Anyone tried?
I can’t get the links on the website to work?
Is it worth a shot?
Where my one guy is at the moment, I am unable to do heated buckets, and thought I’d try one, but I can’t find a phone number for them.
I assume you mean the ones from Wild Angel Cozy?
They don’t seem to have a phone number, but I was able to get the email and fax number.
Email info@wildangelcozy.com
Fax 603-672-3506
I’ve heard good things about these cozies and think I’ll purchase some once I get a new horse.
Not sure what brand they are, but my friend has them and uses them daily. She has quite a few horses in various pens and paddocks, without access to electric for heaters. She started with a couple of the cozies, to try them out. She has since purchases quite a few, because they work very well for her needs. These kind are the ones I have seen, not sure if she has more than one kind in use.
She is out among the animals during the day, getting horses for training, putting various ones out. So the buckets are checked about 3 times daily and filled up with hot water as needed. She is VERY attentive to horses using the buckets in the holders, water is always liquid for them. She believes the holders do an excellent job in keeping those buckets liquid, not frozen.
Thank you!!
I have two of the Smartpak cozies and they have worked very well for me this winter. When it’s above 20 degrees, the water stays liquid and is warmer than it would be in a normal bucket. Below 20, the buckets will get up to 1/4" of ice, and I break that up with a scrub brush and use a pasta strainer to remove the ice. Sometimes at night I add hot water from the house and when I do that, the buckets stay ice free all night even if the temps are in the single digits.
Just wanted to share my experience - my horses apparently get bored, so they ripped them off the buckets. . . It seemed like they were working very well until then.
I bought one from Smatpak this fall and I’ve been really impressed with mine. It was totally worth it. I tried to get another one but on the web site it says they’re discontinued 
I was at a barn that used cozies similar to the one linked at Jeffers. They work as Frog Pond described, but my guy didn’t like drinking from them. I think because the bucket is narrower than a flat backed bucket, or because the bucket was white, unlike the one at Jeffers.
I tried a Wild Angel Cozy last year because I couldn’t use heated buckets at the barn I was at. The water still froze but it did take longer to do so than a standard bucket. It is tough for the horse to get to the water at the bottom, because the hole isn’t big enough to allow it easily (if the hole was bigger the thing wouldn’t work as well). If your horse has a big head it would be even tougher. The cover is a bit of a hassle because you have to disassemble the top of the thing to dump the buckets properly and scrub them, and it is tough to see how clean the water is without taking the top off. I used it for a mare who doesn’t bother stuff, but if your horse is the curious, mouthy type I would be surprised if they didn’t rip it off the bucket.
For as bad as last winter was I can’t say that it helped enough to be worth the hassle, but if you lived in a somewhat warmer climate it may help enough to be worthwhile. I have also used the insulated bucket holders (you can use them without a bucket, but we used them with buckets) that are linked above and if you use them with the little plastic float on the bucket they really do help a lot. That would get my vote.
My 2 cents.
They help a lot. I have the Wild Angel Cozies and one I bought from Dover…they dramatically slow down freezing, especially if you put in hot water.
I have these in my barn
http://agco.gostorego.com/thermal-bucket-insulated.html
They work well at temps above 15. They start to freeze around 15 degrees, but I have only had issues on the coldest of days in Virginia, and even then I only had to break a small amount of ice /add warm water. I also like that they keep water cooler in the summer.
OP, try a search on insulated water buckets. I know there are some threads on it as I’ve written some comments in previous yrs. I got my insulated buckets from County Manufacturing 24 yrs ago when I had my barn built and have been quite happy with them. Only occasionally have the Styrofoam floating tops been frozen and never that hard. Only problem I had was some horses will constantly toss the Styrofoam float out and then the water will skim over or get a frozen layer on top. My stalls open to sacrifice paddocks and unless there is a storm the stalls are open 24/7.
[QUOTE=Larbear;7973964]
I bought one from Smatpak this fall and I’ve been really impressed with mine. It was totally worth it. I tried to get another one but on the web site it says they’re discontinued :([/QUOTE]
I bought one of the Smartpak ones too. I really like it and it works great. I called earlier this month to order a second one, and they aren’t discontinued, but they only get a set number each year and once they’re gone, they’re gone until next year. They sell out quickly each fall so order in August/September. I talked to someone at Smartpak who assured me they would be back next fall.
I also have the Smartpak cozies and they work great! No ice even during single digit, windy nights. I do fill with warm water at bed check and the water is just fine in the morning. You do need to order them in the fall, as they sell out quickly once the weather gets cold. My somewhat destructive horses have not been able to destroy them.
When I could not get one from Smart Pak and the Wild Angel site did not work for me I made a redneck version for Miss Mare.
A roll of 16in duct insulation, a roll of gorilla duct tape and 15 minutes later it was done.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=791450880891784&set=a.220937807943097.50295.100000806372676&type=1&theater
Working ok so far although it’s only been down to zero once or twice this winter.
They work if your horse will leave them alone. My horse apparently likes his buckets nekked and frozen.
I have the wild angels cozies. My experience is the same as others, works a lot better than nothing, and is reliably frost free until overnight temps hit the high teens. If filled with hot water they’re good to about 15 or so.
[QUOTE=msj;7974503]
OP, try a search on insulated water buckets. I know there are some threads on it as I’ve written some comments in previous yrs. I got my insulated buckets from County Manufacturing 24 yrs ago when I had my barn built and have been quite happy with them. Only occasionally have the Styrofoam floating tops been frozen and never that hard. Only problem I had was some horses will constantly toss the Styrofoam float out and then the water will skim over or get a frozen layer on top. My stalls open to sacrifice paddocks and unless there is a storm the stalls are open 24/7.[/QUOTE]
I was going to suggest insulated buckets, too. They are way more durable and more effective at much lower temps than the cozies. Mine are only 6 or so years old and have already survived one move. Mine came with plastic floats, but unless it’s going to be low teens or single digits, I rarely use them.
[QUOTE=VTMorgan06;7980100]
I bought one of the Smartpak ones too. I really like it and it works great. I called earlier this month to order a second one, and they aren’t discontinued, but they only get a set number each year and once they’re gone, they’re gone until next year. They sell out quickly each fall so order in August/September. I talked to someone at Smartpak who assured me they would be back next fall.[/QUOTE]
Great, good to know! I had called Smartpak to ask them about it and the person I spoke with said they were being discontinued but didn’t know why.
I fill my horse’s bucket with cold water and on the nights when it gets down to -15C or -20C , there’s only a thin layer of ice on top that my horse can easily break through. I love that the bucket doesn’t freeze solid.
I wonder how one of these would work https://www.google.com/shopping/product/13064438061376772335?rlz=1C1LENN_enUS465US465&biw=1366&bih=635&sclient=psy-ab&q=igloo+cooler+5+gallon&oq=igloo+cooler+5+hallon&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.85076809,d.eXY&tch=1&ech=1&psi=JyjQVJKDLcyYgwSG6YHIBA.1422927919433.3&ei=QSjQVIOUHoS4ggTd6oDgCw&ved=0COoBEKYrMAc
