Excessive Drinking...

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CyndiD

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I have 3 mini`s in an outside lot with a run-in shelter...during the last couple days they have DRAINED my big rubbermaid tank and I have checked the tank for leaks and cannot find one anywhere. Its rained some and so I moved the tank to see if a new "puddle" developed as that is what I expected to see....but there is no puddle and the water is gone.

All three mini`s are acting normally, eating normally, not distended...but I am at a loss as to WHERE that water is going. Its a bigger rubbermaid tank and I think maybe holds around 50 gallons..seriously...
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Any suggestions????
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Need more info here...

How much of the tank have they HISTORICALLY drank in the same time period?

Has the weather been hot, have they been exercising more?

Have they had access to a salt block?

Are there more urination spots in their pen, do you see them urinating more frequently when you watch them?

That said... I have a weanling colt right now that has always been an excessive drinker. Apparently, so are his dam and full sister. He is a Shetland, and weighs around 200 lbs right now, and drinks 8-9 gallons of water per day. His stall is flooded, he pees constantly even when we're working on setting up for halter! He drinks until he is fully bloated and distended and has trouble being active. Per the vet, my horses have no salt blocks in their stalls as he believes they don't need it unless they are out on pasture. (They get enough salt from their grain and vitamin supplement he feels). I have had the vet pull blood and urine to do a side-by-side analysis to determine if there are any health issues going on, or if it's psychological (water cribbing). So far, they've ran the tests twice and he seems to have normal organs and chemicals... now the sample is going to a urinary pathologist for a urinary culture to determine more. Not entirely sure what all that's about... but if he just LIKES to drink a lot his water is going to be rationed.

That's my experience. But what factors might figure in here for your situation?

Andrea
 
Believe it or not but my guys are drinking more because its cooling down here. Some horses will drink more in cooler weather.
 
Cyndi,

It has been unseasonally hot here and my horses have been drinking an excessive amount of water also. If they are acting fine I wouldn't worry too much - do they have free access to salt blocks? - sometimes that will increase their thirst also.
 
We recently moved to Northern Indiana and some of the first hay we purchased we found that it had been salted down to help the drying process. Possibly could your hay have been salted? I asked my vet would salting the hay down cause any problems and he replyed that the horses would drink more which is not a bad thing with summer and all. I also have a yearling that has been "sucking" water since the middle of show season and I kind of thought possibly he was somewhat stressed from traveling and/or wanted that "full" feeling they get from tanking up on water. Even with show season over he is still drinking, the hay we have now is not salted and we've gotten some pretty cool temps. I believe he likes the "fullness" the excess water drinking gives him. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong....something to think on.
 
All good possibilities offered.

Sometimes the type of hay make a difference. If using high sugar, like orchard, try timothy or bermuda. alfala sometimes makes them drink more, too. Hey, if they drink they gotta P
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Think if you have had any change in water source -- new hose, water softener, new well, etc. Is there an adjacent animal that can reach thru the fence and drink? I have a gelding who will do that and stand directly beside his own tub to do so -- same water, same kind/age tub, cleaned same way & time
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It's a habit for him.
 
Here is what happens at our house, if it has been very dry and a lot of loose dirt around the water trough you could have a splasher!
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We have one (thanks to Erica--it's Bailey
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) and I have caught him so I know what is going on. He gets in the water trough with both front legs and stands there and splashes. The water is sprayed all over the place and he does this off and on all day until the water is literally all gone fromt the tank with no evidence by evening on the ground. It is all spread out and has plenty of time to soak in.
 
I paniced one day when my tank was completely empty and went on the discover that the hose was in the tank and had been unhooked on the other end and all the water had been siphoned out. Just thought I would tell you that, cause it is really easy to do.
 
I paniced one day when my tank was completely empty and went on the discover that the hose was in the tank and had been unhooked on the other end and all the water had been siphoned out. Just thought I would tell you that, cause it is really easy to do.
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GREAT POINT!
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I too have done that and wondered what the heck was going on! :DOH!
 
Speaking of siphoning. We had a neighbor that had the hose in the tank and the hose

was attached, but, it was attached to a freeze proof hydrant. The hydrant would keep

draining the tank in an effort to drain the hydrant.
 
Per the vet, my horses have no salt blocks in their stalls as he believes they don't need it unless they are out on pasture. (Andrea
Just a reminder that she lives in So Cal so they dont have cold days where intake of water might be an issue. I would not take away salt if you live in a place with snow and cold temps as of course we know we need to encourage them to drink all they can during temps like that.

If you do live somewhere warm it is possible they are pretty darn hot even in 65 degree sunny days with all that winter hair they have to be warm

I woud also check to see if they are playing in the water - if you are working or coming home a few hours later it is possible if not real cold yet that they have been and they dried off before you checked them?

I have a mare who still even in 40 degree weather wants to get in and play in the water buckets

Not to mention that drinking alot of water doesnt mean something is wrong (of course a huge change can be a sign for sure)

Some drink more then others I hav some horses who are camels and hardly ever drink and others who can go thru a 5 gallon bucket in 2 days (alot when they are only stalled at night)

But heck I drink alot of water usually 1 1/2 gallons a day
 
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THANK YOU!!!
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Some excellent thoughts here...esp. the salted hay!!!!

We just started feeding hay more often and it WAS salted since it was so humid and hot when it was baled...helped it stay dry...but never thought it would make them drink more!! :DOH!

I am so relieved!!!
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I also have salt blocks outside and the ones that are stalled have access to it when they go out (in rotation) and that is the stallions. I feel so much better now!! I am glad I came here to ask. I had not seen anything out of the way in behaviour so this really makes sense to me..
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remember, horses have to drink more water to generate heat in their bodies or to cool them, so temp changes do wonders on water intake. Mine are going crazy, 12 at night and 75 in the day. UGH
 
I'm glad you got that figured out Cindy...! Whew...

I will say...the title to your post...made me think someone was having a party in Greenville..."Excessive drinking"....party at Cindys house?? tee hee
 

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