❄️ Why hydration drops in autumn and winter
As temperatures fall, horses:
- Drink 20–30% less water
- Move around less, decreasing their natural gut motility
- Lose interest in cold or icy water sources
All of these factors create the perfect storm for impaction colic, especially when feeding dry hay or fiber pellets.
🔥 Metabolism slows, too
With shorter daylight hours and less turnout, your horse’s metabolism goes on the downshift. That can lead to:
- Weight gain in easy keepers
- Muscle loss in performance horses
- An increased risk of insulin resistance in metabolically challenged horses
🧂 The feed fix: Cool Command + Summit
Use your nutrition plan to fight back:
- Cool Command provides clean energy from fat, not sugar — making it perfect for horses prone to metabolic issues or tying up
- Summit Active and Summit Senior are highly digestible and include beet pulp and soy hulls, which are ideal for hydration mash options
- Add electrolyte support or salt on a daily basis to stimulate thirst
- Soak feeds or add warm water to increase your horse’s water intake naturally
✅ Your 3-step checklist
- 🧊 Test the water temperature — horses prefer it to be around 45–65°F
- 🧂 Offer free-choice salt in the form of loose salt or mineral blocks
- 🥣 Make a warm mash with Cool Command or Summit once daily
