✓Reviewed by Ann Pruitt, InfoHorse.com·Updated April 2026
Bar-Bar-A non-electric automatic horse waterer installed in a Utah pasture
How Did the "Bar-Bar-A Drinker" Come About?
Frank Frodsham, the inventor of the " Bar-Bar-A Drinker", had boarded horses for years. Back in the winter of 1982 he had 3 animals that just wouldn't eat or drink. He had installed the latest electrically heated drinkers to prevent freezing.
He had the veterinarian over and nether of them could figure out a solution. While they were talking, the veterinarian's assistant stuck his finger into the drinker water-and he got Shocked! We felt awful. Our electric drinker had been shocking the horses every time they tried to take a drink.
We immediately pulled the plug and went to the workshop to build a better drinker. That first drinker is still in use today in one of our stalls. Sine then, we have changed to a newer and tougher material but the design concept is exactly the same. It's a proven design with over 15 years of experience.
Bar-Bar-A Fully Automatic Non-Electric Horse Drinker
The water bowl fills with fresh clean water each time your horse or cow puts its nose into the drinker. After the drink, the excess water drains away, leaving an empty bowl. It works dependably every time!
Note: There's no water to freeze, accumulate debris, or grow algae. Since the water supply and valve are below frost line, your animals enjoy the natural cool water in the summer and warm water in the winter.
How the Bar-Bar-A Horse Drinker Works?
Teaching horses to use their "Bar-Bar-A Drinker" is really very simple. Most animals learn how the drinker works on their own. Natural curiosity and nuzzling the drinker paddle turns on the water. Once they taste the water, they know where to go.
What Do Bar Bar A Horse Drinker Customers Have To Say?
Horse owners across America call or write with their testimonials about the Bar-Bar-A Horse Drinker. Wouldn't you like to be one of them?
I wanted to give a testimonial. We had the Bar Bar A drinkers for our horses in Colorado for the last 8 years. We just moved to northern Arizona and decided right away to order more of these fantastic waterers before we even have the barn up or the fencing in. Our horses like the always-fresh water, and no electricity is a big deal. Back when we only had stock tanks with heaters, unbeknownst to us, one of the heaters was shorting and shocking the horses that tried to drink out of that tank. They didn’t have access to any other water source for at least a full day. One of our horses was pantomiming drinking above the water with a very worried look on her face, and that’s when we realized that the water level had not dropped and she wouldn’t put her mouth to the water. We want to start our little herd out in their new home right, with a fresh and safe water supply. And no shocking surprises!
Rene- Colorado
I bought my Bar-Bar-A in the Fall and installed it shortly thereafter. By December it got nasty cold. I show Percherons and one day I was looking at their hair. I could not believe how thick and healthy their hair became with 6 weeks of using the unit. I believe the reason for this was that the water they were drinking was a comfortable temperature for them and they drank much more. The year before they had a stock tank with ice cold water in it. They were definitely drinking more than last year and it showed in their winter coats. I have also tried the electric heaters that you throw in the tanks and they are not only dangerous but many times heat the water too much and make the water to warm to enjoy. Thanks so much Bar-Bar-A!
Ken – Utah
After using our Bar-Bar-A Drinkers the last two years, we are convinced it is the best product we have found. We have been using four drinkers for both cattle and horses. The wear is always fresh, warm in the winter and cool in the summer: More importantly, no electricity is needed to keep the drinkers from freezing.
-Kent & Donna (Rupert, Idaho)
We love it!! Our Bar-Bar-A Drinker has been in one year with no trouble. My wife says its the best investment we've made. We'd do it again. It's in a pasture connected to well water. We have Hunter-Jumpers and they have no trouble with it. It's 20 degrees today.
-Chris (Danville, Virginia)
What More Do You Need to Convince You?
Few things are worse than looking at those dirty tubs of water filled with mosquito larvae, warm with algae or crusted over with ice. If it wouldn't appeal to you…it sure doesn't appeal to your horse. The friendly people at Bar-Bar-A are happy to answer your questions. Just pick up the phone and give us a call today!
Bar-Bar-A non-electric automatic horse waterer installed in a Utah pasture
What Exactly Is the Bar-Bar-A Drinker?
The Bar-Bar-A is an automatic, completely non-electric livestock waterer that works on the same principle as a frost-free yard hydrant. The horse presses a paddle with its chin, a valve buried below the frost line opens, and fresh water rises into the bowl on demand. The moment the animal releases the paddle, the leftover water drains straight back into the ground, so the bowl is left empty between drinks. No standing water means nothing to freeze in winter, heat up in summer, or grow algae and mosquitoes.
