Five Reasons to Install an Automatic Waterer

Eliminate Winter Chores

With a heated automatic horse waterer from Nelson Manufacturing, there is no need to worry about constantly defrosting or refilling your horses’ water tank. When cold weather hits, an automatic waterer is the perfect solution to eliminating cold winter chores. With an automatic waterer, you’ll avoid frozen water tanks and the fear of dehydration, because warm, clean water is always accessible.

 

No More Carrying Buckets

Carrying buckets of water back and forth to the stall or pasture is time consuming and tedious work. With an automatic waterer, you can eliminate the need to carry buckets of water while horses enjoy fresh, clean water daily. While buckets of water are a good way to monitor and track your horses water consumption, Nelson Automatic Horse Waterers are available with a water consumption indicator that tracks how much water is drank from the constantly refilled tank.

 

Perfect Temperature, No Matter the Season

Automatic Horse Waters are connected to main water lines below the ground. This allows water to stay cool in the summer months. Automatic waterers equipped with heaters keep water defrosted and warm for drinking during cold temperatures. Unlike traditional water troughs, horses won’t avoid drinking or become dehydrated because of too warm or frozen water.

 

A Variety of Mounting Options

When deciding where to place an automatic waterer, Nelson Manufacturing has more multiple models designed to fit a variety of stable and pasture needs. From wall-mounted models, to freestanding models for the pasture, Nelson Manufacturing can help you choose the model that best suits your horses’ needs.

 

Clean, Fresh Water Every Day

Without daily cleaning or refreshing water, Nelson Automatic Waterers provide horses with clean water each and every day. An automatic waterer also keeps horses healthy as they avoid mold and algae build-up in water troughs.  Nelson Automatic Waterers are equipped with a removable bowl for easy cleaning.

 

For more information about a Nelson Automatic Horse Waterer, contact our sales team here or by phone at 888-844-6606. You can also request a quote here.

Automatic Livestock Waterers: Preparing for Winter

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Water is the most essential nutrient for livestock. In the summer time, troughs need cleaned and refilled every day. During the winter months ice in watering troughs needs broken up one to two times each day. Not to mention countless trips to and from the pasture to check livestock’s water supply to lessen the fear that the animals may or may not have clean, fresh water to drink.

 

This year, forget braving winter cold and storms to water your livestock. Enjoy your summer days without bothersome watering chores. Nelson Automatic Waterers are the perfect solution to empty or frozen water troughs around the farm.

 

A variety of mounting options allows Nelson automatic livestock waterers to work well in both stalls and pastures. The waterers are made of stainless steel and have a removable drinking bowl for easy cleaning when needed. All livestock models are available with an optional heater kit making the waterers a great investment prior to winter months. Heating options are thermostatically controlled and provide freeze protection even in the coldest climates. To ensure you’re completely happy with your heated automatic waterer all waterers include a one year warranty whine the energy efficient heaters and thermostats feature a three-year warranty.

 

When you contact Nelson Manufacturing, we will assist you in choosing from eight different models of automatic livestock waterers. We are happy to instruct on installation, maintenance, and suggest a variety of accessories to make mounting or installing your waterer easy.

 

If you’re ready to transition from tedious watering chores to a worry free watering system for your livestock, request a quote here or contact Nelson Manufacturing at (888) 844-6606.

Do Horses Get Allergies?

 

Horse Allergies

Just like humans, horses are susceptible to allergies during all seasons of the year. Dust, mold, pollen are common triggers of allergies in horses. Food, vaccinations, and medicines can also cause horses to have allergic reactions. With fall harvest and a change of season approaching, it’s important to understand the causes and treatments for different types of allergies your horse could develop.

 

Skin Allergies

Insect bites are a common cause of allergic reactions to horses apparent on their skin. This type of allergic reaction is known as insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) or ‘sweet itch’.   IBH can result in hives, hair loss, and scabbing if not diagnosed properly. Because insect bites are common during this time of year, consult your equine veterinarian for the best method of treatment if you notice your horse’s skin is irritated.

