| S TA B L E M A N A G E M E N T |
CLEAN WATER THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS OFTEN FORGOTTEN ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT
T
he Irish Equine Centre monitors the environment in over 200 racing yards across Europe. That monitoring package includes air quality, feed and fodder quality and storage, stable hygiene testing, and indoor exercise hygiene testing. A further major portion of that environmental monitoring package includes regular water sampling both at source and water directly from buckets or troughs. Water is the number-one nutrient fed to any animal, and it is often overlooked both in nutrient programmes and in the diagnosis of health issues resulting from poor performance of racehorses. We often hear the excuse that “Ah sure, horses drink from dirty puddles and ponds; and they seem fine.” That may be true and even OK for horses on farms, where horses are on a break or at pasture, but it’s OK not for high-level stressed racehorses. Anything that affects the gut flora or metabolism of a racehorse can have a negative effect on performance. By weight, horses consume up to three times as much water as food per day. If the water contains toxins, high levels of minerals or any other environmental contamination, nutritional and performance problems can result. Horses should consume enough water to replace what is lost through faeces, urine and importantly for racehorses, sweat particularly due to exercise. Water consumption will depend
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on several factors. These factors can be variable and include temperature, humidity, feed and fodder quality, type and amount of feed and fodder, exercise level, stage of fitness and health. The average daily consumption for a 500kg horse would be approximately 45 litres per day in normal, average weather conditions. The same horse, when in full training, could consume nearly three times that or up to 125 litres of water per day. When racehorses are carrying out their conditioning or fitness work following a long break, particularly in warm weather, the sweat production can increase further, which in turn increases the water and electrolyte requirements. At this stage of conditioning, there is a fine balance between water and electrolyte concentration, which is essential for appropriate muscle contraction and also in the cooling down process of the horse. An imbalance or a depletion of electrolytes can lead to premature muscle fatigue, reduced stamina, muscle cramps, poor post exercise recovery and tying up. These facts further highlight the need to ensure an abundant, safe supply of water to racehorses. Contaminated water will impact the performance of both. This is something that may be overlooked in all types of horse management. High bacterial content in water can affect all animals, and in particular young stock and under-pressure racehorses. High iron content in water can cause severe gut upset in horses, which builds up over time.