# Sad, cautionary story.



## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

A few days ago a very well bred cutting horse mare died a horrific death. She drowned in a stock tank.

She was very heavy bred, due to foal any day. The tank was about 3 feet deep, and was about the size of a medium sized kiddie pool, buried in the earth about 6 inches to keep it stable. We had a rainy day that made the ground around the tank slick, and apparently the mare slipped into the tank when she was trying to get a drink. Because she was so heavy bred, she could not right herself after falling into the tank, she was upside down, and she drowned. It was a terrible loss to the owners, and a horrific sight when diving past the crew trying to get her out with a crane. Had the owners kept the mare up closer to their home, she might have been found fast enough to help her. Where she was is more than 1/4 mile from the main house, she had no one watching out for her and was helpless to save herself. 

Rather than moving the other 3 very heavy bred mares to a safer location, the owners left them in the same pasture the mare drowned in. I hope the same fate does not befall any of the other girls. 

I understand the large kiddie pool type stock tanks, but danged if I'm going to use them on my place.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

How sad. I've never used one of those tanks either.
I had no idea that tractor tire feeders were dangerous till a person I know lost her beloved palomino to one. The things horses can do to themselves.


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## diffident3 (Mar 18, 2016)

Sad. But will be a precautionary reminder.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

I don't use them either, they are slippery on the bottom and too wide for my comfort.


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## chaossmurf (Jan 6, 2017)

that's just silly , ya have to add way way way too many veggies to make that much horse-soup , they shoulda made a smaller batch


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

You definitely don't want to bury those tanks any. They can reach over just fine. Bury them, and you are making a trap for all sorts of things.


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

this isn't anything new. I am almost 75 years old and waaaay back when I was a kid, the farmers around here had stock tanks, but they had bars across the top to prevent just that sort of accident .. cows can do the same feat.

......jiminwisc.........


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## April Angnos (May 13, 2017)

How awful!


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Unfortunately many people will think it could never happen to them.

I don't know how many warnings and heart breaking stories I've heard or read where trail riders will use a tie down on their horse and then allow them in ponds or deep creeks/rivers, the horse slips and can't get it's head above water. I can't imagine watching my horse drown right in front of me.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Horses being horses I would bet they were horsing around and she went in when knocked off balance.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

I don't know, she and the other mares out there are very heavy bred, not sure how much they would be playing or arguing at this point. I see that none of the other mares are hanging out in that area though, they are all well away from that tank and pasture area. I imagine they are still freaked out a bit over it all. I know when I have anything happen here, a violent injury or predator situation, my horses are very leery about going back into that area again for a while.


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## CooksCritters (May 29, 2017)

How horrific! Poor thing! I never have liked those type of tanks, especially burried. I've always been afraid my horses would step into it and break a leg. We use several of the big rubbermade trash cans for water. Our three geldings reach over and drink out of them , and the dogs can't play in them.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

At our house nothing drinks out of an open container that isn't at least chest high and preferably nothing they could fit into even if they did fall on it.


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## navarrdv (Mar 31, 2015)

Lisa in WA said:


> How sad. I've never used one of those tanks either.
> I had no idea that tractor tire feeders were dangerous till a person I know lost her beloved palomino to one. The things horses can do to themselves.


I know this thread is older but what tractor tire feeders are you talking about? what happened? I ask because we are thinking of using two large tractor tires bolted together for hay feeders now I am not sure.....


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

navarrdv said:


> I know this thread is older but what tractor tire feeders are you talking about? what happened? I ask because we are thinking of using two large tractor tires bolted together for hay feeders now I am not sure.....


Just Old tractor tires set out to use as feeders. A barn owner I know lost her young palomino QH to one. Went out one day and the horse had gotten stuck in the tire and couldn't get out. She died.

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/...1992-tractor-tires-aren-t-so-safe-as-it-seems

I had no idea of this prior to friend's horse dying. I wouldn't use them as feeders.two bolted together might be even worse.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)




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## navarrdv (Mar 31, 2015)

thanks won't be using these....now what to use instead...


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

That’s horrific.


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