Paddles on Drinking Posts
Watch this video to learn how to swap paddles.
Watch this video to set the correct paddle height.
TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS for the Drinking Post Waterer
- There must be NO WATER within reach except what is available via The Drinking Post (that means no buckets of water or old troughs full of
water-no water anywhere)! Your animal will not rely on The Drinking Post waterer unless he has no other means to quench his thirst. - Your animal needs to be thirsty. Depending on weather and feed (i.e. – lush grass vs. dry hay) thirsty can mean 8 hours without water. Offer
water (from The Drinking Post) following a morning feeding of hay for example and then again after evening feed. - When your animal is thirsty….walk to the bowl with him. Push the paddle down once and hold to fill the bowl (only once) and walk away
immediately. If you stay and continue to fill the bowl for your horse he will be training you to fill his bowl for him! - The number of times you need to repeat this training schedule varies. Some animals take a few days (i.e. showing them twice a day); some only
one lesson. Our Posts have been in the field since 1974 and we have yet to have a report of an animal that would not use The Drinking Post. - I imagine that you have been “butted” by your horse as he rubs his head on you after a ride or as he tries to get a bucket of grain…your animals
nose and neck are tremendously strong. The paddle is very, very, very easy for him to activate. A two-month-old foal can easily use the drinking
post. - In a herd situation, other animals usually do not have to be trained by you. They will imitate the one that uses the Post. Foals learn quickly
from their dams. - As with any sound management program (even horses on pasture) each horse, his housing, and equipment, should be visually checked on a daily
basis. Any health, injury, or maintenance problems can be easily identified at this time.