✓Reviewed by Ann Pruitt, InfoHorse.com·Updated June 2026
Bar-Bar-A non-electric automatic horse waterer installed in a 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 pasture
What exactly is the Bar-Bar-A Drinker?
The Bar-Bar-A is a fully automatic, non-electric livestock waterer that delivers fresh, clean water on demand and then empties itself completely between drinks. When an animal presses the aluminum paddle, water rises into the bowl; the moment the animal steps away, the excess drains back below the frost line, leaving an empty bowl. Because no water ever stands in the unit, there is nothing to freeze in winter, and nothing to grow algae, bacteria, or breed mosquitoes in summer. Every model is 100% made in the USA.
Cutaway diagram showing how the Bar-Bar-A frost-free drinker works below the frost lineWho builds it, and why non-electric? The drinker was invented by Frank Frodsham, a lifelong horse boarder who pulled the plug on electric waterers in the winter of 1982 after discovering his electrically heated drinkers were shocking his horses every time they tried to take a drink. He went to the workshop and built a safer drinker that needed no electricity at all, and Bar Bar A has refined that design for over 25 years from its shop at 4010 W 3600 N, Plain City, UT 84404. The result is a waterer with no wires, no heating element, and no electric bill.
Bar-Bar-A model 900 non-insulated automatic horse drinker
How does a waterer stay liquid with no heater?
The Bar-Bar-A works on the same principle as a frost-free yard hydrant. The working parts sit deep underground, below your local frost line, where ground temperature stays well above freezing year-round; only the paddle-activated bowl sits at the surface, and it empties after every drink. With no standing column of water exposed to the air, there is simply nothing for the cold to freeze. The company notes this is true whether the unit serves a single animal or 30, unlike electric or thermal units that often require seven or more animals drinking constantly to stay thawed.
Bar-Bar-A model 900 insulated automatic horse drinker for cold climatesWhat is it made of, and which model fits your climate? The drinker top is molded from UV-stable cross-link polyethylene, and the buried housing uses cross-link well casing to protect the internal components and pre-measured supply hoses. The paddle is aluminum, chosen because it sheds heat instead of retaining it, so it never burns an animal's lips the way a steel paddle can. The horse unit (SKU 900) ships in four configurations: Non-Insulated $559.00, Insulated $589.00, Non-Insulated with Chew Guard $609.00, and Insulated with Chew Guard $639.00. Use a non-insulated model where your frost line is 12 inches or less, and an insulated model where it reaches 13 inches or deeper.
Which animals can it water, and how fast do they learn? Bar Bar A builds dedicated drinkers for Horses/Donkeys/Mules, Cattle, Sheep/Goats, Pigs/Hogs, Llamas, and Wild Game, and a single unit can serve roughly 25 to 30 animals. The ground-level bowl matches a horse's natural grazing posture, so most horses learn to work the paddle in under an hour, with some figuring it out in less than 15 minutes; cattle and other livestock typically take 6 to 12 hours. A unit can even be mounted in a shared fence line between two pens so two groups split the cost of one drinker.
How do you buy one and get it installed?
Units are ordered directly through the online shop at horsedrinker.com, with most orders shipping in about 7 to 10 days and arriving with all internal components and pre-cut hoses included. Installation runs roughly 2 to 3 hours with a backhoe to set the casing below the frost line, and Bar Bar A offers an installer-locator service to connect buyers with experienced help. Questions go to or, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
What is the Bar-Bar-A Drinker — and how is it different from electric waterers?
Per Bar-Bar-A: a fully automatic non-electric horse drinker. Per the company: distinct from electric waterers (which can shock horses through the water). The water bowl fills automatically each time the horse pushes the paddle; excess drains away when the horse leaves.
What's the founding story?
Per Bar-Bar-A: Frank Frodsham invented the drinker in winter 1982 after his electric drinker shocked horses (discovered by his veterinarian's assistant). Per the company: "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."
What are the key specs?
Per Bar-Bar-A:
No Electricity required
Self-Cleaning
Non-Freezing
Fully Automatic
Maintenance Free
How does the no-freeze design work?
Per Bar-Bar-A: water supply and valve are below frost line. There's no water to freeze, accumulate debris, or grow algae in the exposed bowl section. Animals get natural cool water in summer, warm water in winter.
How is this listing different from the bar-bar-a-non-electric-horse-waterer listing?
Per Bar-Bar-A: this listing is the brand's generic non-electric category page; the sister `horse-barn-accessories-bar-bar-a-non-electric-horse-waterer` listing is the named-product detail page. Same Frank Frodsham / Bar-Bar-A product line, two listing entry points serving different navigation paths.
How do I order?
