Water hoses in winter

[AppyLover2]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has to deal with running a hose to water my horses. As I was filling troughs this morning I found myself wondering how other people deal with the need to do something to keep the hose from freezing. So far the best solution I've found is that I run the hose across one of the beams in the barn (probably 12' overhead), then after I use the hose I unscrew it from the hydrant then pull the excess length across the beam to drain it. Probably not the best solution in the world but (knock on wood) so far it hasn't frozen....unlike my first year here.

Just thought we might be able to share our individual methods.

 

[laughingllama75]

Hey! I do the exact same thing.......works like a charm. My hose froze up only once this winter, and that was when hubby used it and didn't drain it. So helpful....... LOl.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

My basement is unfinished and I have an area that I use to start plants in spring and mix feed for the horses etc. I roll my hose after each use and bring it inside to hang there. It dries out and stays nice and flexible too. I only have to use it every 3 days or so since I have a large trough and most of my pens have automatic waterers so it isn't a major problem really.

 

[fancyappy]

We have a frost free hydrant in the barn that I carry water from if the horses are in the barn. Outside we have hydrants with stock tank heaters in the water tubs.I have to do the hose thing for the goats though and it works pretty good as long as I don't forget to drain it.

 

[ruffian]

I have a coil hose, and keep it right in the water trough. I have a piece of twine on one end, and just pull the twine to get the hose out. Never frozen.

 

[Reble]

Summer:

We have garden hose attached to our outside tap from the house.

Winter:

We have a pond just outside the barn.

Years ago, we put a sub pump into the pond and ran pipe under ground that comes into the barn with a tap.

So we just plug in when we need water, but have to bucket from there.

The pond never completely freezes.

 

[chandab]

Frost-free hydrants at the main tank, and I haul buckets to those that are away from the hydrant. So, lots of bucketing in winter.

 

[AppyLover2]

Thank goodness I have a frost free hydrant too, but have to run a 50' length of hose to reach the furthest trough. I would never in the world have thought of keeping the hose in the trough - great idea there - but unfortunately mine is too long to do something like that. Sure hope more people join in - it's fun sharing "solutions" to mutual challenges.

 

[CeeGee]

I keep my long hose (75 feet) in the barn with the horses at night and it has not been frozen yet! I fill water buckets in the morning when I let the horses out. The short hose (about 10 feet) I just drain after use and I can leave it outside, but I always detach the hoses from the frost free hydrants. This is the first year I have had 21 horses in the barn to keep it above freezing at night, so I'm hoping January and February don't too much colder!

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

We have a frost free hydrant on both ends of the barn, and the barn has its own drilled well. Its easy to "pail" it to individual stalls, the outside run-in, is attached to the barn, and in winter I just put my tanks right outside the main door ( I have two door that go into it) and that is only about 10 feet from the barn hydrant, so its easy to pail that one too, but I do use a 10' section of hose for that. OUr barn dont freeze so I leave everything right attached to the hydrant in the barn. I never have any hard-freezing problems, just the easy breakable slushy kind of ice.. in the run-in, which I take out with my trusty, ice-fishing strainer. In summer, I put the tanks right alongside the gate, and that is only about 2' from the outside hydrant, and we have a short piece of hose attached to that one. The barn also has automatic waters, but they were put in for the full size horses..so its hard for the minis to reach them, they all have pails. Lots of buckets in the barn here too! Got to love winter.

 

[MiniMaid]

We,bring ours inside becuase we have a cart thingy!

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I have a 75 foot hose and I just walk with it over my head to drain it or else I just carry buckets which sometimes is easier since I dont have too many horses at my place yet.

 

[afoulk]

I just drain my hoses after each use and leave them in the barn. So far so good this year. If it gets too cold then I will bring them in the house.

Arlene

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

I guess I'm pretty luck to have a creek in front of the barn that does not freeze. If the temps get to cold I'll just through ** A thousand apologies Momma Ruffian for misspelling throw. ** the hose into the creek and never worry about it. If I didn't have the creek, I would drain the hose properly and probably bring it into the garage.

 

[Miniv]

We have a pond that we pump out of as much as possible (when it's not too iced up.). So we disconnect and drain the hoses. We've also used our house/barn water which is connected to a frost-free hydrant in the barn. We are careful to disconnect the hose from it between uses and drain that as well........

During our sub-ZERO temps in December, our hoses were freezing while water was still flowing through them! So, we ended up carting water by hand to each trough. Then, we hauled three sets of hoses into the house to thaw! It was a nightmare.......but you've gotta do what you gotta do.......

 

[Leeana]

Well, we have a longer hose that goes from the water spicket inside our garage down to the barn and linked to several water troughs out in the pastures. After we are done we open up all the ends and use the air compressor to blow air threw and empty the hose, so far has not frozen on us this year..last year I or dad would just drain the horse regular but would have a little water left in it, the air compressor is pretty good about getting all the water out of the hose.

We have a creek behind our barn, but the water can get pretty nasty, dad has wanted to pump water out of that but it can get pretty yucky..nope, not happening. If i wont drink it, they are not drinking it. Dead animals or god knows what else could be in that water stream..ew..

 

[CKC]

We have frost free hydrants at each paddock. Each hydrant has a male receptacle(hope I'm wording this right). We bought short hoses and attached a seperate female attachment to each hose. In the summer each hose stays on the hydrant. In the winter we can easily move one hose from hydrant to hydrant. Hose is drained and coiled after the watering.. no freezing hoses. The quick release system works so much better than having to turn a hose onto each hydrant.

Kim

 

[eagles ring farm]

We have frost free hydrants

in our 2 big barns and 1 outside our small barn

also frost free hydrants (4) IN EACH PADDOCK

7 hydrants all together

then we use the short hoses you attach to a clothes washer

on the hydrants only a few feet long so draining is easy

and electric at each tub for heaters

Not too bad but I still can't wait till spring

 

[RJRMINIS]

When the temps are freezing I roll my hose up and bring it in the house and put it in a laundry tub on top of my dryer...then take it out with me in the morning to do chores...it is a pain to bring it in everytime, but better than fighting a frozen hose.

 

[River Wood]

When I'm done using my hose, I too just snake it over my head, make sure the water is drained out, and throw it in the barn, I have never had to bring it inside the warm house. I just throw it in the barn and have done this for years with NO problems.