Restricting water intake to "calm" horses

[Brownmare]

This came up on a fb discussion on calmers recently. The person advocating this states she not only uses the practice to keep competition horses calm but also when turned out as a way of regulating grazing intake! They do this without understanding why it "works" and yet say it has caused them no problems in many years of doing it and it was taught to them by an Olympic dressage rider so therefore it must be ok ?

Quite honestly I was gobsmacked that anyone would think this practice acceptable but I would like to find some published research to show them exactly why it is compromising their horses' welfare. I assumed they would also be in breach of the Animal Welfare Act but I can't find anything specific to back this up. Any help would be appreciated.... or am I wrong and it's a fantastic cheap way to get a well behaved show pony?!

 

[Lintel]

W t f...


This is frightening.

 

[Amirah]

I cannot believe such a practise exits in this day and age. Cruel, inhumane and definitely in contravention of both the Animal Welfare Act and the Five Freedoms.

 

[Cortez]

Nope nope nope. Downright cruelty, and very dangerous.

 

[Amirah]

Maybe you could forward that discussion to the relevant welfare organisations Brownmare?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I'm sure there is some published research out there...I think it says that all living things need water. Eye roll.
Free choice water is so basic, and if someone cannot wrap their head around that and thinks that restricting water intake can calm horses, you could send them a message from God himself and they still wouldn't believe it.

These types are so out there, it doesn't matter if a professional with actual credentials and education tells them they're wrong.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Wait till it's combined with working sai horse for hours and double rugging to travel in, whip rugs off before opening up ramp and pretending it now needs lots of working in as ,"look what it's like on the Boca d it's been rearing all the way "

 

[Amirah]

What's even worse is bragging about their success on FB therefore encouraging others to do the same. Feeling quite depressed now, what is wrong with people, where is the empathy?

 

[Gingerwitch]

Wait till it's combined with working sai horse for hours and double rugging to travel in, whip rugs off before opening up ramp and pretending it now needs lots of working in as ,"look what it's like on the Boca d it's been rearing all the way "

That should say box

 

[Brownmare]

Maybe you could forward that discussion to the relevant welfare organisations Brownmare?

If I knew where they lived I would. This may be one occasion where some fb stalking is inorder!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Ok, let's say you forward that discussion to the relevant welfare organization. What will they actually do? What can they actually do?

Purely curious here.

 

[shortstuff99]

I thought this was only a thing to throw horse races, deprive them of water then give them loads before a race so that they run slower and you bet on them to lose.

How barbaric to do this.

 

[Brownmare]

Ok, let's say you forward that discussion to the relevant welfare organization. What will they actually do? What can they actually do?

Purely curious here.

Nothing I suppose. Unless I can give them an address to attend and proof of what is being done....

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Nothing I suppose. Unless I can give them an address to attend and proof of what is being done....

Yeah, that's the thing (the shitty part), is that if/when they show up and see that the horses have some water they can't do anything. I mean, of course, you can still report because you never know and all it takes is your time.

 

[Dexter]

Its an old dealers trick to keep them calm. A dehydrated horse is almost sedated.

 

[Buster2020]

If you have to restricting horses water intake to keep them calm than the horse is to much for the rider . That person should be reported for animal abuse most horses rescues would take that horse away from the rider.

 

[Nicnac]

That's as old as the hills and something Pat Parelli did/does. Lots online about Parelli "training" methods. One would hope that people are more enlightened these days but seemingly not.

 

[Gingerwitch]

I thought this was only a thing to throw horse races, deprive them of water then give them loads before a race so that they run slower and you bet on them to lose.

How barbaric to do this.

Done in lots of animal sports, were a vile race.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Yeah, that's the thing (the shitty part), is that if/when they show up and see that the horses have some water they can't do anything. I mean, of course, you can still report because you never know and all it takes is your time.

Known a huge amount of salt put in water buckets so looks like horse has water too and is just not thirsty.

 

[Brownmare]

Its an old dealers trick to keep them calm. A dehydrated horse is almost sedated.

Probably because the poor thing has a splitting headache! ?

 

[dorsetladette]

Its an old dealers trick to keep them calm. A dehydrated horse is almost sedated.

This /\ - it's used alot. Then the new owner claims the horse must of been sedated and checks bloods - nope nothing, just severely dehydrated after being worked all morning and stood in with no food or water until you arrive to try him mid afternoon.

 

[tristar]

horses eat large amounts of fibre, to digest it they need water, without which they get blockages and colic, i never even feed dry hay

if i go for more than a few hours without water i feel the early onset of dehydration and tiredness, glass of water and i feel my energy rise

 

[Dyllymoo]

Its an old dealers trick to keep them calm. A dehydrated horse is almost sedated.

This... I was advised to check the horse had water in the stable when I went to view!

 

[meleeka]

This puts me In mind of a travellers comment the other day when criticised for leaving his horses without water “You don’t walk around with a drink in your hand all day so what’s the difference with horses?” The same person also believes they should drive the horse hard all day in 30+ temperature without a drink because it will get colic otherwise! The mind boggles at some people’s stupidity as if water is an optional extra . Having seen a horse with choke due to lack oF water there’s no way I’d risk it, even for a short amount of time.

 

[Brownmare]

This puts me In mind of a travellers comment the other day when criticised for leaving his horses without water “You don’t walk around with a drink in your hand all day so what’s the difference with horses?” The same person also believes they should drive the horse hard all day in 30+ temperature without a drink because it will get colic otherwise! The mind boggles at some people’s stupidity as if water is an optional extra . Having seen a horse with choke due to lack oF water there’s no way I’d risk it, even for a short amount of time.

Except that you can go and get a drink whenever you want one whereas the horse can't!

 

[rabatsa]

I once worked at a yard where the horses were led to a water trough twice a day for a drink. We were told not to leave after their first drink as they always went back for a second, sometimes a third. The horses knew the routine and seemed happy with it. Feeding was after watering so I suspect that in days gone by many yards would have been operated on with this system. The same place also watered their cattle the same way in winter.

 

[ForeverBroke_]

Quite common in some of the dodgy dealer yards around my neck of the woods..

 

[scruffyponies]

I'm sure there are times when mild dehydration can be used to safely catch or handle a horse which would otherwise be dangerous, and I would consider it if I was faced with a difficult situation, but systematic deprivation of water for performance or commercial reasons is abuse.

I don't have a problem with provision of water periodically, rather than constantly. Wild horses visit water (dawn and dusk?), they don't have it with them all day.

 

[Brownmare]

I once worked at a yard where the horses were led to a water trough twice a day for a drink. We were told not to leave after their first drink as they always went back for a second, sometimes a third. The horses knew the routine and seemed happy with it. Feeding was after watering so I suspect that in days gone by many yards would have been operated on with this system. The same place also watered their cattle the same way in winter.

Yes, I know someone who used to do this too, and my Mum has a cob whose hobby is trashing water buckets so he never has 24/7 access to water either but the point is that these horses are given as much water as they want at suitable intervals and do not have their intake deliberately restricted on a daily basis.

 

[pansymouse]

Its an old dealers trick to keep them calm. A dehydrated horse is almost sedated.

Yes, I've always thought of it as a well known dealer trick too.