Drinker problems

[fernando]

I have recently bought a house with 2 stables, and brought my 17yo home to speak, but since we moved here he won't go near the water drinker in his stable!!!!

I have thoroughly cleaned it out, drained all the water in the pipes, repeatedly and still he won't go near it.

I don't want to leave him with out a bucket of water in case he won't go near it and get dehydrated.

Please, any suggestions to make the drinker more enticing?

 

[gina2201]

Put an apple in it? Or something similar?

 

[fernando]

I thought of that earlier, so I have a row of polo's around it (he's addicted to them) and I have two apples floating. I think i'll head out and check if they are gone!!!

 

[fernando]

ok, apples proved to be resistable, nearly three hours after feeding time and no go.

Help!!!!

 

[Breezesbenefactor]

Are you on mains water or do you have a private bore hole, is there a water softener - alternatively will he drink water when put in a field?

 

[fernando]

its mains water, and he drinks it from a bucket when we fill it from the tap around the corner from his stable

 

[Irishcobs]

How big is the drinker? I know a horse that won't use one as he has a big nose and doesn't like touching the edge with his whiskers.

 

[fernando]

its a big concrete one well big enough for him

 

[michaeljarmuz]

Gosh well what I'd do is tie him up neer it when your grooming him to get him neer it and also.
show him youre hand and get some water on it and just wet his nose so he knows its there etc and gets used to it

 

[piebaldsparkle]

What about putting some peppermint cordial in the drinker (better try the cordial in the bucket 1st to check he likes it). If possible turn the mains off to the drinker, so you know if he has drunk from it.

 

[Skhosu]

Leave him for a few hours with just the drinker? Turning off the mains so you can see if he's drunk?

 

[fernando]

thanks for those suggestions guys, time to go excavating for the water valve!!!!

 

[RobinHood]

How about tieing the ball cock up so it can't refil (I jam scissors under mine) and take the plug out so it empties and then use it a feed manger. Maybe once he's eaten feed out of it he'll be happy to drink out of it.