Last Updated on July 29, 2020 by Allison Price
Are you tired of seeing your horse eating in the mud? Or wasting hay that gets buried?
Worry no more! There is an easy and low-cost way to build an efficient feeder for your horse!
Horses that eat in dirt or mud can ingest soil particles with their hay. And the soil particles can potentially accumulate in their gut causing sand colic. Which is a very serious health threat.
There are also automatic feed and water troughs you may consider using. We will help you make your DIY feed trough. Or help you decide which automatic trough you may use for your horse.
DIY Low-Cost Hay Feeder
To build a simple feeder, you need to buy first plastic drums. Or if you have at home, you can use them. Or you can buy them at the local feed store. Make sure the plastic barrel did not hold something toxic in its former life. And there are no rough edges or metals that can cause dangerous cuts.
How to assemble?
- Cut out a large opening on the plastic drum. You can make an opening in this measurement: 24” wide x 20” high. But it depends on the size of the drum you will be using.
- Smooth out any rough edges
- Wash the inside of the drum to remove plastic particles and any residue
- Drill holes for the U-bolts
- Attach the drum to panel fencing. Or other secure object at the chest level for your horse. Position the bolts around the panel fencing. Leaving only enough of the bolt ends on the inside of the drum to put a washer and self-locking nut on. So that nothing protruding would poke your horse’s nose while he eats.
- Drill holes in the bottom of the barrel so that rainwater can drain out.
Perfect! Your feeder is ready for use!
In just a couple of hours with a small investment, you can have an alternative to feeding in the dirt and the mud.
The Best Horse Water Troughs
Water is a need and no living thing can live without it whether they are humans, animals, or plants.
Animals like humans need a lot of clean water. And horses especially need a great deal of it!
An average sized horse doing normal activity requires 30-40 liters of clean water per day. If you have race horses, they need even more quantity of drinking water. The pregnant and lactating horses as well.
If your horse stays in hot climate zones, he also needs more water. Also, those who eat a large amount of dry fiber in their diet as compared to those feeding on lush green pastures.
We’ve got a solution for you! A horse water trough is a long lasting and a reliable solution. You won’t have to fill up water in buckets every day anymore to ensure that your horse remains hydrated. When installing the best water trough, it is important to give it a proper thought.
They can be movable or permanently placed which can allow your horse to drink anytime.
Reminder: The amount of water a horse drinks should be monitored. Because excess water can cause colic.
Due to modernization and to avoid filling up heavy buckets, people opt for automated. This is also to avoid carrying them to the stable. We want everything to be easy and instant. So, these automatic feed and water trough are very helpful.
Electric Heated Double Water Trough
It has a heating system that provides fresh water the whole year. You won’t have to worry about the climate. It is cost-effective as it saves energy and conserves water. Also, it has a quick refill function.
Flagline Automatic Horse Trough
This is a bulky one to prevent horse from pulling it. And it is made from good quality plastic.
Easy to install. Cost-effective.
Mira Fount Water Trough
It works even without electric power saving all your energy requirements. It works on the thermos bottle principle. The water remains free from algae because it’s not exposed to sunlight.
It keeps the water temperature constant even in the cold climate.
FW16 Automatic Water Trough
This convenient and easy to use water trough connects easily to your garden hose. This is made of top-quality steel and is anti-corrosive. It has a float that controls the water levels in the horse water trough and prevents overflow.
Lucky Farm Automatic Water Trough
It is a solid, thick stainless-steel horse water trough. It is resistant to corrosion.
It is easy to clean. And durable.
The float valve controls the water level. And controls the water intake of your horse as well.
Duramate Automatic Horse Trough
It is a very large water trough. It has a capacity of 15 liters.
Also, it has a strong and long lasting metal cover.
It has metal brackets that you can attach on a wall or a fence and a hose.
Harris Farms Heated Troughs
These are thermostatically controlled troughs. Which help prevent water from freezing down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cemented Horse Water Trough
These were made near the posts the horses were tethered to. To save the rider from the hassle of arranging water for the tired animal.
Horse Trough Maintenance
Clean drinking water – this is what our horses need. To help maintain the freshness in the water, the water troughs need to be cleaned.
Algae grows in water troughs regularly during summertime. The water should be free from this recurring problem. So that your horse continues to drink the water regularly during the warm months.
Most of the algae do not cause health problem. But there are some types of blue-green algae that causes Diarrhea. And lead to colicky symptoms.
Thus, here are some ways to reduce these from forming in the troughs:
- Keep the trough in a shady area. It reduces the exposure to sunlight which decreases their growth
- Regularly empty and scrub the water trough to keep them at bay
- Add copper sulfate after dissolving it in warm water. Ensure that it mixes well in the trough
Takeaway
Feed and water troughs provide your horse a clean intake. If we prefer to a low-cost feed trough, we can make our DIY trough just by following the instructions above. We can also make our own water trough with the steps above minus drilling holes in the bottom. But there are automatic water troughs. If we want to lessen the hassle of bringing buckets of water to the stable. It’s important that we take care of these things and make sure they eat and drink clean. Because it can affect their health.
