Winter Water Solutions
Winter comes with many challenges as a rider or horse owner. I know I've spent more than a few hours wondering when it really is too cold to ride, battling snowy turnout time, and of course trying to tame wild winter ponies. However, the struggle of smashing ice out of buckets (and freezing my hands in the process) is one winter problem that I cannot stand. After many years of fighting with rubber mallets and accidentally breaking one too many buckets, I found some tricks and tools that save me from the headache and frozen fingers that water brings in the winter.
1. Defense
The first thing that I cannot get through winter without is the SmartPak Insulated Water Bucket Cover. I have these in both the 5 Gallon size for stalls, and the 70 Quart size for paddocks. These do a fantastic job of keeping ice away from buckets, both indoors and out. I find that even on the coldest nights where the top layer of water in the bucket still ices over, it does not freeze all of the water solid. On those nights where ice does form with the insulator on these buckets, it’s a small layer on the top that easily cracks loose with a bump on the wall or light kick. I’ve used these covers for years and they hold up very well to the elements season after season. (The only thing that has ever taken one out of commission for me was a playful young horse who thought the cover on his paddock water bucket would be better as a toy.)
2. Offense
Now, even with the cover there are still days that ice does form on the buckets. Particularly up here in New England where it can easily get to the low teens and single digits at night, the outside water buckets will get that layer of ice on top. This breaks up easy, but then you have the challenge of getting the ice chunks out. If you have waterproof gloves you might be able to reach right in and scoop them out, but that isn’t always possible. The best fix that I have found for this is a lacrosse stick! It’s light weight, has a long handle so your hands stay dry, and the net is the perfect shape to scoop out the ice chunks and toss them to the side without lifting tons of water or the net getting oversaturated and heavy. You certainly don’t need any fancy kind of lacrosse stick either, in fact the one I use was just a local find from someone who no longer needed theirs! Now it lives in the barn and saves our hands from chilly water on those cold winter days.
3. Forage
Ice isn’t the only challenge that comes with water in the winter. In particular for the horses at my barn, we need to soak hay for two of them. This can be challenging with the cold weather as the hay can freeze up easily with cold water, and if you don’t have access to hot water at the barn there’s no avoiding that problem. Or, if the hose is frozen there’s no good way to soak it! I started bringing hot water from home for the horses in large screw top jugs, similar to what you can buy cat litter in, however you can get these specifically for water purposes. If you stick the jug down into the footwell of your car and keep your heat on, it stays nice and warm for the ride over. Then you can soak the hay with warm water as needed without it freezing up during the soaking time. Frozen hose or not, I can make sure that their hay nets are ready to go!
4. Hydration
Finally, the last challenge with water in the winter that I find comes up often is getting horses to drink it. I understand why horses drink less in the winter, the water in their buckets is often chilly or even icy, and they might not be working as much. However, proper water consumption is just as important in winter as it is in the summer. That’s why I incorporate electrolytes into my horse’s diet through the winter. My favorite is SmartLytes® Pellets, as I have a very picky little filly who will not eat any powder. This electrolyte pellet comes in a tasty apple-banana flavor and provides a great panel of minerals to encourage the horse to drink more water. Giving an electrolyte gives me the peace of mind knowing that the horses are receiving the right balance of minerals they need to encourage proper hydration through the coldest months of the year.
While owning horses in the winter can definitely feel like a battle at times, there are plenty of ways to navigate those challenges. Hopefully with some bucket insulators, electrolytes, hot water jugs, and a trusty lacrosse stick you’ll be ready to fight those winter water blues and ensure your horse’s hydration is in top form throughout the coldest months of the year!