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Melissa A Mathurin
Member
Username: Melis
Post Number: 38
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Jun 25, 2006 - 3:37 pm: |   |
Hi, I just purchased a new garden hose and read the instructions on the back of it(after I brought it home). It states that this hose is not safe for drinking water use. What type of hose do most people use? I'm currently using a hose that came with the house we recently bought. The former owners had horses, too. I need one to fill the trough. |
Erika L
Member
Username: Erika
Post Number: 246
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, Jun 25, 2006 - 4:23 pm: | |
Melissa, this is a disclaimer because a hose, lying on the ground with left-over water in it can brew up some gross germs. So can any container that contacts soil and microbes--it is not specific to hoses.
My neighbor got a case of Listeriosis (sp?) from drinking out of the hose.
For horses, though, who have a pretty good constitution, just let the water run through the hose enough to get the hose flushed out, then fill the troughs. It should be fine.
I confess, I still drink out of a nice cool hose on a hot day!
Erika |
Vicki Zaneis
Member
Username: Vickiann
Post Number: 256
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, Jun 25, 2006 - 10:04 pm: | |
There are some hoses that are made of a different material so they do not leach whatever chemicals they are composed of into the water, which are labeled as "safe for drinking water." You can buy these in an RV or camping store -- the are usually white in color. There is also a black-colored hose meant for traveling with your horse that claims to be "safe for drinking." I don't use a hose to put the water into my water tank but have short lengths of rubbery garden hose to put water into the buckets in the stall. I've been wondering whether I should replace them with some of those labeled as "safe." |
joann mitcham
Member
Username: Joann
Post Number: 33
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, Jun 25, 2006 - 10:16 pm: | |
Hi all: Not sure where to post this question. Why are horses so interested in Bleach? I clean my three automatic water areas once a month. Bleach, high pressure hose, dry, sun, etc. Destroys all algae and hopefully other stuff. I let the bleachy water sit and my mare started drinking from one when I went off elsewhere. I don't think it hurt her. So, anyway, thoughts here? |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15963
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 26, 2006 - 7:05 am: | |
Since I can find no reports of illness in humans or horses in the literature, and every horse I have ever known got their water this way, I too agree that regular hoses are suitable for watering horses from both a bacterial and chemical standpoint. Hoses that have set in the sun probably should run first until cool water comes out but otherwise I believe the risk from exposure to "hose water" is not significant.
DrO |
Vicki Zaneis
Member
Username: Vickiann
Post Number: 257
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 26, 2006 - 1:03 pm: | |
Thanks, Dr. O |
LS
Member
Username: Banthony
Post Number: 53
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 26, 2006 - 2:09 pm: | |
Sometimes when the water coming out of the hose smells a little funky or I can see algae growth coming out, I will pour a weak bleach solution in with a funnel (have a cut off valve on the end.) Let it sit for a few minutes and then flush it out. |