 

Respiratory Allergies

Dust, pollen, and mold can cause respiratory disease or heaves in horses if left undiagnosed. Heaves trigger coughing and resistance to exercise, similar to asthma in humans. Keeping horses in an outdoor area, as opposed to a dusty, dry are can reduce the risk of respiratory allergies caused by dust. To eliminate your horse’s risk of developing an allergic reaction to mold, do not allow large amounts of hay or grass to accumulate in a stall/barn that the horse frequents. If you notice heavy breathing or unusual breath in your horse, ensure they receive plenty of fresh air free from the trigger of dust or mold. Alfalfa can also be a cause of respiratory issues in horses.

 

Pollen is more difficult to avoid as it airborne. This type of allergy is often brought on by the change of seasons. If you notice your horse shaking his/her head, sneezing, or coughing it could be a result of a allergies brought on by pollen in the air. Seek your veterinarian for treatment options.

 

Allergies to Medications

Certain drugs and vaccines can cause horses to go into anaphylactic shock. This very severe allergic reaction causes a horse’s blood pressure to drop dramatically. Although rare, and preventable, anaphylactic shock causes lungs internally to swell and can result in death. Your veterinarian will know to watch for this when giving your horse medicine or vaccines, however as a horse owner it is important to know and understand the condition.

 

 

Conclusion

It is common for horses to suffer allergies on occasion. In most cases, horses are able to recover with no complicated issues. Continue to feed your horse properly and ensure they are drinking plenty of water. Automatic horse waterers are a great way to ensure your horse has constant access to fresh, clean water. Nelson Manufacturing is the leading manufacturer of automatic horse waters. To learn more or request a quote visit our website or call 800-844-6606.

 

 

5 Tips to Help Your Horse Drink More Water | Automatic Waterers

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The average adult horse’s body contains approximately 70% water. For the average 1,000 lb. horse, roughly 700 lbs. is made up of water. A horse this size can drink anywhere from five to twenty or more gallons of water per day depending on a variety of factors. Factors that affect water consumption of a horse include; weather, age, health, amount of exercise, and workload. Below are tips to you’re your horse avoid dehydration and to encourage drinking more water.

 

1. Always keep clean water at the stable. Horses can be finicky in terms of the cleanliness of their water source. Because horses have a tendency to drag hay or foliage through or play in their drinking water, buckets and tanks can collect dirt and debris quickly. To ensure your horse always has clean water, check and clean water sources daily. When refilling water buckets, empty old water completely before adding new. This will help keep water completely clean.

 

In addition to adding fresh new water each day, be sure to clean the bucket or tank weekly to prevent dirt or mildew build up in the water source. If the tank is not scrubbed and cleaned often, a dirty container may cause your horse to get sick or avoid drinking water.

 

Carrying buckets of fresh water to your horse’s water source each day and weekly cleaning can be time consuming. Automatic horse waterers from Nelson Manufacturing are the perfect solution to aid watering chores. Automatic horse waterers provide fresh, clean water to horses at the right temperature everyday.

 

2. Consider temperature of water. All horses prefer different temperatures of water and will drink different amounts depending on the temperature. Avoid extremely hot or cold water. If water is too warm to drink or frozen, horses will not drink. Water at a temperature between 50-70 degrees is normally best for most horses.

Nelson automatic horse waterers regulate the temperature of horse’s water to keep water warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

 

3. Use a salt block or loose salt in food. Salt is extremely important to the water retention and muscle contraction of a horse. It also encourages horses to drink more water. Horses are able to regulate on their own the amount of salt they need, so it is important to provide loose or block salt to your horse at all times.

If your horse is not drinking enough water, salt can be added directly to food to encourage drinking.

 

4. Travel with a bucket from home. Horses may not drink water from a source they are not accustomed to. If you have the option to bring your own water to a race or event, it may be the best way to keep your horse drinking. This can be difficult however, so to encourage drinking, simply put water while traveling in a bucket or container that the horse recognizes as his or her own.

If a horse is resistant to drinking while traveling because the water tastes or smells different, experiment with flavored water. Weeks before traveling, experiment with flavors to learn what your horse prefers. Some suggest Gatorade, apple juice, or sugar-free Kool-Aid packets to mask the different taste of water away from home.

 

5. Encourage water during and after exercise. If your horse stops for water, allow him or her to drink. Especially in warm temperatures, provide your horse with adequate amounts of water during and after exercise to avoid dehydration.

