Plus I thought about how I could use it even when I have power if it works and it would save me money for its lifetime. It’s going to cost me about 1500 with shipping I think. Waiting on a quote.
I actually have an order for fencing coming from these guys. I’ll check if they have an option that doesnt hook up to water since I have no well or power yet ! Would be nice for future tho.
Can you board the horses for the Winter or until you have a power source? I don’t see how you can have adequate water in the Winter under your current circumstances.
Hauling water is a pita, but can certainly be done. Paired with a propane tank heater, and it sounds like a pretty viable option.
Sorry, @Dreamraiderr I totally forgot that no power = no well pump. Duh 
1 Like
I have no doubt it can be done, but you put a lot of trust in things working as they should and with no one living on site I would be uneasy if they were mine.
1 Like
OP, I feel like you’re setting yourself up for a very stressful winter. Security of your water supply is absolutely essential, and what you are describing is about as insecure as you can get. There are all sorts of conditions that are out of your control that could prevent you from driving water in for multiple days in a row–blizzard, ice storm, illness/injury.
In that extreme cold, your horses are going to have a pretty narrow window of time to drink before it freezes over.
If for whatever reason you can’t board them out, two options to consider (maybe combine them.)
- Build an insulated enclosure around the trough, with a “solar collector” on the long side that faces south. Here’s a good how-to article.
https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/tools/solar-stock-tank-zmaz10onzraw - Use geothermal heat underneath the trough. Once you get below the frost line, the ground termp is about 50dF year-round (because it’s heated by the earth’s core). The goal of this system is to create a chimney to let that natural heat come to the surface. For this one, you dig a very deep hole–need to be below the frost line depth that’s typical in your region (your local building code official would be able to tell you what that is). That far north I bet you’ll have to go 8ft deep, maybe more, so it would require hiring an excavator. Once you have your hole, place a corrugated pipe vertically in the hole, and backfill the hole to lock it in place. Pack the backfilled dirt very well-- loose soil is colder than compacted soil. Cut the “chimney” off so its top is flush with the ground and place your water tank right on top of that open pipe. Insulate the tank and make sure there’s a good seal / no air escaping between the tube and tank.
5 Likes
Is best to also insulate the tube coming from below the frost line, or some of the heat will be lost thru the walls.
I would agree is best to board horses where they have a proper watering system for the region, not depend on getting to them regularly to feed and water in dire cold weather extremes, bad roads, etc.
Too risky a situation.
2 Likes
I posted the other thread asking for ideas, and these aren’t an option for me as it’s not my property so I’m not paying to install, but I’ve been at multiple places that use the Bar Bar A waterers, and they work super well with no power–although not exactly sure if they would work in your situation because I don’t know what your water source would be. Here’s the link: https://www.horsedrinker.com/how-to/how-to-install-waterers/
There is a battery powered heated trough that I found, but you would need to buy several batteries and keep extras charged somehow.
The weather wont keep from the barn as I live 5 minutes away and its next door to my work. I have decided to buy a suntank or sunbob. Unfortunately I havent been able to reach them by phone or email for 2 days. I hope they are still in business. The larger tank is rated to -45 or something and so will work just fine for me. If I can manage to buy one.
1 Like
Those look nice but don’t they have to be hooked up to a constant water supply to work??
I feed for a farm that uses a small, gas-powered generator in the winters for their far field. It’s not as cold as Ontario, so they don’t use it more than 3 months of the year, but if it’s a short-term fix it might work for you. They plug a regular de-icer/water heater into it, and fill the troughs with small water tanks on a Gator. or pick-up. It’s not great but I’ve definitely dealt with worse in the winter. As long as you’re not getting so much snow that you might not be able to reach the paddocks every day, it might get you through until your power is done. Good luck!
1 Like
I looked into the propane tank heaters but opted not to go that route because I read that the pilot lights are easily blown out and it is really windy in my area. I think the drinking posts are the best option, but set up can be expensive.
I think those drinking posts require a pressurized water line to them, so would not work for portable water supply?
I’ve been using their waterer for 2+ years. I introduced it to my horse, wet his lips with water from my hand and he picked it up right away.
1 Like
Welllllll (pun intended) we’ve been running this well pump 24/7 since 2004. So i guess it can be ok. As for dumping it downhill…uh, no, we are not ‘dumping’. The runoff is into an actual ‘dry creek’ bed that actually waters the cows, a flock of sheep, occasionally the horses if they are on one of those pastures, and our two bulls, not-to-mention all the wilds that drink from fresh moving water. And the schools of fish that live in the deeper pools.
Warm water? that’s a relative term…it is running water. And even the birds will stand in it to warm their feet when the air is frigid.
3 Likes
I have a portable propane water heater, it uses an igniter to light the gas, there is not a pilot light
It get’s pretty windy in KS and we’ve not had an issue with the propane heater not staying lit.
So I have been calling this company and emailing them since I started this thread. I think they are not longer in business? Their voicemail is full and no return on the email. I was heart set on buying that too. Anyone know anything about this company and if there is another way to reach them? Or another company that sells these??
I can power the batteries at my house actually. Do you recall the name of it? I wasn’t able to find one like that.
