12 Top Tips for Winterizing your Horse Barn
Officially, it is autumn. There is nothing better than riding in the heartland with vibrant orange, yellow and red foliage. This particular time of the year also reminds every horse owner that the cold elements of winter are soon to follow. There’s no better time than now to get your barn ready for what’s a head…
Don't be left out in the cold, with endless projects when the snow starts flying. Organize your horse barn now and get your winter projects done so that you will be able to handle any inclement weather no matter when it hits!
1. Safer Stalls Prevent Injuries You’re horse may live in his or her stall 50% of the time, if not longer. This is one of his 'homes' that needs to offer a sense of security. A horse’s stall should be a safe place that provides comfort, rest and easy feeding. Check all of your stall walls to be sure that there are no protruding nails, sharp edges or worn feeders that could result in an injury. Replace any old wood and be sure your stalls are free from split, chewed, and uneven boards. Holes in stall walls or any open spaces can turn into a place for a potential accident from a kick or a curious nose.
2. Ventilation, a Key to Better Health Horse Barns need to have good ventilation so that your horses stay healthy. You can offer natural ventilation through windows in your horse’s stall. Grilled or mesh hinged window frames allow you to open, close and clean your windows and sills while protecting your horse from glass or outer bale doors. Grilled or mesh partitions in between each stall will allow horses to socialize with each other and let natural air flow between stalls. Any stall windows, doors, grilled or mesh partitions can be purchased separately and installed into an existing barn. Dutch-doors allow airflow directly into your horses stall. Installing a mesh bottom door with a Dutch- door will allow both doors to be opened providing great air flow as well as letting your horse have a good view of the outside of his stall. The mesh door also protects the bottom Dutch door when just the top is opened! Additionally, mucking your stalls regularly will keep any build up of ammonia at bay.
3. Save both time and money with Stall Mats. If you feel that it’s time to keep your stalls in shape, think about adding stall mats or a mattress system. Some of the benefits include less bedding, keeping a level surface for your horse, which also allows for easier and more efficient cleaning. With stall flooring horses will no longer 'circle' their bedding and hay into a dirt floor. Additionally, you won’t be accidentally taking the base of your stall out with the old bedding when you clean. Stall mats require less bedding, make cleaning easier, a swell as minimizes stall base maintenance.
4. Never Guess if Your Horse Has Enough Water. We all know that water is very important for our horses any time of the year and especially in cold months. Water not only hydrates, but also helps to keep horses warm in colder weather. If you’re thinking about using automatic heated waters, now is a good time to get water lines run and individual waterers in stalls. Be sure to make waterers low enough that horses don't have trouble drinking from them, but high enough that hay and dirt don't easily get into the bowls. Generally setting bowls at a little below shoulder height works well. Smaller animals or ponies need lower bowls for easy access. If your horses are in pasture more than in the barn, be sure to consider a waterer that is made for outdoor pasture use. Preplan and be sure it’s situated in a place that horses can congregate easily. Since areas like this get so much wear, rubber wash mats around a waterer can help to keep the dirt firmly in place.
If you would prefer to use buckets in your stalls in the cold months, consider using insulated buckets. They help to keep heavy ice formation at bay. By filling buckets twice a day, the labor associated with breaking thick ice from buckets is virtually eliminated. If you would like to avoid ice completely, try heated water buckets in your stalls. The buckets fit nicely into a bucket holder that also helps to keep them in place discouraging horses from 'playing' with the bucket. The cord is protected with a coiled wire, which can be run through the stall wall or out of the partition to a standard electrical outlet. The buckets automatically turn on and off at 42 degrees, taking the worry away from a continual 'on' heater. Electricity costs are pennies a month, but peace of mind? Well that's priceless!
5. Maximizing Areas for Manure Disposal. Be sure that when you clean your stalls you have the easiest path to and from your manure pile, bunker, compost, or wherever you dispose of used bedding. Whatever your means is for cleaning - tractor and spreader, 4- wheeler with bed that dumps, or even a wheelbarrow, think about your path when snow is on the ground and take measures now to make your path easier to use. Spreading small stone on a path helps with traction. Filling low ruts on the ground now will help to avoid places where you could get potentially stuck.
6. Store Up on Bedding. Now is also a good time to decide what bedding you will need through the winter months. If you’re using sawdust or shavings, decide where you will store it. If you’re buying in bulk, which can save money, think about constructing a three-sided storage area for easy access. Some people pour a concrete pad, use a wood floor or some other means of keeping moisture from getting to the bottom of the bedding. Consider using a tarp or cover to keep bedding dry if your storage area is outside of your barn. Other options for storage can be an empty stall or the corner of an indoor arena. Always use caution when getting bulk shavings to be sure it does not contain wood from nut or fruit bearing trees, which can be toxic to horses.
7. Buying Hay at the End Summer will Cost Less than through the Winter. Towards the end of the summer season you can preplan, save money, and have your hay ready for winter. Hay storage needs to be well ventilated. New hay, directly from the fields, requires a 'curing' time of at least a month to 6 weeks. Heat from fresh hay curing (sweating while it dries), can build up between bales and become extremely hot. If you’re stacking new hay, provide pockets for airflow. Be sure your hay storage area can get plenty of air. Check hay daily by sliding your arm in between bales and open areas to allow airflow, (if needed), during the drying process. Early purchasing will prove to give you better hay prices rather than waiting until after the first of the year when prices can double. You may also want to check on prices for large round hay bales. Some horse owners prefer using these and filling a round hay feeder less frequently as opposed to bale feeding. It’s something to consider, (depending upon your preferences and how much your horses are in pasture), and could be a money saver for you.
