Wet winters and scorching summers, is this the new norm? Here in the UK, we’re famous for moaning about the weather! Never quite right, it’s always too hot, too cold, too wet or two windy. This next complaint however, feels a little out of place… It’s too dry! So far this summer we’ve seen off the chart temperatures, with extreme heat warnings spanning the length and breadth of the country. While the glorious weather may have been great for relaxing in the sunshine, walks on the beach and trips out to your local outdoor spaces, it’s not without its problems! For many months now, we’ve seen very little in the way of wet weather, with rainfall at a record low. Combined with the soaring temperatures, this means reservoirs are running worryingly low. Because of this, many areas of England and Wales are expected to announce hosepipe bans, but what exactly does this mean.
Saving Water
As the name suggests, a ‘hosepipe ban’ is a series of official restrictions put into place by water companies during a local or nationwide shortage. The purpose of this is to prevent drinking water being wasted on activities that aren’t deemed strictly necessary. Uses which are prohibited include cleaning cars, watering plants, topping up ponds that don’t contain fish, filling paddling pools and cleaning windows. Strictly speaking, while it is essential to ensure that our horse’s have plenty to drink, using a hosepipe isn’t. As a general rule of thumb, think "A hosepipe can be used when it is needed for unavoidable health and safety reasons.This could be to remove or minimise risk to human or animal health - or to prevent the spread of causative agents or disease." Outside of this, we should be ditching the hosepipe until instructed otherwise, we must all make a conscious effort to save water. Here’s just a few ideas to help…
Water Saving Seven – Top Tips
No Bathing
There’s no denying that bathing our horses is a great way to get them clean and keep them cool, the issue is, it uses a lot of water! Because of this, we should be taking steps to avoid bathing them during a drought, so it’s a really good idea to invest in some good quality dry shampoo. Our favourites include Ezi-Groom Stain Remover, Carr & Day & Martin Stain Master Green Spot Remover and ShowSheen Stain Remover & Whitener Spray.
If you’re horse is too hot after a ride or in the stable, don’t head straight for a hosepipe! Instead, refill an old fly or grooming spray bottle with some cold water or Ezi-Groom Cooling Lavender Wash. Spray this over their coat liberally to refresh and rejuvenate.
Turn Off Taps
Let’s be honest, we’re all guilty of getting distracted and letting our buckets over flow. The problem is, just one minute wastes around 6 litres of water! So, if you’re forever forgetting, why not invest in a big bucket or bath to pop under your tap. This will catch any spillages, preventing water going to waste and keeping tap areas dry.
Check for leaks
Now’s the perfect chance to do a quick walk around, keeping an eye out for any leaky water buckets, troughs, taps or pipes. While this might seem fairly insignificant, even small drips soon add up over time.
Collect Rainwater
While we’re not getting much in the way of rainfall at the moment, make the most of the dry weather by clearing out your stable’s guttering and installing a water butt to collect runoff. Fresh rainwater is completely safe for your horse to drink, in fact, most even prefer it to tap water!
Bucket Half Full
While it’s hot, it’s really important to make sure your horses have plenty of water. However, if you prefer to give fresh every time you visit then it’s a good idea to avoid filling buckets right up to the top if your horse doesn’t ever drink it all. If at the end of all your water saving you’ve got any leftover that’s not clean enough for them to drink (but isn’t too dirty), don’t waste it! Keep a container somewhere to store this, it’s great for soaking hay, bathing, cleaning stables and other general yard tasks.
Feed Fresh
Fresh fruits, vegetables and grass are great for your horse for a whole host of reasons. Not only are they packed with vitamins and minerals that can help to keep them healthy, they’re also much higher in water than hay and dried feeds. While this might seem like a very small change to make, feeding high liquid foods like watermelon or cucumber will really help to keep your horse cool and hydrated, reducing the amount they drink!
Steam, Don’t Soak
If you usually soak your horse’s hay, consider steaming instead. Soaking a hay net generally uses 60-100L of water. In comparison, a hay steamer would use just 4L! Not only is steaming a more economical choice, it reduces dust by up to 99%, reduces mould and bacteria by up to 95%, increases palatability, preserves the vitamin & mineral content and decreases the water soluble carbohydrates.
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