Automatic waters

[KD_eq]

Hello Everyone! I’m looking for some advice.

Im moving my three horses from my home property to a boarding facility in January. However, they only have automatic waters. All three of my horses have never seen them, so I’m wondering what is the best way to introduce them? Is there anything I can be doing now? They will be on outdoor board so it will be a little tougher to see if they’re drinking.

I appreciate any advice or tips. Thanks in advance!

[PaddockWood]

My first thought would be you could use clicker training. Getting them to touch the waterers would be a great first start. Then you could use carrot slices etc to make it even more appealing. My horses
had no problem with my waterers and even my new mustang had no problem. Hopefully they are the kind that just refill the bowl versus pushing a lever?

[greywithchrome]

Its a total pain for the first few days but they will figure it out. My horses are outside and I had to go twice a day to lead them over to the post and make them drink. They were always pretty thirsty by the time I got there so it worked out. I started by filling the bowl/holding the lever down myself while they drank, sometimes I’d let the water drain to the bottom and see if they would push it themselves. One of them would lower her head as she drank and then her muzzle would just “take over” pushing the lever and I’d back away. I told everyone at the barn to let me know if they ever saw them drinking on their own. The one mare took two days and then she had it down pat, the other one took a week. It also really helps if they are put with horses that already know how to use the waterer, they will teach eachother sometimes.

[candyappy]

I would be concerned too if it is the kind that they have to push a paddle down to get water or similar types of waterers.

If that is the case, hopefully with you showing them they will get it. We had the big Ritchie heated waterers, so it was normal drinking and I never had to worry.