equine: building equipment for horses

Functions of Horse Housing

Provide welfare for the horses
Provide for the safety, health and comfort of human handlers
Provides easy access for suppliers, clients
Cost effective and have efficient use of labor
Layout should facilitate day to day activities
Flexible design to allow for future changes

1.5 acress

a horse requires a minimum of __ of land if kept out 24/7 year-round, and each additional horse needs another acre.

12ft by 12ft

stall sizes should also be considered, with a standard recommendation of __, but larger horses or those with specific needs may require more space.

12ft by 12ft (3.6m by 3.6m)

stall space minimum:

12ft by 14ft (3.65m by 4.25)

stall space for larger horses

1.5 acres

minimum for a horse kept out 24/7 year-round. Each additional horse requires another acre.

Poor Quality Land

__ may require more space per animal.

Factors to Consider

Horse's breed and size
Environmental conditions
Local regulations
Individual horse needs
Overstocking

Tack

is equipment used in riding and driving horses

Tack

it should be selected to fit both the horse and the rider

Bits

most important part of the bridle

Snafle Bit

is the most widely used of all varieties

Bit

it provides communication between the hands of the rider and the mouth of the horse

Bridle

it should be properly fitted

Cheek Strap

it should be adjusted in length so that the bit rests easily in the mouth without drawing up the corners

Throatlatch

it should be buckled loosely enough to permit the hand to pass it between it and the horse’s throat

Bosal Hackamore

it consist of an ordinal headstall which holds in place a braided rawhide or rope noseband knotted under the horse’s jaw and a pair of reins

Bosal Hackamore

it is an excellent device for controlling and training a young horse without injuring its mouth

Western Saddle

__ were used by the Spaniards; common saddle used by the cowboy

35 to 40lbs

average weighs of western saddle

English Saddle

it is characterized by its relatively flat seat and its generally light construction

Breast Collar

used on a slender-bodied horse or on a horse that requires special security to keep the saddle from slipping to the rear

Breast Collar

it should be adjusted as loosely as possible consistent with holding the saddle in place

Halter

it is used for leading a horse or tying it

Saddle Blankett

it is usually not necessary when the saddle is thoroughly cleaned after each ride

Saddle Blanket

it is almost used with a western saddle

transportation guidelines

Provide good footing
Provide proper ventilation
Provide a health certificate and a statement of ownership
Tie horses appropriately
Feed lightly
Water liberally
Take along tools and supplies

Barn Planning

Accessible
High and Dry
Expandable
Convenient to water and electricity

kinds of horse barns

Small Horse Establishments
Large Horse Establishments
Sheds
Fencing

Small Horse Establishments

• when one or two riding horses or ponies are kept

• usually stabled close to the house

• box stalls are usually built in a row, and provision is made for limited feed, bedding, and tack storage-usually a combination feed and tack room for units with one or two stalls

Broodmare and Foaling Barn

it may also be used for mares in foal, mares with suckling foals, weanlings, and barren mares

Stallion Barn and Paddock

it provides quarters for one or more stallions

Breeding Shed and Breeding Corral

a place where mares may be handled and serviced under sanitary conditions

Weanlings and Yearling Quarters

the main requisites are that the quarters are dry, sanitary, and well bedded

Isolation Quarters

new horses should be placed in __

Pasture or Corral

for broodmares and horses not kept in constant, use an open shed with access to a __ is perferred

Open Shed

horses kept in an __, even in colder areas are healthier and suffer fewer respiratory diseases

South or East

sheds are usually open to the __, preferably opposite to the direction of the prevailing winds and toward the sun

High and Well-Drained Ground

sheds should be located on __

Fence

should be designed to keep a horse from getting hurt, as well as to help in handling, moving, and training

Pastures, Arena, Round Pen, Paddocks

the ideal fencing is different for different uses such as __

Inside of the Posts

fencing should always be placed on the __ to prevent horses from pushing the fencing off the posts

6 to 12ft

posts are usually placed __ apart, depending on the fencing material

Easy to Handle and Free-Swinging

gates should be __

Wood, PVC, Pipe, Mesh Wire, Electric Fence

fences can be made of __

Manure

a mixture of animal excrements and can include soiled bedding

Manuree

it is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria

Wet Manure

it can weaken the hooves of a horse by breaking down the horn cells

51lb

a 1,000lb horse can produce __ of manure per day

methods of handling manure

Scrapers

Power Loaders

Conveyors

Industrial-Type Vacuums

Slotted Floors

Storage Vats

Spreaders

Dehydrators

Lagoons

Manure

it should be removed from stalls and spread daily

Plowed and Cropped

spread manure on fields that will be __

objectionable features of manure

it may propagate insects

it may spread diseases and parasites

it may produce undesirable odors

it may scatter weed seeds