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Discussion on Auto Waterers and the New Barn - Get them to drink
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Member:
Muffi
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Posted on Sunday, Oct 15, 2006 - 11:19 pm:
My two horses just moved from free pasture to a Barn with Automatic heated waterers. I have been trying to get them to use the Auto Waterers but they still prefer the Big Tanks out side. They have both (indoor and outdoor plumbing!) because I am afraid if they do not use the Auto waterers they could colic from lack of water.
This is what I have tried right after they eat their Grass Hay Pellets - I bring Sugar and my Cookie Monster licks it clean but doesn't go in for water.
So then I tried Carrots and Apples in hand bringing muzzles closer and closer till they are eating the treat 1 inch below the water in the new waterers. But then when they are done they go out to the tanks and Drink Up?
Should I just cut out the outside tanks - Cold Turkey?
What have you guys done successfully? I want to make sure they are properly hydrated it's getting cold here in New Mexico. I have read the old posts from a few years ago about Water Buckets. and I know if they are thirsty they will drink if they know where to find it. I just want to make sure I am doing enough to make they know where to find it? and HOW TO USE IT.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 7:52 am:
Hello Muffi,
Just to be sure double check the wiring and even put a volt meter on those waters to be sure they are not carrying stray voltage: a common cause of livestock not using automatic or heated waters.
You hear about such things: they have not drank enough to keep from dehydrating themselves even though they have plenty of fresh water conveniently available. I am a bit skeptical, when you think about it these guys have managed to live for millions of years without special instructions on how to drink water. I suggest you just quit worrying about it and let them learn. It almost sounds like you are currently rewarding them for not using the waters. If does not make sense to me to prevent medical problems from too little water consumption by removing the source of water they like to use the best.
DrO
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Member:
Canter
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 8:17 am:
Muffi, I've struggled with a similar issue with my mare for two years now. She prefers the outside water tanks and when left in, drinks little to no water from the bucket in her stall. I tried everything: added apple juice, floated apples, DrOpped in peppermints, which she loves, changed buckets...you name it. It doesn't worry me so much in the summer when she's turned out almost 24/7, but in the winter, she spends more time inside, depending on weather...and I start to stress out over it. The only thing I've done is to increase MY threshold for when she needs to come in due to bad weather and after a ride, when she's going to stay in for the night, I offer her an extra bucket on the ground while I'm putting my tack away (sometimes she'll take a sip or two, mostly she doesn't). So, I've tried to relax about it - if she's thirsty, she will drink. And so far, knock on wood, we've had no problems. I can empathise with your frustration, that's for sure!
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Member:
Kathleen
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 10:43 am:
Muffi,
My guess is they know HOW to use the auto waterers, just prefer the tanks outside. Each of my horses has a favorite tank and prefer to drink out of that specific tank, but they will drink out of another if they are not able to get to the one they prefer. I wonder, if they don't start drinking out of the waterers on their own, you might get a bucket of water from the tank and pour some into the waterers, assuming they are not the type where the water flows back inside the waterer when the horse is not drinking. Maybe it's just a matter of the taste of the water? The only reason I would worry is if they had to be stalled where their only source of water is the waterers and they did not have access to their favorite water.
Kathleen
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Member:
Ajudson1
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 10:51 am:
I would just try playing with the water when their muzzles are close by. I am sure they know there is water in there, but some horses are leary of anything new.
Like DrO said, check for electrical problems. We had a floating tank heater years ago that one of our nosey colts chewed the cord on. It took weeks before my one Arab mare would get close to that tank again..in fact it was her that warned me something was wrong.
I started putting apple cider vinegar in our tank outside this summer, they seemed to drink more water as it stayed cleaner longer. I also started always having water in their stalls as I found that they always drink after eating their little bit of pellets with the minerals on top.
As Fran says, relax about it though. All 4 of mine drink different amounts when stalled. My arab never drinks even half a bucket, the one gelding seems to fill his with hay and then try to drink what's left! I think he's part raccoon, lol!!
I noticed when my kids were in charge of keeping the tank clean, it didn't get cleaned and my horses drank out of pee/manure/water puddles. Gross, but they will drink when thirsty. (that's when I started using ACV in the tank)
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Member:
Cpacer
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Posted on Monday, Oct 16, 2006 - 1:44 pm:
Where did that saying come from -- you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink?
Never quite got that...?
