drinking water in the winter

[lisha]

Morning all!
My 16 year old Thoroughbred doesn't like to drink the water in the 75 gallon tank. I have a heater in it as well. In bad weather I put him in the barn and I have a heated bucket in there. He always drinks the whole thing. Then he goes back into the pasture and hates to drink. Is it because the water in the barn is warmer?

[Erin]

The temperature could definitely have something to do with it. Horses don't like to drink water that is too cold. Is the water trough kept clean? Some horses are picky.

Also, it's possible that because your horse doesn't drink much in the pasture, when he comes in the barn he's so thirsty that he drinks the whole bucket due to dehydration.

Just a couple ideas. Im sure others will have some ideas to add to that. I hope he starts drinking more

[jennaj]

Could you leave buckets of water outside?? It would have to be refilled quiet often cuz of the freezing.

I have problems getting my t'bred Nikita drinking water away from home....so i put buckets of water with her whereever we are and i put apple juice in it so it smells like apples.
Idk, it works for her! she will drink it with a scent of apples in it.

[Candace ♥'s Mitt-nacht]

how clean the 75 gallon tank is will have an effect on if the horse wants to drink from it or not. some people don't clean them as often, so even if its heated a bit, if its dirty, some horses won't drink it. so i would do my best to clean it as often as possible, and see if that helps some at all.
horses do like to drink cool water, just not freezing cold.

[Rebecca]

I know many horses that don't drink in the pasture. I think you should just make sure that he always has clean water available in turnout, incase he decides to drink, and make sure he can drink as much as he'd like when he is inside.

[...Nina...]

Yea, my TB mare isn't a fan of any outside source...even if it's clean and heated..is she blanketed? Could be she just has no desire to drink cool water if she's cold herself..