Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
laboratories. Hard water, usually from deep wells and some deep rock springs, has a large
concentration of calcium and magnesium relative to sodium, whereas soft water, such as
distilled water, rainwater, or surface water springs, streams, and rivers, has a large concen-
tration of sodium relative to calcium and magnesium. As you look at a chemical evaluation
of your water, keep in mind that what might constitute good drinking water for you and
your horse may not be the best water for washing. (See under Hard Water.)
Although it is acceptable to give horses drinking water that contains moderate amounts
of calcium and magnesium carbonates, water with excessive levels of these compounds can
have an astringent, laxative, or dehydrating effect. Some animal owners and some veter-
inarians have suggested that hard water can cause urinary calculi (“stones” in the horse's
urinary tract), but currently there is no data to support the theory.
Effects of excess salt in water