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Member:
Scooter
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Posted on Tuesday, Oct 17, 2006 - 6:46 am:
Hi Muffi, I am curious how you know they don't drink out of the waterers when you are not there? Don't they automatically refill? We have had this problem many times at the barn I work at. The horses options there are only auto-waterers. We don't see them drink often, but they must, according to their wet stalls. At first some horses don't seem to drink as much as they should, but when they are thirsty, they do.
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Member:
Savage
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Posted on Tuesday, Oct 17, 2006 - 12:55 pm:
CP, I found one meaning:
Meaning
An animal, and by implication a person, will only do what it/he wants to do.
Origin
This is one of the older proverbs in the language and dates back to at least 1546 when it was included in John Heywood's 'A dialogue containing the number in effect of all the proverbs in the English tongue':
"A man may well bring a horse to the water, But he can not make him drink without the will."
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Tuesday, Oct 17, 2006 - 6:59 pm:
Have you tried turning the waterers off while full and see if they drink out of them? I too wouldn't take the water they do drink away.
I've found that when the horses at my barn share a waterer, they drink more... don't know why, they just do 
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Member:
Muffi
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Posted on Tuesday, Oct 17, 2006 - 8:49 pm:
You know your right - You can lead the beast to water but Darn it all if they don't drink the good stuff.... Yea I am going away for a week and leaving a house / horse sitter here so I will work the water thing more when I come back - In the mean time I have instructed the sitter to keep the outside waters clean and full. So I am sure my picky boys will drink well till I get home. that is what they are used to. but when I get home next week I will do everything. Turn off the Auto on the waters also to see if they do touch them. I don;t think that they do because the water is still clean - no Hay or pellet Spit in there yet. which I fully expect because it is alway in the big ones out side.
thanks guys - you have been a big help - At least I don't feel like a failure with TWO water sources for now... 
I will enclose a picture of the new barn. after I shrink wrap it first - I like my new barn in the pines.
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Member:
Muffi
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Posted on Tuesday, Oct 17, 2006 - 9:07 pm:
mY WON'T DRINK THE WATER - TROUBLE MAKER 
here is the barn tucked inthe pine trees in Northern New Mexico - Santa Fe Area (Glorieta)
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Oct 18, 2006 - 8:37 am:
Hello Muffi,
I recognize that barn, the university where I teach horse management just built one similar on 20 acres for the 2 horses they own. Though we have a little higher roof. I like the sturdy construction and many of the features though I have one recommendation if I am seeing the photo correctly: put a layer of insulation in the ceiling or there will a lot of radiant heat from the ceiling in the summer. Be sure it stands a bit off the ceiling and air can enter at the eaves and circulate upwards where it can empty into a ventilated cupola that this manufacturer makes.
DrO
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New Member:
Srfotog
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Posted on Sunday, Dec 24, 2006 - 12:52 pm:
I just moved to a new farm and the water has sulfates in it. It smells a little and at first I was very worried because my 20-year-old TB wouldn't drink much. I put apple electrolytes in it and he started drinking. Do I need to treat this water somehow and what would anyone suggest? There is no bacteria since I had it tested and drink it myself w. a Brita filter. Can you filter large amounts?
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Dec 24, 2006 - 1:50 pm:
You can get water filter for about $100 that hook up under the counter for a kitchen faucet. I'd think one of these would work. You can find them at places like Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes. They have filter that have to be changed every few weeks. However, if there are other horses that are drinking the water without problems, your horse probably would also. A lot of areas of the country have funny smelling water. When I was little I lived in East Texas and our water not only smelled a little like sulfer, it would tint all your white clothes red if you didn't use bleach, yet it was safe to drink.
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New Member:
Srfotog
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Posted on Sunday, Dec 24, 2006 - 4:53 pm:
Sara,
Thank you so much for that.....others out here have said to get water treatment for thousands of dollars which I don't have, needless to say.
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Member:
Ajudson1
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Posted on Monday, Dec 25, 2006 - 10:52 am:
If this is a tank, try putting some apple cider vinegar in it. It will help with the smell, and neutralize the taste too I would think. I started using it because our water is so hard that scale built up inside the tank that couldn't be removed except with a paint scraper. Keeps the green gunk down too.
An old wives tale is that ACV helps keeps joints moving too. Not sure if that applies to horses but can't hurt.
There's been discussions on here about apple cider vinegar so do a search if you're curious about it.
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