Horse will only use 1 bucket

[KnKShowmom]

I have a horse in my barn who has a very strange "habit" - I have 2 buckets in his stall, but he will only drink out of one. I dump and scrub them at least once a day, I clorox them regularly - I have even switched buckets to see if maybe one had a funny taste or something.

He will drain the left one dry but will not touch the right bucket. Drinks fine in T/O but with the cold weather/irregular turnout comes an increase in colic risk so this doesn't make me very happy. So far his manure looks fine, he eats every scrap of hay, and I add water to his grain when needed, but would appreciate hearing any ideas or experience with this problem.

[ChocoMare]

Are they both the same color?

I ask because I used to work at a large barn on LI back in the 80's. There were a few horses with the same habit. In all cases, it was a color issue. Have no idea why, but they would drink out of a blue bucket but not a green. Or a black but not a red. :confused:

Horses. Go figure! :lol:

Since he refuses to drink from Bucket No. 2, perhaps go with a muck tub full of water instead?

[KnKShowmom]

Both black rubber buckets so I don't think color is an issue and as I said, I have switched them so I don't think its the bucket itself....

Thanks for the muck bucket suggestion, made me laugh though because if you knew this boy - 17 hh 2 year old in a 12 year old's body..... he would either pick it up or try to get in it! :lol:

[ChocoMare]

Ah, yes. A play boy! :lol: We've got one in the barn, too, except his favorite toy is a feed pan. They make great frisbees.

Guess it's just one of his quirks then. Odd!

[KnKShowmom]

Yea, this one's a real piece of work - but sweet heart so I don't want this stupid habit or whatever to get him into trouble!

btw - where on LI were you?

[ChocoMare]

Bellmore.... worked at Thomas' in Melville. Then shareboarded on a two nice horses in Bohemia for a few years, riding in Connetquot State Park. Sure do miss Connetquot! :yes:

[deltawave]

I have one like this. She is not completely adamant about it, but definitely has one bucket she prefers. Is it the ONE bucket he prefers, or whichever bucket is in the left-hand position? Maybe the right-hand one would be more appealing if it were hung somewhere else. Or, you could start from scratch with two new buckets.

[Duramax]

Eddie is the same way. He has two identical buckets and only drinks from the one on the right. When I do the waters I just scrub and clean the one on the right and then put the full and still pristine one from the left in it's place. (Seems wasteful to dump a perfectly good bucket of water!)

[KnKShowmom]

I have one like this. She is not completely adamant about it, but definitely has one bucket she prefers. Is it the ONE bucket he prefers, or whichever bucket is in the left-hand position? Maybe the right-hand one would be more appealing if it were hung somewhere else. Or, you could start from scratch with two new buckets.

The one on the left - I have rotated 4 different buckets through his stall and its always the left one he drinks from.

Glad to hear he's not the only one who does it though - my other guy has one he drinks from and one he dunks in but at least he is using both.....

Tell me again why we are so attracted to these creatures who make us nuts?????

[KnKShowmom]

Bellmore.... worked at Thomas' in Melville. Then shareboarded on a two nice horses in Bohemia for a few years, riding in Connetquot State Park. Sure do miss Connetquot! :yes:

I grew up on LI and spent some time with friends who rode at Thomas' - I was a Cherry Meadow in East Northport but we lived near Caumsett so I used to ride with friends there too.

Boy, seems like a million years ago!

[nadasy]

Harry has two black Dan's buckets in his stall. In the morning when I come in to feed him, he has either drunk most of the right or most of the left. Some days he drinks 3/4 of both, some days, all but about one inch of one and none of the other. He's really trying to be balanced about it all. :lol:

I take out both buckets morning and night and empty and clean as he will not drink out of topped buckets, and especially in Winter he gets his water changed 3 times a day.

He's a great drinker, doesn't dunk, but he sure has his preferences, left or right.........:D Come to think of it, no one would ever accuse him of being one sided. ;)

[deltawave]

I'd relocate both buckets. Rock his world. :lol:

[Bluey]

See what happens if you add a third bucket, maybe a big red plastic one this time?

[abbydp]

Mine is right-handed! All he does with the left one is drop feed in it. I keep it filled just in case but yeah same deal. I can switch them, left can be pristine, doesn't matter. In the summer he will have to resort to both but only if he has to. It's not a cleanliness thing here - he walked away after a good long drink from the clean trough to drink out of the muddy puddle. The bucket thing used to drive me nuts but i have given up and just make sure the preferred one is available.

