I am purchasing a new farm in Oxford NC and am planning to install automatic waterers in my paddocks. I’m trying to plan the most functional and efficient facility I can afford so I can operate it and do chores really simply. I was thinking about the Bar Bar A auto waterer, but came across the Drinking Post. It’s slightly less expensive, but I will eventually have 3 so the savings could be a factor. I do have one mare that likes to paw and splash in the 100 gallon trough I currently use. I have to dump it regularly. Not sure how she will take to a small bowl in an auto waterer, if she will try to paw it. I’m also considering installing a frost free hydrant and short hose with a float valve automatic trough filler using the troughs I have now, (100 gallon or 40 gallon). Where I live, hot weather is more of an issue than freezing, but I do have to deal with frozen water in winter. I’m planning for 3 boarders the first year, and own 2, so 5 horses to start all on pasture 24/7. But my long term plan could be as many as 15 horses, just trying to get bang for my buck since I’m starting fresh. Any advice is appreciated!
I am 1000% thrilled with my Bar-Bar-A Horse Drinker. The install was easy for my plumber, even tho he’d never even heard of it or done one. It’s maintenance free, the water is super cool/same temp allll year round. Once a week, I push the paddle myself to ensure it’s working right and remove any wee bit of debris. I’ll never be without one again.
We have Varnan Waterers which we love. They can be heated, or we have the super insulated version which goes deeper in the ground and is bigger and has thicker insulation to avoid freezing. We are in KY and they rarely freeze, and have never frozen solid. They are very well made and all the components are easy to access if you need to fix or replace anything, and basically everything can be found at local plumbing stores if necessary, which is also a nice bonus.
I was considering the Bar Bar A for the next fields we do to eliminate any chance of freezing. We are concerned if the metal plate gets too hot in the sun, making the horses reluctant to touch it, or they could stick to it in the winter? Any problems with that? Ramm Fencing makes a similar one with a plastic paddle but they probably break that too easily. At least my hoodlums would!
Buschkn… I’m in Georgia and my BBA gets plenty of sun. Have never seen the mares not drink, even on the hottest of days.
I was wondering the same thing about the black plastic and/or the metal ring on the Bar Bar A and that was another reason I was looking at the white plastic “drinking post” which is the same one as Ramm.
