Apple Cider Vinegar In Horse Water Trough (Is It Safe?)

We all know the familiar scene of scraping algae out of our horse’s water trough.

In some parts of the year, even with routine cleaning and vigilant removal of leaves and bugs, I just can’t seem to get rid of the green.

I know how important it is to give my horse clean water, free of algae buildup.

My horse is a whole lot happier when she’s drinking fresh, clear water.

Sometimes she refuses to drink if even a couple of leaves are sitting on top.

I can’t continue to spend hours cleaning her trough.

I asked some friends if they had any ideas on how to solve this problem.

They said to me, “haven’t you tried adding ACV to her water?”

I clean with vinegar at home and I sometimes use Apple Cider Vinegar for health and beauty in my own routine, so it seemed like a good idea.

But I wasn’t sure, is it safe to put Apple Cider Vinegar in my horse’s water trough?

Yes, it is safe to put Apple Cider Vinegar in a horse’s water trough, though your horse will not reap the health benefits by this delivery. Apple Cider Vinegar is great in the water trough to prohibit algae growth, but if you want to give it to your horse as a supplement, it needs to be poured onto their feed.

If you want to keep algae away, wiping the trough with ACV at cleaning time is a great way to do it.

Including a tablespoon or cap-full in the trough will also decrease the rate at which algae grows- but this delivery is too diluted to deliver any real health benefits to your horse.

If it is your first time using Cider Vinegar in your horse’s trough, be sure to start with a very small amount.

A stark change in the flavor of their water could cause your horse to refuse to drink.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple Cider Vinegar, sometimes just called Cider Vinegar, is a vinegar made from the fermented juice of apples.

There are two kinds of Apple Cider Vinegar; one is unfiltered and contains, “the mother.”

This is the original beneficial bacteria that fermented the apple juice in the first place.

Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar has been used as a health tonic for thousands of years and is known to treat many ailments, as well as have tons of internal benefits.

The other type is clear and has been refined or pasteurized.

Without, ‘the mother,” there are no health benefits in this vinegar, but it still has a culinary purpose and is great for cleaning.

Do Horses Like the Taste of Apple Cider Vinegar?

Every horse is different, but in general, most horses accept the taste of apple cider vinegar.

A lot of the time Apple Cider Vinegar needs to be introduced to them slowly.

Since the flavor is quite sharp and sour, a horse might be easily overwhelmed by a large quantity of ACV  before it is familiar with the taste.

Try sprinkling it on a portion of hay to start, and gradually move up to a half-cup on feed.

The recommended amount is no more than one cup per day.

Many riders use Apple Cider Vinegar to mask the flavor of water if a horse is away from home.

If a horse is used to the flavor of ACV, they will accept pretty much any water that has a cap-full in it.

This is a good tactic because horses can be picky, and the last thing anyone needs while traveling is a dehydrated horse!

What are the Benefits of Giving my Horse Apple Cider Vinegar?

There are many benefits to giving your horse a supplement of Apple Cider Vinegar.

It can help keep their joints and hearts healthy, treat thrush as well as intestinal stones and enteroliths, lower blood pressure, detoxify and cleanse the digestive tract as well as the colon, give them a shiny coat, and even keep flies and pests from biting their skin!

For internal delivery, use the instructions above, gradually increasing their intake to one full cup per day.

Ideally this is given as two, half-cup doses.

This will improve their digestion by acidifying their gut.

Never give your horse more than one cup per day, as this will over-acidify their digestive tract and cause upset.

To give your horse a shiny coat, rinse them with Apple Cider Vinegar after you finish their bath.

Focus especially on the mane to reduce buildup and dander.

They’ll be shimmering for days!

The strong smell will also repel insects, keeping them free of pesky critters whose bites could lead to irritation or worse, infection.

If the smell is too strong for you or your horse, try adding a few drops of a horse-safe essential oil like lavender or eucalyptus.

Thrush is a painful infection that affects many horses.

It happens from bacteria left untreated in the hoof.

To treat thrush on your horse, have them soak in a diluted bath of Apple Cider Vinegar.

If they refuse the soak, spray ACV undiluted directly onto their picked-out hoof. You may do this twice a day.

Can I Use Apple Cider Vinegar in the Barn?

Absolutely!

Not only is Apple Cider Vinegar a great disinfectant for surfaces; it’s also super effective in your horse’s laundry.

Using ACV in the rinses of your horse blankets, saddle pads, and other equipment will strip the soap buildup that can irritate your horse’s skin.

It’s also great for removing stubborn odors.

ACV can also be used to kill harmful weeds in your horse’s pasture.

Use a fifty/fifty mixture and spray onto bothersome weeds.

They’ll disappear in no time.

Who knew that one natural substance could perform so many miracles?

I am absolutely going to invest in a bottle today.

Just be sure to get organic, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar. “The Mother” is where all its magic lies!