Bottled Water for Horses

Frequent visits to the watering trough recently by mares Belle and Lucy (not their real names) where they would stop, take a quick drink and then stare at the water reminded me of the need for bottled water for horses. It would be so easy if big plastic bottles could be available on a "as needed" basis for horses. A bottled water carrier for horses could even be developed with a flip off top.

Lucy and Belle used to live on a 200 acre ranch with a river running through it. They could run, frolic in the snow, even make snow angels if they were so inclined. They drank from the river, and all water in their troughs was river water.

When Belle and Lucy arrived at this abode, they took one sip of the well water in their troughs and spit it out. If they could have proclaimed "Yuck!" they would have. They quickly turned and walked away, only to return a few minutes later and try another gulp. The previous owner watched and reminded us horses take a while to warm up to the taste of new water but eventually they would drink. A few more spits and their acquired thirst required them to drink at the trough.

Anyone used to drinking only bottled water will eventually drink city water, if thirsty enough. Water from various regions has a different taste, but did you know horses can also taste the difference? Belle and Lucy now drink heated well water that is kept from freezing during the cold Chicagoland winters due to water heaters installed in each trough.

Photo attribution: somewhatfortyplus