First I know some are not drinking safe. Does anyone use those expanding hoses for horse shows? I have seen some around the showgrounds but never talked to their “owner”… Tired of wrestling with a good quality but heavy hose.
I use mine every day in the barn. It’s SO much easier than the big heavy traditional hose. I get maybe a year out of them before they blow up, but they’re not expensive and the ease of use is worth replacement.
Regular garden hoses are often not rated for drinking water, either. If that’s important to you, check out the RV supply websites.
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They are great for washing horses, or any other use with a nozzle that keeps them “under pressure” so they fully expand. But they absolutely SUCK for filling buckets or troughs… Without pressure, your 50 foot hose shrinks down to less than 20’ and won’t reach a darn thing…
Mine has lasted for 4 years now, but I don’t leave it out in the sun and it gets stored away before below freezing temps hit.
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I fill tubs every day with an expandy hose. Put a sprayer on the end. It restricts flow some to keep the hose full and weighs down the end to keep it where it’s supposed to be.
The last few I’ve bought have a ball valve on the end, so you can crank down flow a little without adding anything.
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This is the same problem I had with it.
I now only use it for tasks that it works the sort distance for.
Been using them for years. The only problem I had was when my shod pony stepped on them during baths putting holes in them. Getting stomped on by barefoot beasts did not do damage. They are great for me as I have arthritis in my hands and can’t handle dealing with a heavy hose.
ANyone have brand recommendations?
I love them for hooking up my propane hot water heater in cold weather because the flow is low they stay fully inflated and shrink up short enough to hang over the tack hook to drain. They are LOW FLOW so I hate them for filling buckets. I have a big 3/4" hose for that.
Also if they are opened all they way they do not reach the advertised lengths so figure on ordering double the length that you need.
I Love them! Also, order the type that stay round, not the flat tape types. They don’t kink. Here’s the round type https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HC1K9GW/
Love them mainly for how easy they are to store when not in active use. I put a milk crate next to the hydrant (zip tied to the hydrant so it doesn’t get kicked over, and the crate lets rain drain right through) and just pile the hose in the crate when I’m done with it. Sure beats putting up a heavy rubber hose loop-by-loop on a post (that horses will want to use for a butt scratcher). But they’re best suited for tasks that are close enough to the spigot that you don’t have to rely on the full extension of its length, b/c the minute you start spraying, the hose loses pressure and tries to retract. So when you’re far from the hydrant, you end up having to pull on the hose with one hand while operating the sprayer with the other.
Investing in a good hose reel would be an alternative, but they’re too expensive to leave anywhere the horses could get to them (all my hydrants are in turnout areas).
Whatever looks good on amazon. They tend to come and go, brand-wise.
I last bought over a year ago and the specific hose isn’t even available to link to. This is near identical:
https://www.amazon.com/Aterod-Expand…/dp/B07PJ49J9J
But there are a gazillion options. I prefer the spiral shrink type (like above) vs the crumple shrink type.
There are a few like this one that even offer a 12 month warranty, which is nice. I had one that died at 11 months or so…the amazon listing advertised a warranty, so I contacted the seller and they did send me a new hose (which lasted another year!) That was a pleasant surprise! :lol:
I hang my hose on a hook by the spigot, and zip tie a loop around the sprayer, so that can hang on the hook, too. The less you yank and pull on the hose, the better…and these aren’t hoses you want to leave pressurized for hours at a time, or without supervision. But they are sooooooo much easier to work with for everyday chores!!
I have to say, when I first looked at the title of this thread, I read ‘Those expanding horses’. Had to click on it to see ‘hoses’ and not ‘horses’. 
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I got a 100’ one for my garden, and with a nozzle I never have an issue. I do drap it over the fence when I’m done because last year bunnies ate holes in it trying to get to water.
I bought this one a few months ago and so far I’m really loving it. SO much easier to deal with and seems pretty durable.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0…?ie=UTF8&psc=1
After reading about it on CoTH, I purchased a Zero-G hose last year; loved it enough to buy another one shortly thereafter. Not the usual expanding hose, but very lightweight, and collapses somewhat. So light and easy to move and coil!
If it wasn’t for the fact that we already own quite a few other hoses still in excellent condition – my husband frequently used hoses in his business, so bought us the high-end, super heavy-duty type that can handle a semi driving over them to which he was accustomed; unfortunately, I can hardly handle them, but they just won’t die – I’d get several more.
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Hahaha, I opened this thread to say the same thing!
thanks! I’m not tied to the expanding ones, and have also heard good things about Zero-G…
I use one at shows, came with a nozzle and a hanger which comes in handy.
LetItBe
Yes, I have several zero Gs. Love them. Keep a few in the LQ for camping/filling my tank, rinsing horses,etc
The Zero G’s I have turned into soaker hoses after about a year of use. However if you are using them solely for shows and not everyday I think the light weight and convenience would make them worthwhile. If they do decide to start leaking like a sieve you can always use them as soaker hoses :lol::lol::lol:. Susan who hates to throw things away.
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I have a zero g and love it. And having it did not increase my horses…
