Breaking ice in troughs, top tip:

[kerilli]

Courtesy of my boyf... I was still doing it the hard way, with a hammer, risking blinding by flying ice shards. So, the new improved version is:
use a wooden fence post or similar, dropped vertically. even really thick ice smashes easily.
then i use a metal sieve to take all the ice pieces out so it takes longer to freeze again...

 

[irishdraught]

Tis easier if the bottom of the post is pointed too

I have been using this method with success. Good idea about the sieve, hadn't thought of that one.

 

[D66]

I use the metal handle end of a shavings fork, then turn it round and use the tines to "sieve' out the larger bits of ice. Oh what fun we do have!

 

[Luci07]

Wish I had read this before removing ice from my stabled horses buckets last night..

 

[kirstyhen]

I've been doing it this way, not because I knew it was the way to do it, but because there just happens to be a big pile of them next the the side of the field the trough is on (obviously not IN the field!)
Sieve is a good idea though, hadn't thought of that! I've been using my centrally heated hands, they don't seem to get cold! However today it is so cold I couldn't even face taking my gloves off!

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

have been using metal shovel to break it, then sieve to remove bits, 3 times a day.....cant believe how quick it freezes again!

 

[stencilface]

I'm not even bothering to do it, just keep putting buckets of water out for them. Keeps the ponies happy as the hay and water are next to each other, so they don't have to walk across the field each time they're thirsty

I found a good way was to light a fire underneath the trough, as warms the whole things up - requires a metal trough obviously

Luckily we have a field drain that was still running this evening, as taps frozen, so filled all water containers this afternoon in case it freezes tonight

 

[rowy]

i just pick the bucket up and then lift and drop. usually works though sometimes splits the bucket :S
Have been putting an apple in their stable waters and this stops them freezing over completely. Cant believe how thick the ice is each morning though! the other day it was about 4 inches!

 

[pinktiger]

I tried everything this morning!!! Hammer, then sledge hammer, then end of plastic fencing pole to make just a tiny little hole not a chance, then jumped on myself,,,, jumped up and down,,, up and down and so on and so on (is half round plastic barrel, as trough froze weeks ago and was unusable)!! In the end i wrestled it on its side and out popped a complete solid barrel shaped lump of ice no melted water in it at all!!! Off i popped to gather small black buckets and put them out there, felt like i'd ran 20 miles who knew breaking ice would be sooo exhausting!!!!!!

 

[Bella3puff]

Courtesy of my boyf... I was still doing it the hard way, with a hammer, risking blinding by flying ice shards. So, the new improved version is:
use a wooden fence post or similar, dropped vertically. even really thick ice smashes easily.
then i use a metal sieve to take all the ice pieces out so it takes longer to freeze again...

I'm doing it with a wooden post too! I put 6 bottles of hot water to top it up and break all ice with a post.

 

[CrazyMare]

I think I'm giving up getting to the field...My unshod baby pony is feeling her feet a little on the hard ground - shes sound on concrete so nothing serious, shes just not very happy in the field as the track is very rutted.

I put my stable tubtrugs inside plastic feed sacks stuffed with a straw pillow at the bottome and around the edges.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I've been doing it with a brick; fine until you realise you're standing on a bit of slippy ice and brick hits the ice and goes straight through, and I very nearly went arse over tip through the ice after the brick!

Will look for a fence post or similar object tomorrow morning; defo safer!

 

[Fahrenheit]

My tanks aren't refilling so its containering out to the field for me... took me 5 hours to water everyone today

The one tank that is still filling i use a piece of 4x2 to bash a hole in the ice, always in the same place.

 

[JessPickle]

My yard have found an ingenius way. Works on double sided drinkers, put a square of rubber matting on one side of it. Then in the morning the ice is only very thin

 

[stencilface]

I think I'm giving up getting to the field...My unshod baby pony is feeling her feet a little on the hard ground - shes sound on concrete so nothing serious, shes just not very happy in the field as the track is very rutted.

