Even if there’s water available at a trailhead or in camp, give your horse water in his own bucket, pail, or tub. Disease and parasites can lurk in common drinking areas. Also, your horse might prefer to drink from a familiar container. Opposite page: Let your horse drink from water sources along the trail to conserve the water you’ve hauled in.

Your trail horse needs about 10 to 30 gallons of water per day to stay hydrated and healthy. You’re responsible for meeting his critical water needs, whether you go on day rides, horse camp, or pack into the backcountry. Never assume water will be provided at the trailhead/staging area, and don’t expect to find full water troughs in campgrounds. Here, we’ll tell you what to plan for, plus how to haul water, how best to give it to your horse, and how to use every last drop.

Plan Ahead
Every time you load your horse into your trailer, also pack a full water can, as well as a pail or tub suitable for your horse to drink from. Going riding? Here’s what to plan for.

Day rides. One full, five-gallon water can per horse is usually sufficient for a day trail ride in temperate weather. Use a rectangular, heavy-duty plastic can. It’s easy to handle and weighs only about 40 pounds. (One gallon of water weighs eight pounds). Once empty, you carry the water can to the nearest faucet or stream for a refill.

Horse camping. If you’re going horse camping, your water considerations will be more extensive. Some camps will have a stream, lake, pond, or river — but just because a water feature is on a map doesn’t necessarily mean your horse will have access to it. The banks might be too high for him to manage safely. Or, the water might flow seasonally. Before you leave home, query those responsible for managing the area about water availability. And haul in your own water, just in case. Note: At dry camps (those without water) the length of your stay will be limited by how much water you’ve hauled in, so plan well for an enjoyable stay.

Horse packing. It’s impractical to haul water for horse use on a pack horse, so always call ahead to make sure the backcountry has a lake or water source from which horses can drink. 

Hauling H2O
You have several options for hauling water in your trailer; here’s a rundown.

Buy a built-in. Some trailers have water containers built into one corner or under the saddle racks. Built-ins are convenient, but consider refill ease, especially if you won’t have access to a faucet and hose. If you’ll need to haul water from a stream or other source, you’ll need small containers you can lift when full. Also, if you need to fill your built-in container from the top, see whether you need to move your whole rig to a water source, which sometimes can be inconvenient when camping.  

Invest in containers. An option for overnight trips is simply to buy a sufficient number of five-gallon water cans and load them into your trailer. Quantity will depend on whether there are other water sources available, and number of horses you’re responsible for. If you have a two-horse, straight-load trailer, you can slide the cans under the saddle racks against the back wall of the tack compartment. In two-horse slant loads, position the cans against the road-side wall in the tack compartment. If the tack compartment is full of gear, simply set the cans in the back of your towing vehicle. Note that you can store rectangular plastic water cans side-by-side just about anywhere in your truck or trailer; they won’t scratch truck beds or trailer walls.

Think big. To supplement your water supply on longer trips, install a 50-gallon plastic water container in one corner of the tack compartment. Fill the container with water, and also pack four five-gallon water cans and four 2½-gallon water cans. Use the 2½-gallon cans to water your horse at rest stops; it’s easy to pour water from this small can into a bucket, then refill it from the closest faucet. (Tip: Once you’ve watered your trailered horses, keep the leftover water. Never dump it onto the ground!) Use five-gallon cans in camp. Use the 50-gallon container as a backup supply.

Watering Tips
You’ve hauled in water and identified other sources in camp and on the trail. Now you just need to give it to your horse safely and efficiently. Here’s how. 

Make him drink. Some horses are finicky when it comes to their water — they don’t like water that tastes different from their home water. City horses sometimes think clear, mountain stream water tastes funny, because it’s so pure. To tempt your horse to drink unfamiliar water, add an eight-ounce can of apple juice per one gallon of water. (Tip: Do this at home a few times before you leave to accustom your horse to the apple flavor.) Another technique: Blend some of the water you brought from home with the local water source to disguise the taste difference.

If your horse's feed contains water, he'll drink less water afterward.

If your horse refuses to drink despite your efforts, don’t despair. Of all the years I’ve gone horse camping, I’ve never seen a horse die of thirst. A horse will drink. The secret is to get him to want to drink. Offer water in the morning, on a ride, and before and after each feeding.

Pack your own pail. Even if there’s water available at a trailhead or in camp, give your horse water in his own bucket, pail, or tub. Disease and parasites can lurk in common drinking areas. Also, your horse might prefer to drink from a familiar container — and you’ll be able to monitor how much water he drinks each time.

Pack canvas. To give your horse water on the trail, use a canvas water pail, which you can easily tie to your saddle or a pack. (Make sure the pail opens wide enough for your horse to easily put his nose into it.) This pail will come in especially handy on federal lands, where you’re not allowed to take your horse to lakes, streams, ponds, or rivers. 

Pack a rope. Tie a 30-foot rope to your saddle or pack. Then, if you come upon a stream that you can’t hike right down to, simply open the canvas water pail, tie the rope to the handle, and toss the pail into the stream. To fill, let the water carry the pail downstream, or let the pail sink. When full, pull it back up with the rope.

Water-Use Tips
Here are some conservation tips you can use while horse camping to stretch that precious water supply.

Water the feed. If your horse’s feed contains water, he’ll drink less water afterward. To soak baled feeds — such as oat, alfalfa, or grass hay — fill the haynet with feed, then plunge it into a tub of water. Let it sit for a few minutes, then pick it up and allow it to drain into the tub to save excess water. Hang the net, and allow your horse to eat. If you have pelleted or cubed feed, simply place the feed into a feed tub, and dump about a gallon of water over it. Let it sit for a few minutes, then allow your horse to eat.

Catch excess water. After giving your horse soaked forage, fill an empty feed tub about halfway with water, and set it under the haynet to catch excess water. Then place the tub in a corner of the corral — or just outside of the corral fence, where your horse has access to it, but can’t turn it over or play in it.

Tap other sources. Let your horse drink from water sources along the trail or near the camp to conserve the water you’ve hauled in. 

Recycle camp water. Save your end-of-day shower or basin-bath water in a pail. The next day, after your ride, use the leftover water to rinse your horse’s back to cool him. You can use leftover dishwater and laundry water the same way. (Tip: When rinsing your horse’s back, stand him in the shade so the water won’t quickly evaporate in the hot sun; his back will stay cooler longer, and he’ll be a happier horse!)

Bonnie Davis of Fremont, California, is an internationally published equine journalist and The Trail Rider’s consulting editor. She gives presentations, lectures, and workshops on horse camping, multiuse trail development, and gentle-use trail management.