Bar-Bar-A Automatic Horse Drinker unit with paddle-operated bowl
Who Builds It and How Long Has It Been Proven?
Inventor Frank Frodsham built the very first Bar-Bar-A in his own workshop after an electrically heated drinker shocked his horses so badly they refused to drink and became dehydrated. That original prototype is still in use today. The company, based at 4010 W 3600 N, Plain City, UT 84404, has been "successfully watering horses the easy way for over 25 years" and builds its drinkers in the USA around three principles: products friendly to the animal, the environment, and to you.
Bar-Bar-A horse drinker cutaway diagram showing below-frost-line valve and waterlineHow the Freeze-Proof, No-Shock Design Works Each unit is 5 feet long and buried 3 to 3½ feet deep so the working valve and waterline sit safely below the frost line, where ground temperatures stay moderate year-round. Because the supply water lives underground, it comes up cooler in summer and warmer in winter. There is no heating element, no thermostat, and no electric cord anywhere near the animal, which permanently eliminates the shock risk that prompted the invention. A coiled ½-inch polypipe connection lets the internal workings be lifted to ground level for service without digging the unit back out.
Diagram of how the Bar-Bar-A frost-free waterer works with drain-back designBuilt From Tough, UV-Safe Materials The paddle and drinker top are molded from tough cross-link polyethylene that is UV-safe so it will not crack or yellow in the sun, and the well casing is the same durable cross-linked polyethylene running below the frost line. Severe-climate orders include an insulator. The aluminum paddle is engineered not to retain cold like steel would, and because livestock push it with their chins, where skin is three to four times thicker than human skin, there is no lip-burn concern. A gravel drain field is required at installation but is not included with the unit.
Who It Is For and How Many Animals It Serves
The Automatic Horse Drinker suits horses, donkeys, mules, draft animals, and miniatures, and the Bar-Bar-A line also covers cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, pigs, and wild game. A single Drinker generally waters 25 to 30 animals and can be mounted inside a stall, along a fence line, or shared between two pastures or corrals. Most horses teach themselves to use it in under an hour, and many figure it out in less than 15 minutes simply by nuzzling the paddle. The lower, ground-level drinking height mirrors how horses naturally drink and avoids compressing the airway.
Models, Pricing, and How to Order There are 4 models to choose from so the drinker can be matched to your climate and options, with the Automatic Horse Drinker listed at $559.00 – $639.00 and configurations ranging up to $679 depending on cold-weather features. Installation is straightforward and typically takes about 2 to 3 hours with a backhoe. To order or get help selecting a model, call Bar-Bar-A toll-free,, or visit horsedrinker.com, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Per Bar-Bar-A: Frank Frodsham, the inventor, had boarded horses for years. Per the company: in winter 1982, he had 3 animals that wouldn't eat or drink. He had installed the latest electrically-heated drinkers to prevent freezing.
Per Frank: "While they were talking, the veterinarian's assistant stuck his finger into the drinker water — and he got SHOCKED. We felt awful. Our electric drinker had been shocking the horses every time they tried to take a drink." Frank pulled the plug, went to the workshop, and built a better drinker. That first drinker is still in use today in one of the company's stalls.
How does the Bar-Bar-A Drinker work?
Per Bar-Bar-A: the water bowl fills with fresh clean water each time the horse or cow puts its nose into the drinker. After the drink, the excess water drains away, leaving an empty bowl. Works dependably every time.
Specs:
No Electricity
Self-Cleaning
Non-Freezing
Fully Automatic
Maintenance Free
Why no freezing — and how is the temperature regulated?
Per Bar-Bar-A: there's no water to freeze, accumulate debris, or grow algae. Per the company: since the water supply and valve are below frost line, animals enjoy natural cool water in summer and warm water in winter. The earth's frost-line temperature regulation does the work the electric heater used to do — without the shock risk.
How do horses learn to use the Bar-Bar-A?
Per Bar-Bar-A: most animals learn how the drinker works on their own. Per the company: "Natural curiosity and nuzzling the drinker paddle turns on the water. Once they taste the water, they know where to go."
What's the durability profile — how do customers describe their experience?
Per Bar-Bar-A: customer testimonial: "We had the Bar Bar A drinkers for our horses in Colorado for the last 8 years. We just moved to northern Arizona and decided right away to order more of these fantastic waterers before we even have the barn up or the fencing in. Our horses like the alway[s fresh water]."
How do I order?
Per Bar-Bar-A: website http://www.horsedrinker.com. Pricing as quoted is subject to change due to economic factors. (Note: this listing + a sister listing `horse-barn-accessories-non-electric` cover the same Bar-Bar-A product line; this is the primary product-named entry.)