Per Bar-Bar-A: website http://www.horsedrinker.com/. Pricing as quoted is subject to change due to economic factors.
What is the Bar-Bar-A Drinker?
The Bar-Bar-A is a fully automatic, non-electric waterer for horses and livestock. The bowl fills with fresh water when an animal presses the aluminum paddle and then drains completely after the drink, so no water is ever left standing in the unit. Every model is 100% made in the USA.
Who invented the Bar-Bar-A Drinker?
It was invented by Frank Frodsham, who had boarded horses for years. In the winter of 1982 he had three animals that wouldn't eat or drink because his electrically heated drinkers were shocking them; he pulled the plug and went to his workshop to build a safer, non-electric drinker. Bar Bar A has been refining that design for over 25 years.
How does it keep from freezing without electricity?
It works like a frost-free yard hydrant. The working parts sit underground below your frost line, where the ground stays above freezing all year, and the surface bowl empties after every drink. With no standing water exposed to the air, there is nothing to freeze, even in deep-cold climates.
Does it really work in very cold climates?
Yes. Customers report years of trouble-free winter use in places like Colorado and in climates averaging around 20 degrees with 10-plus feet of snow. Because the unit empties between drinks, freeze protection does not depend on heaters or on constant animal traffic the way many electric or thermal units do.
How much does the horse drinker cost?
The horse model (SKU 900) is priced by configuration: Non-Insulated $559.00, Insulated $589.00, Non-Insulated with Chew Guard $609.00, and Insulated with Chew Guard $639.00. Across the full product range and animal types, models run from roughly $569 to $679 depending on climate and species.
What is the difference between the insulated and non-insulated models?
The choice depends on your local frost line. If your frost line is 12 inches or less, the non-insulated model is appropriate; if it reaches 13 inches or deeper, the insulated model is recommended to keep the buried components protected in harder freezes.
What is the Bar-Bar-A made of?
The drinker top is molded from UV-stable cross-link polyethylene, and the underground housing uses cross-link well casing to protect the internal parts and supply hoses. The activation paddle is aluminum because aluminum sheds heat rather than holding it.
Will the metal paddle burn my horse's lips in summer?
No. The paddles are aluminum, which does not retain heat the way steel does, so they don't get dangerously hot. In addition, animals press the paddle with their chins rather than their noses, and that chin skin is roughly three to four times thicker than human skin.
How long does it take a horse to learn to use it?
Most horses learn in under an hour, and some figure it out in less than 15 minutes, because the ground-level bowl matches a horse's natural grazing posture. Cattle and other livestock generally take longer, around 6 to 12 hours, to learn the paddle.
How many animals can one unit water?
A single Bar-Bar-A unit serves roughly 25 to 30 animals. It also works the same whether it is serving one animal or thirty, so even a single horse gets reliable freeze-free water.
Can it be used in both stalls and pastures?
Yes. All models are designed to work in stalls and in open pastures. A unit can even be installed in a shared fence line between two pens so two groups of animals split the cost of one drinker.
What animals can the Bar-Bar-A water besides horses?
Bar Bar A makes dedicated drinkers for Horses, Donkeys and Mules, Cattle, Sheep and Goats, Pigs and Hogs, Llamas, and Wild Game. For mixed herds, the cattle drinker suits horses and cows together, and the sheep/goat unit works for horses and cows as well, while llamas follow the sheep and goat guidelines.
How is it installed and how long does it take?
Installation typically takes about 2 to 3 hours using a backhoe to dig and set the casing below the frost line. The package arrives with all internal components and pre-measured hoses included, and Bar Bar A offers an installer-locator service to help connect buyers with experienced installers.
Do I have to clean it like a trough?
No weekly scrubbing is required. Because the bowl empties completely after each drink, there is no standing water for algae, bacteria, or grime to build up in, which eliminates the constant cleaning a traditional trough or tank demands.
Why is non-electric better than a heated waterer?
A non-electric drinker removes the risk of stray-voltage shocks that can stop animals from drinking, and it carries no ongoing electric bill for heating. It was created precisely because the inventor's heated drinkers were shocking his horses, so safety from electrical hazards is the core of the design.
Does the Bar-Bar-A help with mosquitoes and algae?
Yes. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed, and algae and bacteria thrive in it; because the Bar-Bar-A leaves an empty bowl between drinks, it never holds the standing water those problems depend on. That also means cleaner, better-tasting water that horses tend to prefer.
How do I order one and who do I contact with questions?
Units are ordered directly through the online shop at horsedrinker.com, and most orders ship in about 7 to 10 days. For questions, contact Bar Bar A at [email protected] or call 866-259-8047, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; the company is located at 4010 W 3600 N, Plain City, UT 84404.
