When drought changes the horse’s whole ration

On October 13, 2026, the U.S. Drought Monitor’s Puerto Rico snapshot placed 47.9 percent of the archipelago in Moderate through Extreme Drought (D1–D3), with no area in Exceptional Drought (D4). A further 9.1 percent was Abnormally Dry (D0). The map describes land area and drought intensity on that date—not a count of affected horses, a mortality report or a measurement of every farm’s water supply. Keeping those definitions attached prevents a weather statistic from becoming an invented breed statistic.

Drought can change several parts of a horse’s ration at once: pasture growth and plant composition, hay availability, the amount of dry forage fed, water demand and the temptation to switch feeds quickly. The Merck Veterinary Manual explains that a mature 500-kilogram horse may drink roughly 21–29 liters per day on mixed feed or pasture, while a dry-hay diet can nearly double that need; work, lactation and hot weather can raise it further. These are physiological reference points, not a single prescription for every Puerto Rican Paso Fino. Clean water should remain freely available unless a veterinarian directs otherwise.

When hay, pasture or concentrate changes, protect the hindgut from an abrupt transition. Merck recommends making dietary changes gradually over approximately 10–14 days because the microbial population that ferments fiber needs time to adjust. Record the old and new forage, lot or cutting when known, start date, daily amount, water access, appetite and manure. Appetite loss, reduced manure, signs of colic or a sudden change in drinking warrant prompt veterinary attention rather than another improvised feed change.

Pasture can look green before it is ready to carry normal grazing pressure. University of Minnesota Extension recommends using a dry lot and supplemental hay to prevent overgrazing during drought, and waiting until regrowth reaches about six to eight inches before returning horses to recovering pasture. That height is general extension guidance, not a Puerto Rico-specific stocking rule. Soil, forage species, slope, rainfall and farm density still require local judgment.

For a conservation population, continuity of care is part of continuity of the breed. A useful drought record keeps weather conditions separate from horse outcomes and notes which animals are growing, pregnant, lactating, working, elderly or managing a medical condition. It also records substitute feeds and the dates they were introduced. Those observations help a veterinarian and owner make decisions for individuals; when shared in aggregate and with permission, they can later help the community understand recurring pressures without exposing private farm or horse records.