Breaking ice in water troughs is a LOT
of work! Step one....sledgehammer. Step two....double layer of
Playtex Gloves to fish out the floating boat-sized chunks. Step
three....blow hot air on your hands to thaw out! It's miserable work!
Many of us use tank heaters to keep our horses water ice free and
avoid all that work. Ever wonder how our
horses feel about it?
Several studies have been conducted regarding ice-laden water
versus heated water in the winter months. If given a choice between warm
or cold water, the majority of horses will go for the cold water. Perhaps the choice is instinctual, but no-one
has explained why. However, if horses
have warm water as their only choice, they will consume 40% more than if they
had cold water as their only choice. And, regardless of the temperature,
horses will drink most of their water within a few hours of eating their grain
or hay.
At the end of the day, water temperature is really the owner’s
choice! Which sounds like less work? Running extension cords to all
your water tanks, or swinging a sledge hammer? Either way, the average 1,200 pound
horse will drink 7 to 10 gallons of water a day, year round, and he honestly
doesn't care if it's warm or cold!