[KnKShowmom]

Well I would love to shake things up by adding another/plastic one but don't have any plastic buckets (hate them in winter and saw a nasty cut from one once).

My pet peeve is grain in their water buckets so when we built our barn we centered the door - feed on one side and water buckets on the other but maybe I will add one by his feed tub. Would hate to add eye hooks all over the place in my stalls just to get this bozo to drink!

Just reminded DD that our boys b'days were tomorrow and she said "Good, maybe Nate will act his age for once"

Might be the answer in a nutshell - He's.just.that.way!

[Addison]

Mine does the same thing.

[KnKShowmom]

Ok, so those of you who have experienced this, do you still hang the 2nd bucket, knowing that they won't touch it and you will need to dump it at some point...

Or do you only hang one and fill it as often as possible?

[secretariat]

All my horses do that. Hang both buckets so he can be "superior" to the one he doesn't drink from. Keep the second as full as possible and/or hang a third bucket.

[DMK]

Ok, so those of you who have experienced this, do you still hang the 2nd bucket, knowing that they won't touch it and you will need to dump it at some point...

Or do you only hang one and fill it as often as possible?

my older horse is and has always been a confirmed one bucket horse and it really doesn't matter where those buckets are - at home, on the road, whatevs. He does occassionally switch to the other bucket and then the old favorite is abandoned for a short while.

I always fill the current "favorite" to the brim and then the ignored bucket is filled about 2/3 - enough if he is thirsty or switches to that bucket, but still easy enough to dump daily.

[abbydp]

I still hang both just in case. I only dump the "extra" one when it is dirty. I figure it's there if he needs it.

[Beethoven]

Here is my thought..who cares!!

If the horse is thirsty he will drink out of the other bucket. Just stop worrying and fill both. We have horses like that too. They tend to drink from one more than the other, but if they drain one and are thirsty they do drink from the other one. I seriously doubt a horse will allow itself to become dehydrated because its favorite bucket is empty.:rolleyes:

[KnKShowmom]

Well I care because its not my horse and would prefer he not colic!

I have always hung 2 buckets, they finish one and work on the other or both at the same time or whatever.

I have come down several mornings and found the bucket he uses bone dry and the other not touched so clearly in this brutal cold, colic is on the radar.

I have had him for several months and have tried just about everything I know but just thought someone here might have experienced this situation and have some wisdom on how they handled it.

[SpecialEffects]

Yeah Truffles is a left handed drinker. Strange aren't they? :rolleyes: When I know I'm going to be home to refill the favoured bucket, I just hang one. If she's going to be in for a length of time and I'm not here, the bad bucket gets hung and filled too.
Oh well.... she's neat in her stall so if this is her only issue, that ain't too bad.

[Beethoven]

Well I care because its not my horse and would prefer he not colic!

I have always hung 2 buckets, they finish one and work on the other or both at the same time or whatever.

I have come down several mornings and found the bucket he uses bone dry and the other not touched so clearly in this brutal cold, colic is on the radar.

I have had him for several months and have tried just about everything I know but just thought someone here might have experienced this situation and have some wisdom on how they handled it.

I would think then that he is not thirsty then. If a horse gets dehydrated and colics with a fresh bucket of water available because their favorite one is empty then that's a dumb horse!!

I understand the worry of colic, but seriously doubt a horse would refuse to drink out of a bucket if it was in dire need of water. I would think he probably drinks a lot in turnout and just needs the 5 gallons and that's enough water for him.

I am a barn manager and have worked in several barns. There are weird horses out there that do quirky things but I do not think one is dumb enough to allow itself to become dehydrated if fresh water is available.

Has he coliced yet??

[knightrider]

My horse is doing the same thing...he will drink out of the second bucket occasionally...my solution? Fill both buckets, but I've added beet pulp with lots of water to his dinner...that way when he's in, he has extra water plus his favorite bucket and the backup...

[Calvincrowe]

My old man does this, and it makes me crazed!! He switches his preference around--one day it is the right hand, then the left. Drinks "the bucket" dry, leaves the other full. When turned out, he heads for the trough and gets a drink. WHY!! The buckets are the same. I clean them, still switches. I switch the buckets, he goes with one, but not the other.