Our old TB is like this at the moment. He has been having Boa boots on his front feet during the day to help him a little. I did worry about them making him slip more, but as he is older, and not silly he seems to be fine so far

 

[mystiandsunny]

Hammer ok if you shut your eyes when you hit - and the ice is at least an inch thick! The trough is getting quite dirty now though, as OH's pony breaks the ice with her hoof - the one she's been using to dig for grass usually!

 

[wizoz]

Courtesy of my boyf... I was still doing it the hard way, with a hammer, risking blinding by flying ice shards. So, the new improved version is:
use a wooden fence post or similar, dropped vertically. even really thick ice smashes easily.
then i use a metal sieve to take all the ice pieces out so it takes longer to freeze again...

Well I used a pick axe and pulled 3 inch thick pieces out with bare hands!! I tell you what though, my hands were toasty and warm once dried and back in my gloves, it made the blood race to the end of my fingers

 

[SophieLouBee]

Wizoz!

pickaxe is the way forward, I found one in the shed!

Works beautifully (especially when my other half like to flex his muscles )

Not too keen on grabbing the chunks of ice out of the tank, which I was doing until i read the latest H&H, winter tips for yard owners! using a sieve to get out the ice. Why had I never thought of this!

 

[NeilM]

I use a fireman's axe to break the ice, it allows me to cut around the edge of the trough and lift the ice out in big bits.

Trouble is, at present the water is full of ice crystals, making the whole trough like an ice soup. I wish I'd thought of using a sieve to remove the ice, I've been scooping it out with my hands.....did the same thing last year....and in January when it snowed and was freezing for a fortnight....DOH!

 

[jenbleep]

even really thick ice smashes easily.
then i use a metal sieve to take all the ice pieces out so it takes longer to freeze again...

brilliant! I use my hands, and risk frostbite and sliced fingers...!

I normally just kick the ice in It was about an inch thick a couple of weeks ago!

 

[JVB]

A pitchfork works well on troughs too, the holes weaken it all and when its broken you can use the fork to lift out the big pieces of ice, also gives good leverage on really solid stubborn ice

 

[Chloe_GHE]

AXE + SUNGLASSES = stylish and effective

 

[Kenzo]

I've been using the handle end of my pitch folk (wooden) and giving it a good old bashing with that every morning and then using the folk end to siv the peice of broken ice out with, although not easy when you have a horse breathing down your neck, I thought I had vibration white frozen finger after this mornings effort, certainly warms you up however and my folk is still in once piece.

Not great getting splashed in the face at -11 or on your jods, they tend to freeze onto your leg for the remaining day.

 

[joyrider]

Have done the fence post trick - ok until the ice was so thick it broke the point off!! Now using a heavy shovel to break and remove large sections of ice followed by sieve to remove smaller bits. Don't know whether it's just me though, seem to find it becomes a bit obsessive like poo picking - got to remove every last bit!!!

 

[Sooty]

Courtesy of my boyf... I was still doing it the hard way, with a hammer, risking blinding by flying ice shards. So, the new improved version is:
use a wooden fence post or similar, dropped vertically. even really thick ice smashes easily.
then i use a metal sieve to take all the ice pieces out so it takes longer to freeze again...

You have the best ideas! I still love you for the shower cap

 

[Bertthefrog]

And there was me thinking you were going to suggest WD40.....

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

i just gently drop the sledge hammer a couple of times then use the collander to get the lums out! no spray, no effort at all

 

[kerilli]

ha, i'd forgotten the shower cap!
btw, if you use the top of a fence post, the flat bit, it breaks the ice just as well and doesn't risk breaking the point off...
I can't believe someone got Letter of the Week in H&H for the sieve trick, huh.

 

[kerilli]

just in case anyone wants to see me, my daft attire, my even dafter voice (gosh I hope I don't really sound like that?!) and the method in all its wonderfulness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiBUjdL1uRI
it's amazing how bored we got with no possibility of working the horses...

 

[ArcticFox]

Love the you tube video!