Insta-Hot Bath System

[MajorClementine]

So around here the hose water is always cold. Even in the summer since the pipes run through the ground and we have underground aquifers that keep the ground pretty cool all year. I have to wait until July to even bath my minis. I was wondering about the Insta-Hot system. It gets great reviews but I'm wondering if anyone here uses one? I know you can make one by buying an RV instant hot water heater and fittings but after looking at it I'm not seeing a huge savings DIY-ing it.

http://www.sstack.com/product/insta-hot-portable-equine-washing-system/

So it says it'll raise the water temp 40*F so I figure that'll give me at least 90* water in the spring. That's a heck of a lot better than 50* water for baths I'd think. I also wonder if Major wouldn't hate having a bath so much if the water wasn't so cold. He isn't a young guy and I imagine that dousing hi in cold water isn't much fun for him.

With the full setup and propane tank I figure I'm in it for about $250. I'd pay that for me to be able to take warm showers....

 

[PintoPalLover]

I don't have one but I've been wondering about this option, too. I think mine might do better if the water was warm. Curious to see what everyone has to say on the matter.

 

[amysue]

Now we have hot water in the barn, but when I was a kid, we only had cold running water and any of the portable hot water contraptions were not an option for us. My father got the clever idea to rig up a garden hose through the laundry room window and hook it up to the hot water valve on our clothes washing machine! That way I had hot running water outside to bathe the ponies and I did not have to buy anything. A friend of mine used to attach a garden hose right to the spigot on her hot water tank in the basement of her house, she just ran a garden hose out the bulkhead and bathed the horses right in the yard. She did have to run the cold water hose out there too, as the water coming off the heater tank is not blended, so it's really hot. She filled up buckets with hot water, added cold to get to temp and bucket bathed. The other option would be to fill big barrels or trash cans with cold water and buy one of those submersible water heating elements, they are pretty cheap and work fast. You would just not have running water with this method.

I did ask one of my clients how she likes her portable hot washer. She says it would be okay for one mini, but with her big horse, she feels like she has to rush the bath or ration too much water to feel like it was worth it. Apparently hers takes a bit to warm up the water in rhe reservoir and takes time to get it hot enough to want to use the water. In the colder months, it gets really inconvenient. She now trailers her horses here to bathe them. I have heard of people using rv or camper water heaters, but by the time you buy all of the fittings and plumb them for the intended purpose, it is not any cheaper or more convenient than a store bought unit.

 

[blewis]

​I have had an insta hot for 2 years now love it. We gave cold baths for years I cannot believe how much better the horses stand and tolorate the bathing with the warmer weather. If anthing ever happen to the one we have I would defently purchase another one.

 

[chandab]

I only have cold water for bathing, and well water at that, so really cold. I usually end up with a bucket brigade; I take two buckets of really hot water from the house and mix in a third bucket with water out of the hose, so I have warmish water for shampooing and rinsing. They still get a cold water hose down to get soaked before scrubbing, but the warm water shampooing seems to keep them more relaxed, than all of it with cold. I don't show, so mine don't get bathed very often; last time was for one with external parasites, so it was an insecticidal shampoo.

 

[susanne]

A friend of ours (mini owner and former LB regular) camped in his tack room while his house was being built, and used his Insta-Hot as a shower. It was warm enough for him in the cooler fall weather, so I'm sure it would be warm enough for your horses.

There are also set-ups that use solar heating to warm up a bag of water for use while camping. You'd have to check Cabella's or other outdoor retailers for size and other details.

 

[sundancer]

We have been using the insta hot for several years now. We love it, so do the horses!! They actually enjoy their baths. We don't have any fidgety horses. I have nothing negative to say about the system. I have the whole system.

Julie

Victory Pass Stable

Maine

 

[MajorClementine]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I've decided to go ahead a get on especially since they are on sale right now. I've been reading the reviews on them everywhere and they are mostly positive and the negative reviews are usually about something simple.