Water is absolutely crucial to the well being of horses and livestock. Due to this, it should always be a priority to provide fresh, clean water to your animals year-round to promote water intake. The Drinking Post has benefits unique to frost-free yard hydrants and is considered to be one of the best automatic horse waterers, but is also suitable for other animals such as sheep, goat, llama, and even dogs!
Major Updates
- Stainless steel axle on an updated activation paddle
- Paddle much thicker and stronger
- Set Screw on paddle to adjust / remove pressure on the rod
- “Snow fin” under paddle to enhance performance during snowy / slushy conditions
- Built in / removable training paddle attachment
- Increased durability of most major parts, including: paddle, hinge caps, bowl, and valve
- Metal threads for paddle in bowl with very large bolts holding humongous hinge caps to secure the paddle
- Fully service-able valve
- Scallops around outside edge of bowl to mitigate overflow
Frost-Free Automatic Waterer Benefits
No Standing Water
If you’ve been around a farm that uses troughs then you’ve likely seen them contaminated with a multitude of things every day—bird feces, algae, and even sometimes dead animals. Stagnant water is not only unhealthy (and potentially toxic—blue-green algae), it discourages water intake.
With the Drinking Post, standing water is never an issue since it doesn’t exist when the horse waterer isn’t in use.
No Electricity
Any type of container that uses a heater to keep it free of ice in the colder months has some degree of danger associated with it due to horses, well, just being horses. The Drinking Post is a great alternative to this potentially hazardous option.
Electric waterers and electric heaters have constant hydro expenses attached to them. Frost-free waterers mean reasonable hydro bills, access to water during power outages, and no risk of electric shock or fire.
Other Benefits
- Indoor and outdoor watering applications
- Very simple and easy to maintain—only three moving part
- Water bowl, paddle and filter are easily cleaned
- Constant cool, fresh water at 10 degrees Celsius or 50 degrees Fahrenheit
- Takes only 8-10 seconds to fill
- Takes 35-45 seconds to drain
- Outside sleeve is made from same material as industrial sewer pipe
- 3/16″ stainless steel rod activating mechanism—solid 1/2″ CPVC custom fit water lines (vs flex lines and hose clamps)
- Strong 8″ protective sleeve with 1/4″ wall thickness provides high resistance to impact damage while at the same time affording the ability to yield under load pressure without fracturing
- Stainless steel fasteners utilized exclusively throughout—poly valve housing material is strong and resilient to ensure decades of maintenance-free operation
How It Works
If you know how a frost-free yard hydrant works, then you already have a grasp on the concept of how the Drinking Post works. It’s built and installed in a way that requires no auxiliary heat. The main component is a stop-and-drain valve located below the frost line. The animal simply presses its nose to the paddle and the bowl fills with water. Livestock paddles are available for use with cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, and dogs. When the animal has finished drinking, the leftover water drains below the frost line. Install the Drinking Post anywhere there is a 25-65 PSI pressurized water line.
Installation Tips
- 18-24″ below the frost line is ideal, so an 8’ post can sit 2.5″ out of the ground in Eastern Ontario
- Alberta and Northern Ontario should use a 10’ Drinking Post
The Drinking Post is the original non-electric frost-free horse waterer. Field tested and proven for 35 years, this waterer will save you time, money, and provide your animals with clean, fresh water year-round.
Resources
- Drinking Post Installation Instructions
- Drinking Post Training Instructions
- Drinking Post Bowl Replacement Instructions
- Drinking Post Valve Housing Replacement Instructions
- Drinking Post Removing Post from Waterline Instructions
- Drinking Post Winterizing Instructions
- Legacy vs. Ultimate Comparison Chart
