How long is too long to leave a pony in a paddock without water? I know sometimes I've inadvertently left Zi's bucket only half full but only for a few hours. I'm talking a pony with no water at all. Not hot weather though. Thoughts?
How long is too long?
- Thread starter Trewsers
- Start date
Unless the vet advised it, never.
I have like you said had the odd time when she's run out, and I have fixed that by getting another two tubs and putting one off those in the shade.
I have like you said had the odd time when she's run out, and I have fixed that by getting another two tubs and putting one off those in the shade.
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I would never leave a pony without water, unless as newforest says, it is on vetinary advice. We sometimes bring the ponies into the garden (as an alternative to mowing the lawn!), and even after an hour or so with good grass, the first thing they do when returned to their field is have a drink. Is this a welfare issue you know about?
It's something I can't turn a blind eye too, but I'm a bit concerned because I don't know the people very well who they belong to, yet I don't want to not say something. It could just be a mistake but it's at the ponies expense which is worrying me. If it were me, and I'd "forgotten" to leave water then I'd hope that someone would say something - I wouldn't be offended. But I just don't know what kind of reaction I'll get.
I can understand that. Do they live near? Could you call and say exactly what you said above? Ask if they realised they had “forgotten” to put out the water, and you know how much you would appreciate being told if you had. If the ponies are close to you, perhaps offer to put in a bucket until they can get there?
That's a really good idea. They are next door to our garden - well at the back of it. My neighbours sub let their land to them. Neighbours aren't horsey at all so won't have noticed and even if they did it wouldn't mean anything to them. So I should go round really and say that - that perhaps they can contact their tenants and say that their neighbours (me) noticed that they ponies didn't have water and thought they'd forgotten.
I hate that you even have to worry getting a hateful reaction
I would have heart failure if my horse(s) were without water. I would be “I’ll buy you lunch” grateful if you filled a bucket for them..
Agree I would only Leave a horse without water under a vet’s orders and even then it would only be a few hours and had better be for some sort of test.
I have two horses and they have three 18 gallon tubs of water outside at all times, plus water in their stall’s when they come in at night. I would rather see my horses short on hay than water.
I would have heart failure if my horse(s) were without water. I would be “I’ll buy you lunch” grateful if you filled a bucket for them..
Agree I would only Leave a horse without water under a vet’s orders and even then it would only be a few hours and had better be for some sort of test.
I have two horses and they have three 18 gallon tubs of water outside at all times, plus water in their stall’s when they come in at night. I would rather see my horses short on hay than water.
In the ideal world then obviously the answer is never. But as food for thought how many of us would think twice about going out for a couple of hours hacking during which our horses would have no water? And in the wild horses don't have constant access to water either, they drink their fill when they get to water but don't stay within reach of it all the time. So two or three hours wouldn't worry me unduly provided that when water was provided there was enough for a good deep drink and the lack of water wasn't a regular thing.
Never ever ever. But having said that horses mostly drink once or twice a day....... at their watering hole - think Lion King!
All true - my horses will get a big drink before heading out to pasture and drink again around 1:00 PM. They will drink sporadically through the rest of the day, depending on the weather. I have been know to change their water mid-day if it’s horribly hot or Rusty has backwashed into a water tub, which he does frequently because his back teeth aren’t great.
I was raised amongst dairy and beef farmers— livestock always having water was a huge issue with all of them and is probably why I am so over-the-top anal about my horses never running out of water and always having fresh water.
Some horses might colic from lack of water especially during extreme weather conditions. I want how often my horses choose to drink to be their choice, not because someone forgot to fill the bucket
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I was raised amongst dairy and beef farmers— livestock always having water was a huge issue with all of them and is probably why I am so over-the-top anal about my horses never running out of water and always having fresh water.
Some horses might colic from lack of water especially during extreme weather conditions. I want how often my horses choose to drink to be their choice, not because someone forgot to fill the bucket
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No bucket, I have a birds eye view of their paddock from my office window.
Been round and knocked on neighbours door. I was right to do so, as they didn't notice that the ponies had no water - and with them not being horsey etc. I said I hoped they didn't think I was being nosey but the ponies had no water and their gate with access to the water in the other paddocks was shut and had been all day. Neighbour said she would contact the owner. Owners been and let the ponies out - I think they just forgot. I did say I'd want to know if I'd forgotten water for mine. Anyway, I'm glad I went and said something, it's the ponies I care about, if folk want to think I'm an interfering middle aged busy body then so be it!
Yeah it's true a long hack etc without water.............but these had been in the paddock since half ten this morning with no water - I think just a genuine mistake. Not a hot day here either, so I doubt if they were dehydrated. But I would have worried about them all night without any.
@newforest the question was how long is acceptable, not is all day ok. People were saying it should be constantly available, I was simply pointing out that this wasn't the case and we have no problem expecting working horses to go a few hours without. Out of interest how would you take water for her? I have this picture of you hacking carrying a bucket 
Well done. Good solution all round. I hope/expect the owners are as grateful as I would be.Been round and knocked on neighbours door. I was right to do so, as they didn't notice that the ponies had no water - and with them not being horsey etc. I said I hoped they didn't think I was being nosey but the ponies had no water and their gate with access to the water in the other paddocks was shut and had been all day. Neighbour said she would contact the owner. Owners been and let the ponies out - I think they just forgot. I did say I'd want to know if I'd forgotten water for mine. Anyway, I'm glad I went and said something, it's the ponies I care about, if folk want to think I'm an interfering middle aged busy body then so be it!
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