I know he's thirsty in the AM (as evidenced by his trip to the trough), but he won't touch the "other" bucket. ARGH.

I also feed him sloppy, soaked BP in the winter to ensure more water intake. Sigh. He is out 24/7 in the summer, and drinks readily from a trough. No colic (knock wood!) so far, but the guessing game is making me angry.

[KnKShowmom]

Well I have already spent one night in the barn with this guy with a mild case of colic and with the current temps I would love to avoid doing it again.

This horse drinks fine in the turnout but he is with me to rehab an injury so he doesn't go out unless the footing is good so having him in more and not drinking out of both buckets just doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.

When I get down to the barn in the mornings, left one is empty, right one hasn't been touched and when I refill the left one he will drink at least 1/3 as soon as I hang it so that tells me he's thirsty but still not using the full bucket.

This horse is in no way dumb but like many TB's is habitually hardheaded to a fault and it is our job sometimes to help them "see the light" - with this one, its just a bit more of a challenge.

Thanks for the thoughts!

[saxony]

Beethoven: Horses can most definitely colic with fresh water in front of them. I wouldn't doubt for a second that a silly horse would refuse to drink water from a bucket long enough to cause it to colic.

[Sugarbrook]

My stallion, Traveller, has three buckets hung in his stall. Far left near the stall door is his feed bucket. Next is one water bucket and then another. So, he eats far left, and only drinks out of the next left water bucket. We always fill both. He drains it dry during the day. He is out at night in his pasture, so not sure if he drinks from the right or left hand side of his water tank. LOL. Aren't they funny!

[abbydp]

I just solved the one bucket dilemma!!! We got tired of the frozen bucket dance and the other person I board with bought herself 2 heated buckets and bought me one for Christmas!!!!! I loff her. To get the cords set up safely, the feed and water buckets had to switch positions. He gave in and had no problem drinking out of a totally different one that was warm water. :) I know this may not be possible in a big boarding situation, but could you try it for this one guy?

[KnKShowmom]

I have thought about warming the water but he will go back in about 60 days and his owners won't do it (too many horses) so I was worried about starting another issue - DD has already spoiled him enough. :D

[DMK]

I understand the worry of colic, but seriously doubt a horse would refuse to drink out of a bucket if it was in dire need of water.

Dire need? No, they'd drink then. But really, you think all those winter gas colics happen because the damn fools drink ENOUGH water? Surely you have learned that horses would have gone extinct long ago if they hadn't convinced those even bigger damn fools (humans) to cater after their every need? *

Besides, how many colics do you need to catch your attention? :D My old horse waited 17 years to have his first one, and $1200 later he sure had my attention! The damn fool was - of course - dehydrated. Granted he HAD water available and got that way without the assistance of an empty water bucket, but that was sort of the point, wasn't it? ;)

* which reminds me, I've been meaning to change my sig to honor that fact for some time...

[KnKShowmom]

:lol:

I totally agree - drinking is always on the bottom of their To-Do list, right after eating, running, eating, playing, eating, sleeping, and more eating, all of which just makes the no drinking that much worse!

[secretariat]

Don't count on them to drink from a non-favored bucket, even in danger of colic. Been there, had an impact colic, and it took 2 weeks of IV's and several days in UGA to correct. Horses are neither smart nor logical.

[FineAlready]

Yeah, my horse used to do this when we were at our old barn. He preferred the right hand bucket usually, but would sometimes switch. I just made sure to keep the preferred bucket filled at all times, and also had the nonpreferred bucket available. He is a good drinker, though, and he was smart about making the most out of that bucket. Whenever I filled it, he drank as I filled so that he got about a half-bucket drink while it was being filled, plus a fully-filled preferred bucket for later. :)

Where we board now, he has an electric waterer (the barn is heated). He apparently loves it, as I see him drink out of it all the time even when I am just there for a short time. Electric waterers sometimes make me nervous b/c you can't tell how much they are drinking, but I actually suspect he drinks more this way.

[sisu27]

I have known many horses that do this including my current thbd. He dunks in one and drinks out of the other. I can switch buckets, change barns.....doesn't matter. He is pretty neurotic and thrives on routine and ritual so I consider this habit part of that need to maintain order in his little world ;)