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Rainwater and minerals
Any concerns about using rainwater as the primary drinking source with respect to minerals? It’s stored in a cement cistern. (After freeze up we carry water from the house which is from a well and would have minerals).
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1 Reply
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What a fascinating question provoking me to read some to understand what rain water really is. And as usual I found conflicting answers depending on what part of the world it came from. And all involved humans.
From what I can tell, drinking collected rain water has no ill effects in humans and assume in horses. Rain water is more alkaline which in general is beneficial for the gut microbes and metabolism. It is the reason that alkaline water such as Fiji water and Essentia are so popular. It helps to adjust there pH of blood giving associated benefits.
Rain water has also fewer minerals than water that is pumped from the ground. In addition it may also contain dust and pollutants contained in the air that the small water droplets condense upon gaining weight and then falling from the sky. Without combining with dust particles there would only be fog.
Minerals are stored in the body and replaced as needed. Therefore if during the winter they take up minerals from the well water they may lose some during the hot months through sweat. However, providing a mined salt source should allow for keeping the mineral balance correct.
As you may guess, the best thing to do is observe your horses for any signs of mineral deficiency. If worked hard, any deficiency should show. However I suspect that other sources of minerals (forage, hay, ground water, salt lick) will supply their needs.
Let us know what you find through your research and experience.
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