Renting pasture without water supply.... Experiences?

Spyda

Spyda

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Right, I've been offered a double shelter/stable with tack room and 3 acres in the most perfect location for me, BUT it doesn't have a water supply within the field any longer. Now, owner of field said I am more than welcome to walk down to the back of his house to access tap water BUT this would involve negotiating a good 2000 meters stretch down a very steep treacherous area of woodland which lies between the rear of his property and the bottom fenceline of the field and then back up again carry said water. In reality NOT something I could manage (I have fibromyalgia and ME).

There is a water butt collecting water behing the small stable unit but my husband (who's day job is building agricultural buildings for livestock) says the small roof area of the building would be insufficient to rely on as the sole source of water year round. He said even with extra water butts added to collect more run-offm the roof is only so big and will only render a certain amount of water regardless of hiw many butts we place around it.

So..... Any solutions to my water problem? What do others do who dont have a wate supply in their fields and are weaklings like me who arent up to lugging 25L jerry cans across 3 acre fields!!??
 
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I had a field without a water supply for years. I filled a couple of dustbins in the back of my car (not all the way to the top) and drove it out to the field. I got quite good at not spilling any in the car but it was a bit of a chore tbh. One of the fields has a rainwater collection thing which just like a roof 2ft off the ground. This keeps a trough topped up except in the hottest weather - combined with the water collected off the roof it could keep you going for all but the hottest weather.
 
Can you run a hose pipe from the owners house? You may need to connect several if the distance is a fair way, but IMHO this works well.
I'm currently using a friends field where I have this arrangement. I just connect several hoses together and the only inconvenience is getting it turned on. Maybe the owner would be happy if you texted and asked him to turn on, or if he's not there could you turn on by visiting the road route rather than the difficult hill route?
 
I spent the last year with 4 horses and no water supply. I bought loads of 25l containers, and took water from home every day ( they drank 100 litres a day give or take a few litres) I had a big trough by the gate, so it was pretty easy to hoick them out of the car and into the trough. I don't have fibro or ME though - that might be a bit of a nightmare if you don't have help.
 
I rent a field with no water.
I did use 25l water containers but as said before, 100l every day when it's hot is no fun.
We bought a trailer and fitted a 1000l IBC tank to it.
Fill it at home, tow onto the field and fill straight into trough.

You can get hold of specific water bowser on trailers from eBay or your local water company. This is much better. Water weighs a huge amount and needs a proper trailer otherwise you risk breaking the trailer whilst towing.
 
Water bowser. You just connect it up to a water trough with a ball cock to regulate the supply.

Hint - get a plastic one, not a metal one as being less attractive to thieves (metal content - yes really, we lost one, luckily they didn't leave the gate open and let the cattle out.
 
I have water in the top field where I am now but not in the bottom one. I find even lugging water across 5 acres for 3 horses a pain. So time consuming as you can only push so many containers down at once. I am moving the horses closer to home this week and the owner of the new field is having mains water put in. Is this a possibility? Where I am now I bought loads of 50m hoses in the end and connected them all up. Saved so much time and effort. In the winter it did freeze a few times though.
 
either a water bowser of some sort or see if you can get permission for a deep hole/well to be dug and have a nose operated water pump for the horses to drink and then use the rainwater for other uses
 
I used to have this arrangement, I hired an huge mobile white square butt thing on wheels from our local farmer. He would fill it up every week or two didn't cost too much either
 
I did/do. I had a massive, tractor towed bowser at one place which was fine although tap/hose froze easily. One of the paddocks I rent currently doesn't have water either-its not in constant use but it is a pain taking 25l water containers. You also need to be careful if you just have a standard car as water is heavy and doesn't do your standard hatchback a lot of good. An IBC water container that someone could fill for you (farmer etc) would be good-preferably two so you are not waiting on supply.
 
You say it doesn't have a water supply any longer. Does that mean it did once? In that case are the pipes still there? You might be able to get water without too much cost if they are. It might also be worth checking if there is a well nearby. If the fields are old the farmer must have been able to get water to his animals somehow.
 
Thanks to all who have replied. Just got home and am knackered so will read theough everyones' comments tomorrow when I more awake.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone.
 
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