Although horses have a tendency to not drink enough water, horses will rarely overdrink. Allow your horse to drink plenty, without the fear of overdrinking after exercise.

 

Dehydration is a dangerous issue for horses. Be sure to follow proper watering practices to ensure your horse gets enough water each day. For more information about providing your horses fresh, clean water with automatic waterers, contact Nelson Manufacturing here or request a quote here.

Hot Weather Horse Care Tips

Warm summer months can cause health issues for horses. Heat stoke, exhaustion, sunburn and dehydration are all conditions brought on by harsh summer temperatures. Hot Weather Horse Care Tips tips below are helpful to keeping your horse cool and healthy this summer.

 

Provide Shade- To avoid sunburn and heat exhaustion, ensure that your horse has constant access to shade. Trees provide shade, but not at all hours of the day. Give your horses access to a banter or barn opening to help keep them cool and out of the harsh summer sun.

 

Provide Fresh, Clean Water- During the summer months, horses may not drink from buckets or troughs of water if it is warm or filled with bugs/debris. Water troughs and buckets need to be replenished constantly during hot summer months to keep your horse properly hydrated. This can be a major chore for horse owners who do not have time to constantly fill water buckets. Automatic horse waterers from Nelson Manufacturing provide a great solution to constantly refilling water buckets. An automatic horse waterer provides fresh, cool water to horse at all hours of the day. There is no need to refill or clean automatic horse waterers everyday, as they constantly provide fresh clean water to your horses. If your horses would benefit from an automatic horse waterer, contact Nelson Manufacturing today at (319) 363-2607 or request a quote here.

 

Provide Electrolytes- Horses and humans alike lose electrolytes when sweating. When horses are uninterested in drinking water, provide a salt block or form of electrolytes to encourage drinking water and replenish lost electrolytes.

 

Turnout and Exercise in the AM and PM- Avoid heavy exercise, work or turnout during the afternoon and early evening in the summertime. The morning and late evening are the best, and most cool, hours to exercise and turnout your horse. Because afternoons and evenings during summer months get so warm you run the risk of sunburn, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke for your horse. If you must work your horse during specifically hot hours of the day, be sure to provide plenty of water and rest as needed.

 

Protect Your Horse From Sunburn- It may seem odd that horses skin can burn under a coat of hair, but horses of all colors are susceptible to sunburn. To help your horse avoid sunburn, limit sun exposure and provide shade. For light colored horses and horses with areas sensitive to sunburn such as light noses or scars, use a sunscreen on areas that may burn easily when constant sun exposure is unavoidable.

 

Watch For Heat Stroke and Dehydration- As a horse owner, it’s important to understand the causes and symptoms surrounding heat stroke and dehydration in horses. Do some research and educate yourself on the specific symptoms of heat stroke and dehydration. If your horse experiences any of the typical symptoms of heat stroke and dehydration, including lethargy, excess or lack of sweating, poor skin turgor, and others, contact your veterinarian.

 

Provide Fans and Mist- Providing fans and mist for your horses at the barn, during parades, and shows will help keep them cool when warm environments are unavoidable. Mist your horse frequently throughout the day to keep your horse as cool as possible. A single douse of water is much less effective than misting multiple times.

 

Fly Spray- With warm weather comes pesky mosquitos and flies. Protect your horse from insect bites by using a fly spray to rid the pesky insects.

Warm Weather Training Tips for Horses

 

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With warm weather in full swing, training and riding season is ready to kick off as well. Be sure your horse is at full health before riding.  The following tips may help keep your horse happy and healthy this summer.

 

Ease Into Training

Depending on the age, condition, and personality of your horse it can take varied amounts of time to regain strength and fitness lost over stagnant winter months. All horses will react differently to an increase in exercise. For horses who resist exercise in the beginning, start with walking or leading around a ring. This allows the horse exercise without the fear of being ridden.

As you introduce your horse to spring riding, keep initial rides short to avoid overworking your horse. Low tempo rides of 15-30 minutes at first, depending on fitness level, will allow your horse to build a base. Similar to humans, horses get sore or achy muscles. To avoid this, allow your horse plenty of recovery time between rides or workouts.

