April 2008

Safe Pond Water

Natural water sources may not be clean or safe for your horse.

The idea of a pond to provide a constant water supply to your horses is appealing, but it might not be what we consider clean or safe. Obviously feral horses drink from ponds, lakes and streams, but that doesn’t mean they never have illness related to poor-quality water.

In addition, their water sources are more likely to be rapidly flowing rivers and streams. Even lakes differ from ponds, especially manmade ones. That doesn’t mean that ponds can’t be used as a water source for horses. You simply need to

Regularly cleaned, water tanks are a sure way to provide safe water for your horse.

know what the risk can be and how ponds should be managed. …