Housing for horses

Housing

• Can be indoor or outdoor or both

• Type dictated by use for horse on day-to-day basis and preference of owner

• Unless adequate pasture for horse all the time, housing must restrict access to pasture

  •   It will affect the type of housing to be build

• Horses must be protected from inclement weather

Safety

• Electricity (may cause electrocution)

• Door (at least 4 ft)

• Floors (should not be slippery)

• Fires (horses are afraid of fire)

Location

• Choose the highest accessible point

  • So that it doesn’t flood but can be reached easily

Climate

Inclement / extreme weather causes stress to horses which lowers immunity

Zoning

Should be surrounded by farms; avoid residential areas

Water

• Primary consideration

  • Water is used for drinking, cleaning, bathing, watering pastures

Ventilation

• Fresh air and movement; should be constantly flowing

  • Horses are sensitive to respiratory diseases

Feed storage

• Barns should have an area for feeds that is not accessible to unwanted animals/people

  • Also put medicine storage

Tack storage

• Should be clean and dry

• Separate from feeds to prevent contamination of mold for the leather

Financial cost

Depends on the budget capacity of the owner

Indoor housing

• Ideal for horses being ridden or used everyday

• Buildings either barns or stables

• Requires considerable amount of daily labor for manure removal

  • Horse generates approximately 15 lbs or 6.8 kg of manure and several gallons of urine each day

• Single story barns best options since cheaper to build and maintain

Recommended size for box stalls of miniature horse

6 x 8 ft

Recommended size for box stalls of ponies and small horses under 900 lbs

• 10 x 10 ft stalls

  • If more room 10 x 12 ft or 12 x 12 ft

Recommended size for box stalls of riding horses 900 - 110 lbs

12 × 12 ft

Recommended size for box stalls of warmbloods or small draft

12 x 14 ft to 14 x 14 ft

Recommended size for box stalls of large draft

16 x 16 ft

Recommended size for box stalls of foaling stalsl

At least twice the size of a single stall for that size of the horse

Standing stalls

• 5-6 x 8-10 ft stalls

• Where horse it tied forward with a chain or a rope

  • Horse can also stand loose with 2 chains across the open end

• Draft horses usually kept in standing stalls

• Not as comfortable       

  •   Use rubber mats to provide cushioning for the legs and use less bedding

Horse can spend 22 hours per day in stall

They have a stay apparatus that allows them to stand for long periods of time

Horse barn / stall

• Most costly but all around most comfortable choice for housing horses

• Classic horse barn has stalls along the sides and a wide center aisle, a tack room, and storage for feed and hay

• Box stalls at least 8ft high, 10 x 10ft, with 4-ft wide door

• Center aisle should be wide enough for 2 grooms and 2 horses to pass each other

Open-sided or free-stall housing

• Good to use if you want to maintain horses in open air while providing protection from inclement weather

• Used to house a group of horses that get along well with each other

Open shed rows

• Similar to box stalls in a row but doors are open to the outdoors

• Most doors are Dutch doors, split to allow the top half to be left open for ventilation purposes

  • Works best in mild climates

Barn floors

• Dirt floors cannot be washed down

• Wood floors overtime will rot due to urine and manure

• Concrete hard on horse’s legs, should be covered with rubber mat and deep layer of bedding

Straw

• One of the cheapest and most commonly available

• Easy to dispose of and provides good drainage

Wood products

• Is most economical in areas where lumber is processed

• More readily available than straw but cost rise when housing market falls

Hemp

Easily obtainable and reasonably priced in some countries

Peat moss

• Highly effective but only for a few stalls

• Not economical purchase for a large barn

Shredded paper / cardboard

• Can be last option

• However, horses can chew and eat it, causing upset stomach

Rice hulls

• Most common

• In areas near beer breweries

• Good, affordable bedding material

Stall mats

Use less bedding

Lighting

• Easier to work in a well-lighted barn and there will be fewer flies

• Windows and skylights provide natural lights but be careful they do not let in unrelenting summer sun

Feed and water supply

Give fresh and clean everyday

Ventilation

Open and fresh air

Tack room

Should be separated to maintain leather tack

Feed room

• Also medicine room

• Keep grains and feeds in a closed container

• Not accessible to vermin

Outdoor housing

• Lower construction cost and less labor cost when it comes to cleaning

• Feed horses at least 150 meters away from barn to cut back on manure

• Horse fight less for feed in an open area

Run-in shelter

• Three-sided building in a horse pasture that provides protection from wind, rain, and snow

• Horses must be able to access the shelter, water trough and feed bins at will

• Ideal is 12 x 12 ft space for each horses

  • 12 x 24 ft for every two horses

• With open front, consider prevailing wind and position the building’s opening away from the wind

  • Utilize existing wind breaks such as trees and other buildings

•   Easy access to building to bring in water, feed, or vehicle

• Elevated level to allow water to flow away from building

Portable shed

• Positioned whenever needed, relocated for summer shade, warmth when cold and shifted in cases of seasonal flooding

• Very inexpensive shelter option that can be pre-build or reconstructed on-site

• Not good choice for areas prone to severe windstorms

• Minimum of 10 x 10 ft, 12 x 12 ft better

Medicine and supplies

• Gauze and leg wraps

• Cold packs

• Duct tape

• Thermometer

• Stethoscope

• Scissors, forceps, tweezers

• Flashlight

• Twitch

• Pliers and cutters

• Splint materials wound scrub and ointment

• Isopropyl

• Poultice

• Epsom salt

• Clinch cutter and shoe puller

• Syringes