Once in a while you come across a horse who absolutely delights in tipping over his or her water bucket.
Young horses often go through a phase of this, but some older horses find it a great game too. Saturated bedding is not quite so amusing to the owner.
So, may I present: my solution, reached in desperation.
Two tie rings fitted low on a wall, a deep rubber bucket tied tightly to them, and then a big Stubbs water bucket fits snugly and very securely inside it.
I promise that NO horse has ever managed to tip this over. Jump into and out of it, yes. Give itself a fright, yes. Hurt itself, no. Flood the stable floor AGAIN… no. Result.
I have found that two small tyres make a snug fit around a water bucket (in fact sometimes it fits so snugly you can’t get the damn thing out!)which has defeated even the most determined of playful neddies – instead they like to lean over the stable door & rip off any fittings they can get their teeth into (rug racks, bridle hooks & so on), but at least they haven’t got a swamp in their stable!