Pond water.... bad for horses to drink?

[Holly]

Is pond water bad for horses to drink? We just moved our horses into a bigger back pasture, but it has a pond. And my mom has caught them drinking from it. I don't think it would hurt them. The pond is pretty clean I would guess, nothing runs off into it. All that lives in it are turtles mostly. Horses in the wild drink from ponds and streams.... There was a horse out here when we moved in that lived here for 20 odd years, and ONLY drank from that pond, and she died at about 35 years old. Has anyone had any problems from drinking from a pond or stream? Or does anyones horses drink from a pond or stream?

[Tina]

I don't think it will hurt them. When I first got Babe my friend put her in a pasture with a pond and I think she drank from it some. Of course I'm sure there is other people who have different opinions on this topic.

[Scarlette]

I think that as long as the pond doesn't have alot of "scum" floating at the top it should be ok. If you're offering them fresh water out of the trough and they still go to the pond, then no worries! If they are forced to drink out of it, then that might be another issue.

Keep them nice fresh perfectly clean water available...but if they still drink from the pond down worry. Who knows they may think that pond water tastes better? We have a small pond...that the horses like to go swimming in...the LOVE it!

[Holly]

yea ive seen my two walking in it, up to there bellys. i live in florida, its a good way for them to cool off.