Transporting Water Ideas Needed

[QHEventer]

My large pasture is pretty far from my barn, and in order to run water we’d have to put in a new well which isn’t going to happen.

I’m looking for a portable water tank type of thing that can be used to fill a water trough that can either be towed by a lawn tractor, or that can sit in the back of a dump trailer pulled by the lawn tractor.

The horses do have the option of coming up to the barn where their main trough is located for a drink, but it’s pretty far and oftentimes they’re too lazy and I worry they aren’t drinking enough, so I’d like to be able to fill a second trough closer to where they graze.

Thanks!

[trubandloki]

A simple solution is to put a trash can liner into a bucket, fill the bucket with water and then twist up the trash liner closed (add twist tie or whatever) so the water does not splash out.

[QHEventer]

True, but I was hoping to have the ability to fill a larger trough. Although, in a pinch buckets would definitely work

[lenapesadie]

55 gallon drums and a scrap piece of water hose

[trubandloki]

@QHEventer

True, but I was hoping to have the ability to fill a larger trough. Although, in a pinch buckets would definitely work

My thought was put a bunch of filled buckets into the cart and dump them into the trough.

If your cart is higher than the ending trough location, pretty much any water holding thing that your cart can handle can be used to fill your trough via gravity using a bit of hose.

[Where_sMyWhite]

Remember that water is heavy and sloshes around. A gallon of water weighs almost 8 1/2 pounds. You put a bunch of open bucket in a trailer and haul them to your pasture you might end up with more water on the ground than in the buckets

You might want to look at these types of water hauling tanks (I have no experience with this company, just thought it shows some possibilities).

https://www.tank-depot.com/product.aspx?id=3242

[trubandloki]

@Where_sMyWhite

Remember that water is heavy and sloshes around. A gallon of water weighs almost 8 1/2 pounds. You put a bunch of open bucket in a trailer and haul them to your pasture you might end up with more water on the ground than in the buckets

That was why I suggested the bag liner trick.

[Simkie]

I agree that you’re really going to want a dedicated way to do this rather than buckets. Hauling water can really suck unless you keep it simple…which means a water tank.

But hauling, say…400+ pounds of water (which is only 50 gallons) with your garden tractor is reaaaally probably going to kill it. They’re not built to pull heavy loads, and doing that is a pretty good way to toast the transmission in it.

The horses really WILL come up to drink when they’re thirsty.

Signed, someone who hauled water to a pasture and VERY quickly figured out a way to not have to do that

[wsmoak]

High Country Plastics has several options such as the half-moon tank that is meant to lay flat on a truck bed. Or the bench-style one with storage in the middle holds 25 gallons.

https://www.valleyvet.com/c/horse-supplies/trailering/trailer-watering.html

[QHEventer]

@wsmoak

High Country Plastics has several options such as the half-moon tank that is meant to lay flat on a truck bed. Or the bench-style one with storage in the middle holds 25 gallons.

https://www.valleyvet.com/c/horse-supplies/trailering/trailer-watering.html

Brilliant! The 48 gallon tank is under $100, I can put it in the back of my truck and run a hose to the trough. Problem solved - thanks guys!!!

@Simkie Yeah, they would likely walk themselves up when thirsty, but I also would like to split that pasture down the road, and when I do, they wont always have access to the barn so it would be nice to have a permanent solution

[clanter]

@QHEventer

The 48 gallon tank is under $100,

I paid $15 for a food grade 55 gallon drum which we used to haul water when went on trail ride competitions that had limited or no water available… picked it up locally so no shipping either. Just note that a gallon of water weights 8.34 pounds

[OTTBs]

You just made me realize how I could haul water if I ever go camping with the horses! I have 2 55 gallon drums with removable lids that I used to water my new trees last year. They’re wide enough to dip a bucket in, so I did that to lighten the load then tipped the drum over–I think this could work for a trough too.

[Nova2000]

Is it possible to run a length of hoses all the way down with a pump to help with the water pressure?

[walkinthewalk]

Exactly how far is too far? When I still had four horses, my alpha used to take the others all over this 25 acres to graze, including up on the ridge which is ~190 feet short of a 1/4 mile from the barn:)

Everyone drank before they headed out in the morning, and my alpha walked everybody back to the barn around 1:00 PM. From that point they stayed within several hundred feet of the two water tubs at the barn, until it was time to come in for the night. He did that until his last breath at age 27:)

If your horses are further that and some are too senior to make the walk, I might consider keeping the weaker ones closer to the barn and the water, if possible:)

[QHEventer]

@Nova2000

Is it possible to run a length of hoses all the way down with a pump to help with the water pressure?

The nearest hydrant is over 500’ away

@walkinthewalk Just measured via google maps, and it seems my herd also has to travel just under 1/4 mile to get to their trough. All are in good fitness and health. Thanks for sharing your experience, that makes me feel a lot better

[candyappy]

There are plenty of large plastic barrels with lids that strap on that you can find used for hardly any $$.

I use mine to store feed but hauling water would be easy and you could use a bucket to get it from barrel to tough without much effort.

[avjudge]

@QHEventer

The nearest hydrant is over 500’ away

That’s probably just under 2x the distance my summer hose runs. I use black poly piping with garden hose sections on both ends. I don’t see why I couldn’t double my run.

But of course I don’t know what other obstacles you might have in your way. Ours crosses the road, originally (decades ago) through an existing culvert, which apparently is illegal, but when a road crew came through and replaced the culvert (also decades ago) they very kindly placed a 3" pipe above the culvert for us to run the electric feed to the fence as well as the hose through.

[baybrio]

@avjudge

I use black poly piping with garden hose sections on both ends. I don’t see why I couldn’t double my run.

I’ve used PVC pipe to run water to my trees for years. The fittings are (at least they used to be pre pandemic price increases) inexpensive. I don’t know what black poly piping is but I’m sure it’s similar. Of course this only works above freezing. Maybe the black piping would work when it’s colder due to dark color. Mine was run on relatively flat ground. I’m not sure how it would work with an uphill grade.

[QHEventer]

I think the topography of my property would make this difficult. The pasture is beyond thick woods and down a steep grade from the closest hydrant. I think a barrel or plastic tank is going to be my best bet. Thanks again for all of the great ideas

[SMF11]

You know your topography best, but I run several hoses to my far pasture, which is about 1,000 feet from the faucet. The tank has a float, so the water refills as they drink. This only works with above freezing temps, as the hose is above ground.