When Thinking of a New Barn, Think Like a Horse | Life and Horses

Three sided stall

We are all prone to think as humans and to judge what is best from our perspective. Yet when you are looking for a new barn, or rebuilding your own barn, don?t think what you would like, think like a horse and what their needs are.

Beautiful, but is it ideal for a pensioned pony?

Although barn architects design barns to be pleasing to the human eye and have many human comforts, it are our horses that are housed there. So put aesthetics second and the horse?s needs and comfort first. But what are their needs? I think many of us make an effort to think horse, yet always look through human eyes. In one of my earliest post on Pet Peeves, I wrote of a Prada woman, taking her old pony out the fields to be housed in a very flashy fancy barn because she felt her pony deserved such comfort. She tried to think horse (or pony in this instance) but viewed the situation through human eyes and standards.

Islandic horse barn

Well what do horses need? Natural horses, unclipped and in possession of their natural coat, need protection from the elements, wind and rain. So for them a three sided shelter well be perfect. Competition horses, clipped and with short competition coats, do need barns in order to stay healthy. They no longer have their natural protection.

If you have limited space, barns and individual or small group housing will prevent horses from fighting and bickering. Anton F?rst, PhD, DVM, Dipl. ECVS, head of the University of Z?rich?s equine hospital, in Switzerland, says that unless you have the time, space, and experience to closely monitor and manage horses in a herd, they might be better off housed in individual stalls.

If you?re among the majority of horse owners who do need a barn, like I am, then consider the following suggestions to make your new (or newly renovated) structure one that is safe and designed to promote your horses? good health and well-being. In my case I need to look for one that provides the best housing for my horses. I do not own a stable myself.

The Indoor/Outdoor Plan

Box with connecting paddock

The ideal barn would be composed of individual stalls leading to individual paddocks that horses can enter and exit at will. This allows horses to breathe fresh air, move around as they need to, and enjoy the outdoors. Paddock time also reduces the risk of horses developing certain ?diseases of domestication,? says Mazan, such as colic, laminitis, and metabolic syndrome (the latter two due to lack of exercise if stabled most of the time, as exercise helps the body regulate insulin). ?You?re just not going to see these as much if your horses aren?t kept in a stall all day long,? she adds. Horses constantly cooped up indoors are also more prone to stress-related ulcers and injury, F?rst adds. Eager to get out and see what?s going on around them, many horses can get hurt while moving around within a stall?s confined space. You see these types of barns in Germany a lot, but they are not that popular in the Netherlands yet.

Letting it Breathe

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when building your barn is making sure it can ?breathe.? Without proper ventilation, the barn might feel warmer to you, but it?s hard on the lungs?both yours and your horse?s. Moisture builds up inside a closed-up barn, which can mean mold breeding even in the cleanest of spaces, says Mazan. Polluting gases such as ammonia and carbon dioxide also build up in the air and cause respiratory problems. ?Certainly being closed up is just a bad, bad idea,? she says. ?You (and your horses) need ventilation, just like you do in a house.?

Windows to the outside are a must, both for your horse?s happiness and lung health, as are eave openings. Barns should also have a cupola on top that allows air to move both into and out of the stable, she adds. A building with good ventilation, however, does not allow drafts of cold air.

Controlling Dust

?The biggest problem in barns is dust,? says Mazan. As horses inhale dust, they can develop respiratory inflammation. And then you end up with poor performance or chronic inflammatory airway disease. Store the hay in a separate building, or soak it in water. Feed the hay from the ground instead of hay bags. And use a low dust bedding. And it is best to separate the indoor arena from the stalls, as indoor arenas produce a lot of dust.

Flooring

Barn flooring choice is an important safety consideration, F?rst says. Concrete covered with drainable rubber matting is ideal because it provides a non-slip surface (which is especially important for horses with shoes), its cushion is gentle on equine joints, and it is easy to clean. However, mats can trap underlying moisture, so solid mats better protect your horses from oral-fecal diseases such as Salmonella infection, Mazan adds.

Bare earth isn?t as slippery as concrete without mats, but it?s much harder to keep clean and can still be very hard on joints, F?rst says. In either case, plan for good drainage in both stalls and aisles, and don?t use flat concrete flooring (some can be scored or textured for traction) without a mat in any part of the barn where a horse walks?including the stall.

Other items you need to think of when (re-)building your barn, or looking for a barn to stable your horse, are:

Temperature control
Quarantine and Infirmary (in some cases)
Fixtures and Separations
Critters

So think like a horse and view your barn as if you are a horse when you choose the housing for your equine companion or athlete.

Source: The Horse
Article: Healthful Horse Barns

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