The beauty of having a large water trough in your pastures is that you shouldn’t need to fill it every day. Depending on the size of the trough, it is most often a once-a-week chore.
Horses should have access to clean water year-round; however, as temperatures rise, keeping the trough clean becomes more challenging due to the growth of algae. Frequent cleaning is vital to keep the water fresh and inviting, especially if you use plastic tanks.
Frequency
Weekly checks of your water troughs and automatic waterers will help you keep on top of the growth of any algae and keep your horse healthy. While a little bit of algae isn't a big issue, it can start to multiply quickly, thus making the water unappealing, or worse. Disease threats can lurk in troughs if they aren’t cleaned frequently, such as botulism.
Tools Needed:
- Water hose
- Scrub brush
- Small bucket
- Dawn Dish Soap
- Bleach solution (1 part unscented bleach to 9 parts water)
Steps:
- Dump any leftover water from the trough.
- Using a bucket, add water and a small amount of Dawn Dish Soap. Then pour the mixture into the trough.
- Scrub the inside of the trough using the scrub brush.
- Dump and rinse the trough.
- Using the same bucket (empty from the soapy water), create the bleach solution and then pour it into the trough.
- Using your scrub brush, swish the solution around to cover the inside of the trough, then dump out the solution. (Use caution during this step as the solution could bleach clothing and irritate skin.)
- Thoroughly rinse the trough twice with clean water to remove any leftover soap or bleach solution.
- Let the trough sit in the sun to dry out and to allow the chlorine (bleach) time to dissipate for one to two hours.
- Refill with fresh water.
Keeping Troughs Clean
There are a few options that horse owners can use to try to keep a water trough cleaner longer:
GOLDFISH - One outside-the-box idea is to use goldfish or koi in the water trough to help control algae growth and mosquito larvae. Some experts believe that using fish in larger water tanks (which may be too difficult to clean often) may be helpful during the warmer months in most of the United States. However, you will have to find a new home for the fish during the winter months if the temperatures drop.
The University of Minnesota performed a study, which was published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, on using goldfish as a management method to maintain clean water quality in water troughs. The study did not conclusively recommend the use of goldfish, saying that goldfish did not improve the water quality, however, they may reduce the amount of total dissolved solids.
METAL VS PLASTIC - The study also compared the use of metal troughs versus plastic troughs, citing that metal tanks had lower turbidity (the cloudiness or haziness of a liquid, so it measures the amount of suspended particles in the water) and chlorophyll than plastic tanks. The study showed that metal water troughs promoted a higher water quality for an extended period of time over plastic troughs. The study cited that this could be due to rough plastics being harder to clean.
SUNLIGHT - Location can either help or hinder your battle against algae. Having your water trough located out of direct sunlight will help not only keep the water at a cooler temperature but can also help slow algae growth.
BARLEY STRAW - One last all-natural way to slow algae growth is by using barley straw. A study conducted by Pennsylvania State University found that placing a bundle of barley straw in a water trough before algae begins to form, and ensuring it is exposed to sunlight, can help prevent algae growth. If you’re already seeing algae in your tank, follow the steps above to completely clean the tank, then you can either purchase a premade bundle of barley straw from your local pond supply or farm store or create your own. (Do not add the barley straw to a tank that has fish, as the straw can deoxygenate the water, which can kill the fish.)
COPPER - A Tough1 fan on social media shared this tip about using a copper pipe: "I have a 100 gallon Rubbermaid trough for my horses. It is under a shelter but gets hit with afternoon sun and I have to dump and scrub every five days because of the slimy algae buildup," says Janie Shower. "Three days ago I scrubbed it clean and put a three-foot piece of 1" copper pipe at the bottom after one of my vets told me copper is an effective algaecide that inhibits algae growth and it is working for her. So I am experimenting with it and hope it will keep my horses' water clean and algae free. I will still use my little aquarium fish net every day to scoop out the bits of grass and hay that always end up in the water."
Janie reports that her trough is still clean, one week later. According to TheHorse.com, experts do not recommend using copper if you have sheep drinking from the trough, as it can be very toxic to sheep. However, copper is not toxic to horses, cattle or dogs. You can add zinc sulfate or copper sulfate to the water. (We do recommend discussing this with your veterinarian before experimenting.)
Keeping your water trough clean isn't guaranteed to solve the age-old question, "you can lead a horse to water, but can't make them drink", but keeping fresh, clean water available for your horse will keep them staying healthy and happy all summer long.
