Giving a drink to a hot horse?

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FionaM12

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When I first learnt basic horse care (circa 1970 :eek:) we were told never to give a big drink of cold water to a horse just before exercise or when they've just finished hard exercise and are a bit hot and sweaty. I mean, look what happened to Black Beauty. :o

So today, before she was ridden for a lesson (quite hard work) I took Mollie's water bucket out of her stable, to be returned once she'd cooled off. However, others (far more up-to-date and knowledgeable than me) said they don't worry about their hot horse having a drink.

So, out of date info or wise precaution?
 
I only know that eventing horses don't get a drink until they've stopped blowing and have been washed off a fair bit, and stopped sweating - can wash out their mouths with a sponge though. Although I'm sure when watching racing they give the water straight after, I'm assume this is warm not cold?
 
As long as they can breathe and not snort the water into lungs then I never deny horses water. Although making them drink it is another matter!

I think its been disproved although I still didn't up until a few years ago... old habits die hard.

It was thought that it would make them tie up but dehydration will also do this so probably stick to small amounts first, then allow them as much as they want. They won't usually drink more than they need to.
 
Racehorses get a drink as soon as they are in the enclosure being untacked, but i think it is more to rinse their mouth out for dryness, rather than a huge big drink, have you asked a vet their opinion.
 
I wouldn't remove water before exercise to help avoid dehydration (if a horse has free access to water, they're not exactly likely to guzzle a whole bucket of water just before you want to ride :p ).

The racehorse are also allowed to have a drink straight after the race, but only two or three swallows every couple of minutes, not a whole bucket in one go. The water will be 'tempered', so, basically cold, but with a bit of warm added to take the edge of.
As soon as they've stopped blowing they're allowed to drink as much as they want.

Never had any problems doing it this way. :)
 
Thanks everyone.

Until today, it had never occurred to me that thinking might have changed on this.

I didn't actually take her water off her before her lesson today, by the way, she'd already left the stable when I took the bucket out. I just had the idea that she might come straight back in, hot, and guzzle loads and that this was a bad thing... :o
 
Endurance horses are allowed to drink freely when they find water available.

I generally limit water immediately after fast work or when the horse is really hot.

I allow the horse to have a couple of swallows, then a few minutes late a couple more and so on until the horse no longer wants water.
 
Oursdrink as much as we can get into them on rides, including when having cantered into a vet gate. The horses at WEG vetted in under 2 minutes in general, and this would include having a large drink. When I first started in racing, you used to remove horses water before going to the races, now unless they bleed, they have water in the stable at the racecourse. Its interesting how things have changed over the years.
 
Second Zaminda. Competing in Endurance has pretty much discredited what I was taught about this as a child. At one ride, my pony came running into a crew stop at full tilt, drained about 3/4 bucket in one go, and then cantered off again...
 
FionaM12, if you were taught not to give your horse a cold drink when warm, you would also have been told to ensure at all times that the horse was properly cooled down & dried out after work before returning to its stable ;) :p

I'd not worry, as am sure your mare is not too warm as you will have walked her off - and its fine for a small drink/mouth wash - what isn't, is downing a half or more bucket of cold :)
 
I would probably let them drink about half a small bucket in one go after fast work, but I would normally have cooled down anyway so heart rate returned to normal etc. Just being sweaty after schooling on a warm day etc isn't enough reason to restrict it I don't think.
 
I think it's a myth really - as said, racehorses are always offered a drink after a race. Sure, maybe not bucket loads but a good half a bucket I guess. When I have takeb my horse xc he will have a drink when he's finished although he won't drink until his bridle is off and he knows he's finished for the day :)
 
Yes, racehorses are given a drink after a race but it is "chilled" water - this means not that it is cold but that it has had the chill taken of it with hot water.

I always chill the hunters water for when they return and let them drink what they want - usually it is about a bucketful.

I would never take water away from a horse before exercise, as said if it is there 24.7 they are unlikely to down a lot.
As for after daily exercise I walk then back so they are cooled.
 
Foxhunter49 said:
Yes, racehorses are given a drink after a race but it is "chilled" water - this means not that it is cold but that it has had the chill taken of it with hot water.

I always chill the hunters water for when they return and let them drink what they want - usually it is about a bucketful.

I would never take water away from a horse before exercise, as said if it is there 24.7 they are unlikely to down a lot.
As for after daily exercise I walk then back so they are cooled.
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Thanks. As I said before, I didn't remove the water until after she'd left the stable.
 
Like OP - I was bought up on that advice as well - but when I started racing horses on hot days, I realised very quickly that they need a drink after galloping 3 miles+..... but I never let them drain a bucket, take a few gulps, walk them around a couple of circuits and then come back for another drink - they are not stupid these horses, and take what they need - sadly we all read too much Black Beauty when we were young (remember, the dash back from getting the Doctor.......)
 
Just look at the horses in the wild to see that they will drink at any time be it after a gallop or not. It is the same as eating.

By the time you have taken the horse into the stable and untacked, it will be cool enough to drink.

As others have said Endurance horses eat and drink during the ride. As for the race rides the horse is sloshed down which cools the horse anyway so they are already cooling before they have a drink.
 
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