 

Maintain Hydration

Horses can drink up to 10 gallons of water per day depending on size of the horse and the intensity of exercise. To ensure your horse is properly hydrated at all times, ensure your horse has constant access to clean, fresh water. If horses become dehydrated, they can acquire colic.   Colic is a deadly disorder if left untreated. To avoid this, keep horse water troughs clean and full of fresh water at all times.

Be sure to allow your horse adequate time for water between training and exercise. Horses who did not get regular exercise over the winter months may need more water at the beginning of spring exercise.

If you are unable to provide your horse adequate access to clean, fresh water, consider an automatic horse waterer. Automatic horse waterers from Nelson Manufacturing rid the need to constantly carry buckets of water or run a hose to a trough or stable. There is no need to worry about keeping your horses water cool, automatic horse waters keep water cool and fresh during hot summer months.

 

Check Regularly for Ticks

 As you train and condition your horse it’s important to examine your horse after every trail ride or walk outside for pesky insects. Ticks pose a dangerous threat to horses and humans alike.

Ticks are found in trees and tall grass and easily fall or attach onto skin. Because they are small and dark, they can be difficult to catch immediately. There are many types of ticks in the U.S., most popular known as deer ticks, wood ticks, dog ticks, and Spinose ear ticks. All of these carry life-threatening diseases, Lyme disease included.

To protect your horse during a ride use tick spray or repellant. After each ride, check your horse carefully for ticks. In the case of a tick on your horse, use tweezers to remove the tick by it’s head. Pull, not yank, carefully and dispose of the tick in a sealed container.

 

Visit a Veterinarian

Before heading out to ride or train your horse, be sure to pay a visit to your veterinarian to ensure your horse is healthy. Ask your veterinarian about dental check ups, vaccinations, and hoof care if needed.

As your horse begins grazing again, talk to your veterinarian about diet and nutrition as the weather changes. Keeping your horse in perfect health is a full time job, but worth the happiness and longevity of a healthy horse.

 

Nelson Manufacturing cares about the health of your horse. For more information about keeping horses healthy and hydrated with automatic waterers during hot summer months, contact Nelson Manufacturing at (888) 844-6606.

 

 

 

Keep Your Horse Hydrated With an Automatic Waterer

Are you committed to protecting your horse’s health?

One of the most important factors of a horses diet includes water and hydration. The average adult horse can drink upwards of 10 gallons of water each day. Horses need water to keep their digestion regular. It’s important that horses have access to fresh, clean water each day to ensure they are drinking enough water.

Dehydration and colic are two serious conditions that horses suffer when they do not have access to a clean or adequate water supply.

Colic causes intense stomach pain for hoses. Colic develops as a result of impaction of the intestines. If a horse eats an abundance of hay without enough water, colic is a possible side effect. Left untreated, colic is deadly to horses and remains to be the leading of death in horses.

Horse Waterers

 

Though there are several types of colic, most horses display the following symptoms:
• Pawing at or rolling on the ground

• Inability to defecate

• Anxiety

• Severe sweating

• Dark mucous membranes

• Lack of interest in eating

As a horse owner, it is your responsibility to protect your horse form dehydration and colic by provide fresh, clean water to your horse each and every day. Although we love our horses very much, this can sometimes be a difficult task. Trudging through snow or mud can make changing water at the stables more of a dreaded chore than one we enjoy. However, water troughs empty and get dirty requiring frequent attention and refilling, no matter the weather.

An automatic waterer from Nelson Manufacturing is the perfect solution to frequent trips to the stables to clean and refresh your horse’s water.

Automatic horse waterers allow horse owners to no longer have to fill pails throughout the day or break up ice during the cold winter months. Nelson Manufacturing offers a wide selection of automatic horse waterers to fit every budget, need, and space.

The benefits of a Nelson Manufacturing automatic horse waterer are many, including:

• Easy installation and easy access. You can install them on a fence line, in pastures, in stalls, in concrete pipes or on concrete pads.

• Simple maintenance. The stainless steel drinking bowls can easily be removed and cleaned by hand. In fact, cleaning a bowl takes less than 30 seconds.

