water troughs - plastic vs galvanised steel, which is better?

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My lovely big (very old) galvanized steel water trough has rusted through this winter, so I'm having to make do with trugs and smaller troughs at the moment.
I'm looking to replace it ASAP. I'm wanting something about 6ft long so it can go between two fields. Also great if its not too heavy so it can be moved to the field edge at the end of the winter.

I was thinking about plastic, but does it go brittle when the water gets icy? Or should I stick with the trusty galvanized steel? pros? cons?

Thanks!!
(Also, ltns :) )
 
I had a plastic one, I think the corners on metal ones can be a bit dangerous if there's any crowding at the trough.
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I replaced all my metal ones with plastic ones as my neighbours horse broke its leg kicking against a metal one. I installed 7 plastic ones and they have all lasted over 20 years. I bought them direct from Paxton who make several different models. I also put an in-line plastic stop cock on each of them so that I can turn each one off and clean them out. Here is the link: https://paxtonagri.com/product-category/equine/water-troughs/
 
I have both. If I was buying again I would have plastic. My 'permanent' plastic trough has been is use 12 years and is still going strong, I inherited my galvanised steel troughs
 
I originally had 240 litre plastic troughs but have moved to 6 ft galvanised ones.

I would advise not to go plastic if you have horses like mine who would make a game of picking the trough up with teeth and play tug with it, you too will end up with flooded field and a water geyser.

This could just be my Draft hooligans though.

I will say the trough didn't break just the water pipe.
 
Definitely plastic. When I was at livery my Dales enjoyed knocking on the 100 gallon galvanised trough with his hoof for attention. It made a satisfying bonging noise across the valley until he put his hoof through it. Here in Ireland during lockdown the only double trough I could buy was made of steel encased in concrete. It is very heavy. In fact we had to hire a caterpillar telehandler machine to get it in position. Then I noticed there was no bung and phoned the supplier. They don’t come with a bung, just jamb a stick in the drainage hole. WTF I thought. I’m into this for the cost of the damn trough, transport, two men x half a day‘s labour each and a giant machine, there’s no way I’m using a stick as a bung. I used an antique silver champagne cork until I found the perfect bung at Mr Price. It’s a silicone bottle stopper with a sunflower on top. I bought nine but I’m still on the first one. Stick be damned.
 
I was about to ask a similar question so thank you. The old cast iron bath in one of my fields is cracked beyond repair. The adjoining field doesn’t currently have water running to it as there’s a stream at the bottom of the field. However I’d like to replace the current bath with a double trough that can go either side of the boundary hedge - any recommendations for good double troughs please?
 
Quigleyandme said:
Definitely plastic. When I was at livery my Dales enjoyed knocking on the 100 gallon galvanised trough with his hoof for attention. It made a satisfying bonging noise across the valley until he put his hoof through it. Here in Ireland during lockdown the only double trough I could buy was made of steel encased in concrete. It is very heavy. In fact we had to hire a caterpillar telehandler machine to get it in position. Then I noticed there was no bung and phoned the supplier. They don’t come with a bung, just jamb a stick in the drainage hole. WTF I thought. I’m into this for the cost of the damn trough, transport, two men x half a day‘s labour each and a giant machine, there’s no way I’m using a stick as a bung. I used an antique silver champagne cork until I found the perfect bung at Mr Price. It’s a silicone bottle stopper with a sunflower on top. I bought nine but I’m still on the first one. Stick be damned.
Click to expand...

???
 
Muddy unicorn said:
I was about to ask a similar question so thank you. The old cast iron bath in one of my fields is cracked beyond repair. The adjoining field doesn’t currently have water running to it as there’s a stream at the bottom of the field. However I’d like to replace the current bath with a double trough that can go either side of the boundary hedge - any recommendations for good double troughs please?
Click to expand...
Again plasters baths. We have ours between 2 paddocks. Works perfectly.
 
PeterNatt said:
Esmae! Why not buy a 'Ram Pump' which only requires the water from a stream to make it pump water from the stream. You could then then attach it to a plastic water trough and no more filling it up by hand.
Click to expand...

I fill nothing by hand. I have an integrated system of hosepipes that click and unclick which takes water to all troughs all over the place. It was Muddy Unicorn who was talking of streams. We have a stream at the bottom of our land but there is no way that I would use it for livestock as it takes the outflow from the local sewage works. Our water comes from the mains.
 
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