favorite stall water buckets?

[Phaxxton]

What are your favorite 5-gallon stall water buckets? Looking for something fairly indestructable that comes in colors other than black. (I want to be able to differentiate my buckets from the barn's buckets.) Temps by me do dip below freezing during the winter, so I need a bucket that won't crack if the water freezes.

Thanks!

[jazzrider]

We switched our stalls to these two years ago...

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.h..._content=37682

...and love them. No more switching to heated buckets in the winter and lower electric bills. But we're in northern VA. If we were further north I'm not sure they'd handle long term freezing temps well.

The water stays cool in the summer in them and warmer in the winter. Don't mount them so high that you can't lift the bucket out easily though -- that's about my only criticism of them. Lifting an almost full bucket up and out can be a pain.

[Phaxxton]

I would love to get insulated buckets, but I don't think my barn will deal with them, as I board. I think I need to stick to just plain flat-back 5 gallon buckets. Are the DuraFlex ones decent? I found them in yellow, so I'll always know which buckets are mine. I've fallen victim to crappy buckets that crack easily, though, so I don't want to waste money if they won't last the winter.

[Mali]

Horseman's Pride Super Copy Cat buckets! They have an extra wide opening, and even die-hard bucket killers have trouble with these. I'm thinking that they may even be guaranteed. Not cheap - about $20, but oh so worth it!

[ChocoMare]

Here's a link to those HP buckets: http://www.cheshirehorse.com/Details...8&category=292

These are crack resistant: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...15752&cmpid=sc

[SunshineSummertime]

Dan's Flat Backs, ~$20 and your local tack shop can order them surely
indestructable

[msj]

20 yrs ago I bought the insulated buckets from County Manufacturing and have never looked back. They are still going strong.

Sometimes my horses will flip the styrofoam tops out or somehow manage to break them up into pieces but it's so infrequent that I don't mind. What I did do was go to Home Depot and get an 4' x 8' piece of styrofoam and cut out a bunch more tops. Works for me!

Only a handful of nights thru the worst and coldest of winter weather has any bucket styrofoam top actually frozen to the bucket and even then it's not hard to push down and break the ice away. Probably if I didn't leave the stall doors open 24/7 I'd be OK but the few times it happens the horses don't seem any worse for it. The only time they are actually shut in is if there is a nasty NE'er or really bad blowing and drifting.

[N&B&T]

Duraflex--but I've never been in an extremely cold climate.

Edited to add: they do hold up to frozen water no problem though!

[chai]

I like the look of those super insulated buckets. I use Fortiflex buckets which are durable. I don't like anything electrical with water and horses, so I don't use heated buckets in winter. Our barn is snug so it has to be extremely cold for the buckets to freeze.

If you are buying buckets, I do have one suggestion. Make sure they have a groove underneath where you can set your hand when you go to dump the bucket. I bought 2 buckets at Agway many years ago which are flat on the bottom. They are miserable to dump out because they slide right through the supporting hand. It's a really bad design.

[ChocoMare]

I am determined to get thermal bucket insulators this year but have been AGHASTED at the prices. But, ever the determined shopper I am, I have found ones that I can afford:

http://www.ag-co.com/store/product393.htm

Just thought I'd pass that on, in the spirit of True Enabling

[Phaxxton]

Originally Posted by ChocoMare

I am determined to get thermal bucket insulators this year but have been AGHASTED at the prices. But, ever the determined shopper I am, I have found ones that I can afford:

http://www.ag-co.com/store/product393.htm

Just thought I'd pass that on, in the spirit of True Enabling

This is great, thanks!

Not sure my barn will let me put these up, but I am going to ask since several people mentioned them now. I have one horse in an outside stall -- so this would be ideal with winter coming up.

[Phaxxton]

Originally Posted by chai

If you are buying buckets, I do have one suggestion. Make sure they have a groove underneath where you can set your hand when you go to dump the bucket. I bought 2 buckets at Agway many years ago which are flat on the bottom. They are miserable to dump out because they slide right through the supporting hand. It's a really bad design.

This is a really good point. Thanks! I wouldn't have thought of this -- probably until it's too late!

[ChocoMare]

Originally Posted by Phaxxton

This is great, thanks!

Not sure my barn will let me put these up, but I am going to ask since several people mentioned them now. I have one horse in an outside stall -- so this would be ideal with winter coming up.

Who knows. They might say "Hey, decent price....Let's put one in each stall."

It sure beats flinging frozen buckets. (I have such fond memories of doing this at Thomas'.... 35 stalls, 2 buckets per stall..... well, you do the math! .... even worse were the 2 mares that took great delight in pooping in their water buckets. Ewwwwwwwwww )

[msj]

I'll admit the insulated buckets aren't cheap but keep in mind I've had them in my barn for 20 yrs. Yes, that's twenty years!!! Just divide the ~$70/bucket by 20 and it comes out to about $3.50/yr. And I hope to get at least 10 more years if not more.

The only disadvantage in the winter is that it is recommended to dump them completely twice/day and not just keep topping them off day after day. The friggin' buckets have me so well trained that year round they get dumped twice a day.

Also, I only use the styrofoam float on the top when the temps get below ~ 25 degrees. I generally dump the buckets at daylight (whenever that is) and then about 4-5 PM.

Since my stalls open to pastures and the horses are out 24/7 (unless it's really nasty)the barn gets pretty cold and therefore the water buckets tend to skim over unless I have the styrofoam floats. Also, I do use 50% warm water and 50% well water (~50 degrees) come December thru mid March. With only 2 horses it's easy but if you have a barn full of horses, it might not be that easy.

Whatever bucket you do go with, I hope it works out well for you.