It seems the snow is coming down all over the country right now, including down south. Up here in the Pacific NW we are seeing 3 storms in a row and our temperatures are dipping into the teens. Its c-c-c-cold! It struck me that there will be a lot of horses wondering how to get through the ice to their water!

If you haven't already bought a stock tank heater or similar product, here is a way to break up the ice on those frozen water tanks. Put a wooden fence post a couple inches in diameter in the water, with one end sticking out of the water. Other objects can work as well, such as a tree limb or in smaller buckets a large dowel. As the temperature drops and the water freezes, the water climbs the post, leaving a sizable air gap between the frozen surface and the water below.

A couple of tugs on the post and the ice breaks without splashing cold water everywhere. This beats getting your shoe wet while stomping or dipping your arm in the frozen water. Keep dry by using a stall fork to take out the layer of ice on the top. Make sure to take out the broken ice because a wider drinking area will encourage horses to drink more often which is essential to helping them stay warm!