Leave broken bits of ice in the outside automatic troughs or remove?

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Penks

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We have automatic water troughs in the field and have been breaking the ice in them at least daily.

Depending on who does it though there seems to be a difference of opinion as to whether to remove the broken bits of ice from the trough or to leave them in.

I would have though that leaving them in would cause the water to re-freeze faster and the edges of the floating/submerged broken ice could cause cuts on the horses when they drink.

Others have said that it makes no difference to how quickly it re-freezes if you leave it in and that its good to leave it in as will melt into the trough again therefore refill the trough (although the pipes to the trough have never frozen whilst Ive been there so it fills itself up???)

So I was wondering what you guys all did? Leave the broken ice in or scoop it out ?
 
I tend to break the ice on one end and put it on top of the ice down the other... I guess as long as the ice gets broken you should be happy....

I don't think there's that much danger of horses injuring themselves on the shards of ice are there??? Particularly if they are floating...
 
I take them out - using the same logic about it making the water colder and therefore quicker to re-freeze.

No idea if it works, but it makes sense to me...
 
I take it out too, I use a metal collinder (sp?) to break it and scoop it out. I notice the bits freeze back together if you don't, so the next lot of ice you break is uneven and lumpy, so don't agree with it melting in the water bit. I also think it means there is more thickness of ice to break next time. I'm not sure that it makes much difference to the temp whether in or out, as the water cools down very quickly anyway.
 
Thanks guys!
I know it's not a massive issue but you've no idea the amount of em "spirited debate" this subject seems to cause for some reason :D
 
I leave it in, but then I don't have any mains water, so it's a precious commodity. I pour water from a container over the icy bits, which thaws quite a bit of it.
 
I break it take it out and throw it over the fence out the field i'm of the feeling that if i leave it in it will re-freeze quick plus i'm scared of them cutting themselfs i also throw it outside the fence incase there legs get alittle close and might get cut.
 
I take the ice out every time I break it. Means I never have more that 1" of ice to break. My neighbour doesn't remove hers and has a slab of 2-3" ice in her trug.
 
I take all the ice out of ours - I make sure there aren't any bits left in because I've heard some nasty stories about horses cutting their faces on sharp ice so it's left me paranoid! x
 
I never used to, but now I leave the ice in. I don't think it makes any difference, after years of picking ice out and having a colander up there to get out the really fine pieces that could cut me or presumably a horse.

When it is REALLY cold (eg the water pipes have frozen so you are filling manually), then I just break the ice in one place and make an ice hole. That is a good insulation system and as long as you leave a gap between the water and the ice, is really good at stopping the water freezing over.
 
When the ice freezes I remove it, I have several water buckets and on the go and the ones filled with completely fresh water don't freeze as quickly as the ones with ice left in. I also keep an empty bucket and chuck the ice in there which I can then use when it starts to thaw as it's sometimes a while before the water supply is running again.
 
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