Splashing all the water out

[Marsha Cassada]

I brought home a project horse to board for a few months. This morning I let him out into the large pasture with Dapper Dan. They ran off to the back 40 as fast as they could go, the new boy plowed through the electric fence, and they came back to the corral puffing like porpoises. I was working around (getting the tools to fix the fence), and I heard splashing noise. The new boy had both feet in the water tub and had splashed all the water out.

I decided he needed to stay confined in the corral a little longer.

The corral where he's confined has a bucket on the fence for water. I can't have him making a mess in the big water tub when he is free range.

So, anyone have a horse that does this?

 

[Minimor]

Oh yes, a few of them! I have to make sure thu have water tubs that are too high for them to put their feet in and

even then try will still try. Even if they can't get a foot into the tub they still manage to make a mess of their water just by slopping in it with dirty noses!

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

We have one(baby on the right), now a two year old. If she can get her feet in the trough, she will make a mess. Especially after I cleaned it out.

 

[Lil Eowyn]

Yes, Eowyn tips over her water ALL of the time! And in the winter when shes in the barn....eh. When it tips over it freezes in her stall and so Its really hard to scrape the ice off XD

And in the summer she'll paw it all of the time and get manure in it XD

 

[Marsha Cassada]

What big sillies!

I let him out again today and the two are grazing quietly in the big pasture. Maybe if he has plenty of room to run around he won't bother with the water tub. At night in the corral, however, he will only have the fence bucket.

I thought about all that frozen water--what a hazard that would be. My tub with the heater in it, which we haven't had to use yet, is too tall, hopefully, for him to get in.

He is also a quick learner--he didn't bother the electric fence today, gave it a respectful look then turned away.

 

[cretahillsgal]

Kari, Wendy's mom did the same thing. She probably learned it from her.

I've had several that do this, especially in the summer when it is hot.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Julie, good to see you!

well, the big wide pasture didn't help. As soon as he came up to drink he splashed it all out. So it isn't boredom. I will have to figure something out.

 

[chandab]

I don't know what you use for a winter water tub, but I don't have power at the barn so I use the 12 gallon rubber tubs that flex. Mine like to step in them and when empty they like to haul them all over their pen, so I built a wooden box to put over the tub, it seems to have fixed the problem. Its nothing fancy, and I made it out of scrap wood we had around. [sorry, I don't have a picture, but its just a wooden box that just fits over the tub with an opening across the top to allow access to the water but not enough to let them grab the tub or put their feet in to play.]

Ok, I went and looked through pics, although not close-up, you can see the box behind the mares in this pics.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I don't know what you use for a winter water tub, but I don't have power at the barn so I use the 12 gallon rubber tubs that flex. Mine like to step in them and when empty they like to haul them all over their pen, so I built a wooden box to put over the tub, it seems to have fixed the problem. Its nothing fancy, and I made it out of scrap wood we had around. [sorry, I don't have a picture, but its just a wooden box that just fits over the tub with an opening across the top to allow access to the water but not enough to let them grab the tub or put their feet in to play.]

Ok, I went and looked through pics, although not close-up, you can see the box behind the mares in this pics.

That might work for me.

He is an extremely sociable horse; he hasn't had another horse as a companion, but goats. Maybe he learned it from the goats. I sure hope he doesn't teach it to Dapper Dan!!

He was "helping" me work on wreaths today, carrying around the wire cutters. I'll bet I could teach him to ring a bell.