Outdoor horses. Icy troughs - solution?

A horse-friendly design - designed so that it firstly can be used in the field without mains power and secondly horses can't play with. Thermostat controlled so it goes on and off depending on temperature
 
There is an insulated double trough that supplies 2 of the fields here expensive but long term they will be worth it. a football in the water will save the whole of the top from freezing for most of the UK so whatever you are looking to produce would need to be fairly inexpensive.
 
It's not just equine, also agricultural & in large troughs balls just freeze in the water or animals chuck it out (in my case and personal experience). In Europe the response has been overwhelming, with people in really cold Countries sending me emails asking to let them know as soon as it's on the market. It will not be a cheap product but I think those that it would benefit, would be willing to pay! A bit more reliable and technical than a ball
 
Good luck with your project. I will stick with my heated tanks , buckets and in tank heaters though, as I already have them in place.
 
When I visited a trade fair in europe they had very simple ways to stop pump troughs freezing and they also seem to have a much bigger range of products to stop pipes and drinkers freezing so if I was going to buy I would be comparing with what I could get from there. Heat tape will stop an outside tap and the pipe to it freezing and what looked like a small oil lamp in an insulated box will give enough heat to stop the pipe and valve freezing for a field trough hence I would not be looking to pay a lot when there are already a good few methods available. good luck with whatever it is you are developing though :)
 
crabbymare said:
When I visited a trade fair in europe they had very simple ways to stop pump troughs freezing and they also seem to have a much bigger range of products to stop pipes and drinkers freezing so if I was going to buy I would be comparing with what I could get from there. Heat tape will stop an outside tap and the pipe to it freezing and what looked like a small oil lamp in an insulated box will give enough heat to stop the pipe and valve freezing for a field trough hence I would not be looking to pay a lot when there are already a good few methods available. good luck with whatever it is you are developing though :)
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Indeed, thanks, I'll have a look at those. I know most farmers I've talked to have said it's be perfect because they have about 6 hose lengths between the trough and the nearest tap. Mine at my yard is (grazing only, no stables) so my trough is in the middle of nowhere (hence the idea).
 
Another solution is to take on a rescued, streetwise, self-sufficient gypsy cob mare! They will stamp on the ice to make a hole through! Could be a problem in a hot summer though as mine used to try to climb into the bath!
 
Caseymyboy said:
Indeed, thanks, I'll have a look at those. I know most farmers I've talked to have said it's be perfect because they have about 6 hose lengths between the trough and the nearest tap. Mine at my yard is (grazing only, no stables) so my trough is in the middle of nowhere (hence the idea).
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So, would your 'device' (for want of a better word) stop the hose pipes freezing too? Or would water have to be drained from the pipes? Unless of course the pipes are buried under the frost lines. It is such a pain having to drain and store pipes so I can sympathise with that dilemma.
 
Enfys said:
So, would your 'device' (for want of a better word) stop the hose pipes freezing too? Or would water have to be drained from the pipes? Unless of course the pipes are buried under the frost lines. It is such a pain having to drain and store pipes so I can sympathise with that dilemma.
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Unfortunately not keeping the hose from being frozen but I'm actually testing it at the moment in this icy weather and because I'm not taking out the ice from the trough everyday (because there is none), I've not had to refill it yet
 
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