Aerated vs Stagnant Water

Water quality is just as important as quantity when it comes to keeping horses healthy.

While most horse owners focus on keeping buckets and troughs clean, fewer consider how water movement – or lack of it – affects freshness, palatability, and safety.

What is aerated water?

Aerated water has been exposed to movement – like bubbling, splashing, or circulation. This boosts oxygen levels, making it taste fresher and less prone to bad smells. It also helps prevent algae, bacteria, and parasites that thrive in still, low-oxygen water.

What is stagnant water?

Stagnant water sits still for too long without being refreshed. It loses oxygen, which encourages algae, bacteria, mosquito larvae – and bad smells that can put horses off drinking.

Risks of stagnant water:

Lower intake – Horses may avoid stale or smelly water.
Health risks – Harmful microbes and blue-green algae (which can be toxic) thrive in still water.
Biofilm build-up – Slime layers can form, making water unhygienic.

Benefits of aerated water

Tastes better – Horses are more likely to drink enough.
Fewer pathogens – Oxygen discourages harmful bacteria and algae.
Cleaner overall – Aerated water mimics flowing streams, which naturally stay fresher.

Best practice tips

– Keep water moving if you can, use bubblers, pumps, or running water.
– Empty and refill buckets regularly (more often in heat).
– Avoid warm, shaded areas where water goes stale faster.
– Scrub troughs regularly (oxygen helps, but hygiene matters most.)

Aeration keeps water fresher, better oxygenated, and less likely to support harmful microbes or algae.

Horses offered clean, moving water are more likely to drink enough, supporting hydration, health, and performance.