Ensuring that your horses always have access to fresh, clean, temperate water is an essential part of being a horse owner/caretaker. You want to make decisions that are best for your horse and never want to do anything that could adversely impact their health. As such, you may wonder if automatic horse waterers, for all their supposed convenience, are even good for horses.
Here, we’ll discuss how horses naturally drink water, common problems that people run into with automatic horse waterers, and whether or not automatic horse waterers are even good for horses. Let’s get into it!
How Horses Naturally Drink Water
While it may seem counterintuitive to us humans who typically need to tilt our heads up in order to be able to drink, horses naturally drink water from the ground. In the wild, horses drink from streams, lakes, and other bodies of water. This is not uncomfortable for them; it’s just how they are.
So, when you have your water troughs or buckets out in the pasture or in the horses’ stalls on the ground, this is an easy way for them to drink – but it’s not easy for you to maintain. You need to lug new water out, check the status of the water for any algae and dirt, and be careful to ensure that the water buckets or troughs are full. In the winter, you may need to break ice in order for your horses to be able to drink.
That’s all a lot of work, and if you don’t do it, your horses can get sick. Horses need gallons of water each day in order to survive and without that, they don’t live very long. As such, automatic horse waterers seem like the simple, easy solution for both your and your horses’ needs. There’s no more need for you to worry about whether or not your horses are getting enough water – or is there?
Common Issues With Automatic Horse Waterers
Automatic horse waterers can certainly make life easier for you and your horse by ensuring that your horse always has access to clean, fresh water whenever they like. However, there are some common issues with automatic horse waterers which cause people to question whether they are good for horses.
#1. Unnatural Drinking Position
Some automatic horse waterers are not designed in a way that is easy or natural for the horse to drink from. As previously mentioned, horses naturally drink from water sources on the ground. If a horse has to lift its head in order to drink, this isn’t as natural or comfortable.
#2. Dirty Water
Some automatic waterers keep water in the bowl. While this is great for horses that are struggling to learn how to use an automatic waterer, over time, standing water can lead to algae growth. It can also have many of the same issues as water in buckets or troughs by getting dirty, mosquitoes laying their eggs in it, and more. Dirty water poses many different health risks to horses.
#3. Breaking
Automatic horse waterers can break, like anything else. If your horse’s waterer stops working, this is something you may not realize right away, since you’re not going out and filling up their water. It’s crucial to always watch your horse for signs of dehydration.
#4. Electricity
Electric automatic waterers can shock your horse when your horse tries to drink from it, causing them to avoid the waterer and become dehydrated.
These are but a few of the common issues people can have with automatic waterers that make them wonder whether or not they’re good for horses. Bear in mind that automatic waterers can still make your horses’ care much easier than watering with buckets and troughs – especially if you use an automatic waterer that’s specifically designed for horses, like the Bar Bar A automatic horse waterer.
Automatic Horse Waterers Designed For Horses
Bar Bar A has seen all the common issues that people have had with automatic waterers and sought to create a solution. The 4th instance of the water shocking horses is actually what lead to the creation of the Bar Bar A automatic horse waterer.
We wanted an automatic waterer that’s good for horses and designed to be as efficient as possible. Our automatic waterers are low to the ground, so they’re natural for horses to drink from. They connect to your water line and the water comes up when horses push on the paddle and drains back d
own when they’re done, which ensures that your horses always have access to fresh, clean water, no matter the season.
Plus, our automatic waterers are non-electric, so there’s no need to worry about them shocking your horses. While our waterers are very sturdy, there’s no such thing as something that will never break. Should you experience issues with your waterer, our helpful team is always ready to help you resolve the problems however we can.
To learn more about our automatic horse waterers and how they’re good for horses, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.