmer days. There are also increased water requirements due to sweating from activity or exercise. For example, an 1100 lb horse at intense activity will lose more than 6 gallons of water a day.

If an automatic waterer is not available, fresh water must be made available daily. Not only will intake be limited by water that is not fresh, but buckets or waterers must be kept clean to ensure adequate intake and prevent health problems due to mold growth.