How does the Bar-Bar-A horse waterer work without electricity?
It works just like a frost-free yard hydrant. When the horse presses the paddle with its chin, a valve buried below the frost line opens and fresh water rises into the bowl. When the horse lets go of the paddle, the remaining water drains back down into the ground, leaving the bowl empty. There is no electrical element to heat water or to operate the unit.
Will the water freeze in winter?
No. Because no water is left standing in the bowl, there is nothing to freeze. The working valve and waterline sit 3 to 3½ feet underground, below the frost line, where ground temperatures stay moderate. Unlike some competing waterers, the Bar-Bar-A does not require any animals to be actively using it to keep from freezing, whether it serves 1 animal or 30.
Who invented the Bar-Bar-A Drinker and how long has it been around?
It was invented by Frank Frodsham, who had boarded horses for years. After an electrically heated drinker shocked his horses so badly they refused to drink and became dehydrated, he built a safer, non-electric prototype in his own workshop. That first prototype is reportedly still in use today, and the company has been watering horses this way for over 25 years.
How much does a Bar-Bar-A horse waterer cost?
The Automatic Horse Drinker is listed at $559.00 to $639.00, and depending on the climate options you choose, configurations range up to about $679. There are 4 models so you can match the drinker to your climate and needs. For an exact quote on the right model, you can call Bar-Bar-A at 866-259-8047.
What is the Bar-Bar-A waterer made of?
The paddle and the drinker top are molded from tough cross-link polyethylene that is UV-safe, so it resists cracking and fading in sunlight. The well casing is also durable cross-linked polyethylene that extends below the frost line. Orders for severe climates include an insulator for added cold-weather protection.
How deep does the Bar-Bar-A need to be installed?
Each unit is 5 feet in length and is buried 3 to 3½ feet into the ground so that the valve and waterline sit below the frost line. A water source is connected at the base using ½-inch polypipe. A gravel drain field is also required at the installation site, though the gravel is not included with the unit.
How long does installation take?
Installation is described as simple and generally takes about 2 to 3 hours with a backhoe. The unit is set into the ground, connected to a ½-inch polypipe water line, and seated over a gravel drain field that lets the drain-back water disperse into the soil.
How many horses can drink from one unit?
Generally, 25 to 30 animals can use a single Drinker. Units can be positioned between stalls, along fence lines, or shared between two pastures or corrals so multiple groups can use the same waterer.
How quickly will my horse learn to use it?
Most horses learn to use the Bar-Bar-A in less than an hour, and many figure it out in under 15 minutes. Horses are naturally curious, and nuzzling the paddle turns on the water, so they typically teach themselves with little or no intervention.
Will the paddle burn or hurt my horse's lips?
No. The aluminum paddle does not retain heat the way steel does. Livestock also push the paddle with their chins rather than their noses, and their skin there is three to four times thicker than human skin, so heat or cold from the paddle is not a concern.
Does the bowl grow algae or attract mosquitoes?
No. Because the water drains completely back into the ground after each drink and no water is ever left standing, there is nothing for algae to grow in and no standing water for mosquitoes to breed in. This also discourages rodents and keeps the drinking water fresh.
Is the low drinking height a problem for horses?
No, it is actually a benefit. Horses naturally drink from ground-level water sources, so the lower positioning is more comfortable and natural for them. Drinking at this height also avoids compressing the airway the way a high, raised trough can.
Can the Bar-Bar-A be used in a stall as well as a pasture?
Yes. All models work in both stalls and pastures. The unit's flexible placement means it can be installed inside a stall, along a fence line between two stalls, or out in a corral or pasture.
What animals besides horses can use the Bar-Bar-A?
The Automatic Horse Drinker is designed for horses, donkeys, mules, draft animals, and miniatures. The broader Bar-Bar-A line also makes automatic waterers for cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, pigs and hogs, and even wild game.
Why does the water feel a comfortable temperature year-round?
Because the supply waterline is buried in the ground, it draws on the moderate underground temperature. In summer the water comes up cooler, and in winter it comes up warmer than the outside air, so horses are offered temperate, palatable water in every season.
Can the internal parts be serviced without digging up the unit?
Yes. The water connection uses a coiled ½-inch polypipe design that allows the inner workings to be lifted to ground level for inspection or service, so you do not have to excavate the buried casing to maintain it.
How do I order a Bar-Bar-A or get help choosing a model?
You can call Bar-Bar-A toll-free at 866-259-8047, email [email protected], or order through horsedrinker.com. The company is located at 4010 W 3600 N, Plain City, UT 84404, and is available Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM to help you select the right model for your climate.