8. Cob Webs are a Fire Hazard. Give your barn and stalls a good dusting. Cob webs that catch bits of hay, bedding and dust can be fire hazards. A dust-free barn is better for both you and your horse’s health, too. Dusters can be purchased with handles that extend allowing you to reach up into your rafters and tops of your stalls. Even a broom will work. Or if you want to go a step further, cover a broom with an old cloth and that will help to further collect unwanted cobwebs and collected dust.
9. Collapsible Saddle Racks and Blanket bars Makes Working with Your Horse Easier. The winter months can be chilly! So being able to get your horse tacked quickly and easily can be a big help. You can make or purchase collapsible saddle racks that allow you to have your saddle and bridle at your fingertips! Once your horse is groomed and ready to saddle, it’s so convenient to reach for your saddle and pad and put it right on your horse’s back. Collapsible saddle racks can be as simple as a homemade length of wood, approximately 14"s long by about 2" x 2” wide with a large eye screw that can hang on a hook on your stall wall. When its not being used, it can be turned sideways and hang on the wall, flush. Or you can purchase a metal saddle rack that is sturdy for western saddles and collapses flat against the wall.
After a good ride on a cold day, your horse may become hot and need to be cooled off before being turned out or put in his stall. Using a wool cooler helps to wick moisture from your horse allowing him to dry faster avoiding chill. Once you are done with the cooler, what do you do with it? Blanket bars on the front of each stall or in a convenient place in your barn will allow your coolers, blankets and rugs to hang and dry easily. Some blanket holders lock out, away from the stall door, to allow for more room and ventilation. If you have several horses in your barn, a blanket bar on each stall will help to keep blanket sorted and ready for easy turnout.
10, Unclutter Isles. No matter how wide your barn aisle or walkway is, it’s important to keep them free from rakes, pickers, and small items such as brushes, buckets and lead ropes. Having your stall cleaning tools in one convenient place saves time, rather than having to go from one end of your barn to the other to find things. Find a good corner or wall where you can hang tools and always return them to that place after each use. Hang lead ropes and halters on each horse’s door or you can purchase a row of hooks that hang over your stall front partitions for quick and easy access. Keep brushes in tack boxes or brush boxes that are out of the way of your horse’s path. Be sure that your aisle has some kind of traction so that horses don't slip from wet or snowy hooves. Natural dirt floors are easy for horses to walk on, however, they can become dusty. Rubber pavers are an option and they help to keep surfaces level, have a non-skid surface and reduce dust. Stall mats are another option that will keep the dust down and give better traction. If you have a concrete aisle that tends to be slippery, consider using a concrete sealant mixed with grit to help provide a rougher surface. You can also consider using rolled rubber matting.
11. Make Sure that Your Lights are Working Properly. As colder days approach, it gets dark out earlier. Lighting is an important so that you can see to clean, feed and daily check your horse. If your lights need to be cleaned from cobwebs and bugs, remove light covers and wash your fixtures and replace any non-working bulbs. If your lighting could use some help, natural light fixtures can be bright with out heavy glare. There are also sealed lights available that eliminate the chore of cleaning with high ceilings. If possible, provide light in or beside each stall, in feeding areas, and outside of any entry areas. This will help you, or anyone else who helps, with your barn.
12. Horses Out in Pasture? Provide Protection. One or two freezes can cut the nutrition from grass that your horses have feasted on during the summer months. It is important to remember to regulate your horses hay if you see any signs of dropped weight at this time of the year. Grain can be a good source of nutrients as well as provide warmth. If you feed your horse outside, be sure to supplement with enough hay so that your horses can 'graze' with the hay that you provide. If your pastures are turning to dirt, it is very important to be sure that you provide enough roughage, such as grass hay, to keep them 'busy'. Board horses tend to pick up larger amounts of dirt from foraging that can lead to colic. They also can start to eat grass on the other side of the fence, abusing it, and creating costly maintenance. Electric fencing will help to stop horses from leaning and cut the cost of maintaining or replacing your existing fence. Horses also need shelter from the wind and elements. A simple 3- sided shed, with the back facing the wind, will provide much needed protection. Sheds can be secured to the ground with large anchors that will help to avoid damage from heavy winds.
Before the chilling winds begin, plan to get your barn projects completed. You will be so glad that you took some time to get organized, clean, and make chores more convenient. A few months from now you will glad that your barn runs efficiently and that your horses are easily cared for due to good planning!
Debbie has over 45 years experience with horses and equine-related businesses. She has owned, trained, boarded horses and run stables at various times in her career. She is a certified fence installer, has given balanced riding lessons, and has shown horses in Western, Western Pleasure, Trail, English, Hunter/Jumper, Fox Hunting, Hunter Trials, Dressage and driving classes. Debbie has been involved in foaling, and just about every aspect of horse ownership possible, and she welcomes your questions and comments at debbie@rammfence.com . If you are interested in using any articles by Debbie, please send her and email.
RAMM Fence Systems, Inc. makes every effort to provide reliable and useful information on horse health, care and products. The statements made on this website are based on years of experience with horses, however, they are based on generalized situations and should not replace diagnosis or treatment by a veterinarian or consultation by a professional. RAMM Fence Systems, Inc. does not assume any legal responsibility. Readers should always consult qualified health care providers for specific diagnosis and treatment.