Two Paws Up for the Bucket Brigade

Being HORSEPOWER‘s official barn supervisor isn’t always glamorous, but someone has to oversee the important work. The Bucket Brigade is one task I never miss. The volunteers do an admirable job, but I believe in verifying their work personally.

Several times each week, our volunteers empty, scrub, rinse, and refill the horses’ water buckets. During the summer, that job becomes even more important. Horses can drink 10 or more gallons of water each day, and even more when temperatures soar. Fresh, clean water helps them stay hydrated, regulate their body temperature, support healthy digestion, and feel their best.

You might be surprised to learn that the volunteers don’t use soap. Instead, they rely on good old-fashioned elbow grease, scrubbing away algae, dirt, and anything else that doesn’t belong before giving each bucket a thorough rinse. By the time they’re finished, every bucket is clean and ready to be filled with fresh water.

I’ve noticed many of the volunteers actually enjoy the job. There’s something satisfying about seeing a row of sparkling clean buckets, knowing each one will help keep a horse healthy and comfortable. They also tell me it’s quite a workout. Volunteers build strong arms. I build strong oversight. We all contribute in our own way.

Of course, strong oversight also means quality control. From time to time, you’ll find me peering into a freshly cleaned bucket to make sure it meets HORSEPOWER standards. Someone has to keep an eye on these things.

The next time you’re at HORSEPOWER, take a moment to appreciate those clean water buckets. They may seem like a small detail, but they represent the care, dedication, teamwork, and hard work of volunteers who help keep our horses healthy, happy, and ready to do what they do best.