• Smooth, round, animal-friendly design.

• Rust-free, maintenance-free construction.

• Actuated water valve to provide a steady stream of fresh drinking water.

• Monitoring capabilities that let you see exactly how much water your horse is drinking.

• Electric heating that keeps water fresh even during the most frigid winters. Our heaters carry a three-year guarantee.

• Easy water shut-off for cleaning or to prevent an overheated horse from drinking.

Contact Nelson Manufacturing online today for a free quote and more information about an automatic horse waterer for your barn or stable.

Spring Horse Care: Grooming Tips

Horse owners don’t need a groundhog to let them know spring is coming.  A shedding coat and large quantities of hair in the barn is a sure sign of spring around the stables.  Horses shed their winter coats each spring to adjust to the changing weather.  Unavoidable and necessary for the health of your horse, there are ways to control the hair and keep your horse properly groomed.  Read more for tips on shedding out your horse below.

 

Helpful Tools

There are a handful of great brushes and tools to help control your horses shedding.

Metal Shedding Blades are useful during spring to control heavy shedding and clean mud from the horse’s coat.  In just one stroke, shedding blades or metal loop tools can rid clumps of loose hair.  Shedding blades are also used to clean mud from the horse during wet, muddy spring weather.

Use caution when grooming with a metal tool. Metal tools should not be used on bony parts of the horse including the legs and head.

Grooming Blocks are a great grooming tool as they collect hair with minimal mess.   Grooming blocks are flexible and safe to use carefully on legs and face. This tool is very inexpensive and a great tool to keep around the stables during spring shedding.

Brushes come in many materials and sizes for different types of grooming.  Stiff-bristled brushes are used to remove dirt and excess hair from the horse’s coat.  Also known as Dandy Brushes, the stiff bristles collect larger material and leave the coat nicely groomed.

Soft bristled brushes are used to remove fine dirt and dust particles from the horse’s coat.  These brushes are used to help shine the horse’s coat up as well.  Soft bristled brushes are very soothing to the hors and can be used to calm and sooth a horse. Follow a Dandy Brush with a soft bristled brush to smooth the coat, remove dust, and enhance the coat’s shine.

 

Techniques

When brushing a horse, brushes and tools should always be used in the direction of the horse’s hair coat growth.  When brushing and grooming, use short strokes from front to back, except at the flanks, where horse’s coats grow in a different pattern.

Always be gentle and conscious of bony areas on the horse where certain tools and pressure may hurt the horse.  Never use wire or metal tools on the horse’s head or face.

Silica or conditioning sprays may be useful during shedding season. These sprays help reduce static and make it easier to brush or block through thick horsehair to reach the slick coat beneath.

A shop vacuums may also be necessary during springtime to collect all loose hair in the stable or barn.

Shedding can last weeks, until a horse has completely shed a winter coat.  So, brush or groom your horse often during this time to help speed the process.  Monitor your horse during vigorous spring exercise, to ensure they do not overheat before their entire coat has shed.

Most importantly, enjoy the warm weather and time spent with your horse in the stables.

 

Nelson Manufacturing is a leading manufacturer of quality, automatic horse watering systems.  Visit Nelson Manufacturing online to learn more and request a quote or catalog.

 

 

Spring Horse Healthcare Tips

Preparing Your Horse For Spring

As spring slowly approaches after a long, frigid winter many horse owners and their equine companions will be anxious to get back to regular rides, green grass, and warm temperatures. With a few more weeks of winter, now is a great time to prep horses for spring weather and activity.

Healthcare

Schedule a visit to the veterinarian for any need your horse may have. Updated vaccines, dental care, or just a general check up will help keep your healthy as spring approaches.

After a long winter of trudging through snow and ice, horses may need adjustments made to shoes. Whether they just need tightened or replaced completely, take time to inspect the condition of your horses shoe, and schedule an appointment with your farrier if needed.

As temperatures begin to rise towards the end of winter, mud and slush are inevitable. Horses who are exposed to muddy conditions could develop a condition known as thrush. Thrush is a bacterial infection that irritates the underside of a horses hoof. To avoid thrush, keep your horse clean and healthy by providing a dry space to stand while eating and sleeping. It is important to keep your horses hooves clean and dry by picking the dirt from beneath the hooves every day.

