One equine nutritionist offers tips and asks for your input on dealing with ice in horse watering tanks.
Credit to: The Horse
Q. Winter has barely started, and I’m already tired of breaking ice in my horses’ water trough. Is there anything I can do to help stop the water from freezing other than some kind of water heater?
—Via e-mail
A. We all know how important it is for our horses to have ready access to water, but this can pose challenges when temperatures fall below freezing and you’re unable to use a water heater. It’s a lot of, literally, digit-numbing work and sometimes near impossible to break the ice when temperatures fall. There are some things you can try that might help. However, keep in mind that many of these are less effective as temperatures decrease.
1. Locate your trough for sun exposure.
Place your trough in such a way that it receives as much full sun as possible. Many northern areas might not see much winter sun, but placing the tank in a south-facing area will increase the odds of as much sunlight as possible during daylight hours. Also, consider whether a shaded area is a good idea. While some shade, for example the overhang of a building, might offer some protection from cold overnight, it likely means less sun exposure during the day. If you live in an area where the trough will freeze whether it is under some kind of shade or not, I would place it where it will get the most daytime sunlight.
2. Insulate your trough.
Obviously this helps keep the exterior cold out and the interior warmth of the water in. Styrofoam board and/or foil covered insulation works well and can be wrapped around the outside of the trough. What works even better is putting one trough inside another, with a gap of a couple of inches all the way around. Then, place insulation on the bottom between the two troughs and around the outside of the interior trough. Finally, fill any gaps with spray insulation that sets hard. You can also build a plywood box, line it with insulation, and put your trough inside it.
Ideally, the top of the trough also needs to be insulated with just enough surface exposed for the horses to drink. A plywood lid with the underside covered in insulation works well.
Online resources for those living off the grid have useful information about how to build insulated troughs and use passive solar heating to reduce freezing. Some report that this is an effective method down to -10° Fahrenheit.
3. Place a float in the trough.
Floating something in the trough helps in a couple of ways. First, it keeps the surface of the water moving as it bobs about, making it more difficult to freeze. Second, if the horses learn to depress the floating object, it will expose an open area in the ice so they can drink. I have seen this done with soccer balls, but another tactic is to fill an empty two-liter soda bottle two-thirds full with water and 1 to 2 cups of salt dissolved and seal tightly. There is enough air in the bottle for it to float, and salt water freezes at a lower temperature than the water in the trough, so the water keeps moving. These methods receive mixed reviews. Some people swear by them, while others find they don’t work at all.
4. Bury your trough.
If your ground is frozen it is likely too late this year, but digging a hole for your trough and sinking it into the ground might help by insulating it. Again, this is going to depend on where you live and how deep down your ground freezes. I read one account from someone living in North Dakota who used a fence post auger to dig a 12-inch hole several feet deep under their water trough. Apparently the heat rising from deep within the earth helped prevent the trough from freezing.
5. Heat your trough.
Ultimately, you might need to break down and heat your trough. There are several options, including battery, electric, or propane heaters. But before trying these you could try putting manure under your trough. Composting manure generates heat, and the thinking is that if you have a several-inches-thick layer of manure under your trough, as it breaks down it will help warm the trough.
If you decide to use a battery, electric, or propane water-heating element, be sure to install it safely. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, be sure to keep all cables out of the way, and have no connections near water. Definitely consider having a lid on the trough, as it will not only help keep the heat in but also help prevent your horse from accessing the heating element.
Actively heating your trough in combination with one or more of the above ideas will likely reduce energy costs.
Regardless of what methods you decide to try, you should still work on the assumption that you will need to check water at least twice a day to ensure availability during cold weather.
If you have creative ideas on how to help prevent troughs and buckets freezing, we’d love to read about them in the comments below.
