Pet Ducks

Question
I am thinking about getting a Pekin male duck. I would be keeping him at a barn during the summer with me at all times. There are horses there and a few dogs, and I ride sometimes twice a day. There is also a river where I go every day and the duck could swim there; the water is clean and shallow. The only water source there besides the river is iron water though. There were just a few questions I had about the duck and resources needed before I made the purchase.....
Is iron water safe for ducks to play/swim/bathe/drink?
Are there any diseases that my duck can catch from the horses or dogs?
Are the dogs and horses threats to the duck?
Will the duck start to follow me around as it gets more attached to me?
Can I train it to stay out of the riding arena while I am riding or can I leave it inside?
Thanks so much for your help!
McKinley

Answer
I don't think ducks are designed to be proper 'pets'. He needs friends of his own kind and a proper place where he can get away from other animals. Do you have the facilities and money to do this? Yes, dogs and horses are threats to the duck if they don't like ducks!