Another issues with muddy spring weather is mud fever. Mud fever develops when mud sticks to the backs of horses’ legs for long periods of time allowing bacteria to grow. The bacteria will then irritate the horse’s legs allowing them to become swollen or scabby. Avoid mud fever by brushing the mud and dirt from your horse on a daily basis. Keep your horse’s entire coat clean of mud by brushing and grooming often. Eventually, horses will begin to shed winter coats and will require frequent brushing to maintain a healthy looking coat.

Nutrition

Horses tend to be less active during cold winter months, so as horses begin to exercise and move around in the spring, an increase in food and water intake is expected. Monitor your horses food and water closely during this time to ensure they are being fed and watered the proper amount. Fortunately, an automatic horse waterer from Nelson Manufacturing helps eliminates risk of dehydration and the need to continually fill and refill buckets of water for your horse. As long as the water remains debris-free, Nelson Manufacturing automatic horse waterers provide adequate fresh water constantly. More information available here.

As soon as spring plants begin to grow, horses will begin grazing. Although some grazing is okay, too much grazing, especially right away in the spring, can cause health and digestion concerns. To limit grazing, create an area for your horse that restricts grazing, and monitor the type and amount of plants they consume when they are allowed graze.

Training

The long winter months will have your horse itching to get back on the trails and running through grassy pastures. If your horse has not exercised much during the winter months, ease into spring riding. Just like humans, horses muscles get sore and achy. Allow your horse to properly warm up, cool down, and recover from spring rides.

Keep your horse happy and healthy this spring! For more tips and horse facts, follow Nelson Manufacturing on Facebook.

For information on automatic horse waterers and feeders contact Nelson Manufacturing at (888) 844-6606 or visit us online.

Should I Blanket My Horse?

Winter Horse Tips: Blanketing

It’s obviously very important to protect our animals from frigid winter weather and temperatures. Shelter is most important to helping horses stay dry and warm throughout the year. Many people also choose to blanket their horses during the winter months for added warmth. For a number of reasons, people may choose to or choose not to blanket their horse. Continue reading for more information about why some do or do not blanket, types and methods of blanketing, and tips for doing so.

Blanketing

Horses have the natural ability to withstand cold and wind. However, to keep horses comfortable in the winter the animal must have proper shelter and an adjustment in feed. For extra warmth, or in extreme situations, many horse owners choose to blanket their horse. Blanketing provides a horse extra warmth if adequate shelter is not available, especially in climates where temperatures drop below 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is also recommended to blanket horses as they move from a warm to much colder climate. A blanket is important to helping the horse keep warm while adjusting to a new environment.

Performance horses are best to keep blanketed to control winter hair growth. This allows horses to exercise without much sweat or need to dry sweat. Depending on need, performance blankets range in size and weight to best fit the needs of an individual horse.

Types of Blankets

Turnout blankets are waterproof blankets designed to allow motion and exercise while the horse wears it. They range in weight to supplement different climates and need.

Stable blankets are not normally waterproof, and used most commonly in the stall or stable only. Stable blankets help keep horse clean and dust free.

Other types of blankets such as scrim sheets, anti-sweat sheets, and coolers have different functions that benefit horses in different ways.

Blanketing Tips

If you choose to blanket your horse, be sure to keep these tips in mind as you do so:

Only apply a blanket to a clean, dry horse. Putting a blanket on a damp horse can defeat the purpose of blanketing the horse in the first place.

Remove blankets and groom the horse often. Switch out blankets, if needed, and readjust clips to prevent slipping.

Finally, be sure to use the proper blanket for your horse. Know the type of blanket needed, thickness and material that is right for the climate and environment your horse is in.

Not Blanketing

Many horse owners choose not to blanket their horse as it compresses the horses’ natural coat and decreases winter hair growth. Because of this, the horse will have less natural warmth to protect itself from wind and cold when it is not blanketed.

If a horse becomes too hot while wearing a blanket, this could also be an issue.

Many believe that adequate feed and shelter are enough to protect a horse throughout the winter months.

Still not sure what is best for you horse? Talk to your veterinarian about your horses environment and proper blanketing practices.