Living Spaces for Horses

Need to Know: Living Spaces for Horses Things you need to know about what horses need. WHAT EVERY HORSE NEEDS EVERY DAY: CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED SHE...
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Need to Know:

Living Spaces for Horses

Things you need to know about what horses need.

WHAT EVERY HORSE NEEDS EVERY DAY: CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED SHELTER

openings or cracks in which horses can get caught or injured.

Horses need shelter that is clean and dry. In the wild, horses have the freedom to move away from places where they deposit manure. If horses are kept in barns or stables, they don’t have that choice.

Horses overcome their instincts to live with people in places that are not their natural habitat, or environment. To reward the trust that horses place in them, people should be careful to prevent fires in stables and should have a clear plan for helping horses in an emergency.

Horses rely on people to clean their stalls frequently, provide clean bedding material, and build facilities so that the air and water are not contaminated with manure. Bedding material used for horses include straw, wood shavings, sawdust or other absorbant materials. Horse stalls are confined spaces. The gases given off by urine and feces build up to produce a foul odour. The smell of ammonia gases in a stable is a sign that urine and manure are not being cleaned out frequently enough or that the stable is poorly ventilated.

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A horse needs clean bedding, a clean stable and access to clean water.

WHAT EVERY HORSE NEEDS: SAFE FACILITIES Safe facilities are constructed so that horses are comfortable and not at any risk. Horses need to be able to see, smell and socialize with other horses. Stalls should allow horses to safely move and interact with each other. There should not be any

Smoke and fire will trigger a horse’s instincts for survival. A horse’s strong urge to flee from fire and smoke might look like panic to us, but it is an instinct that once helped horses to run from raging grass and forest fires in the wild. The difference in a stable is that a horse may have no obvious place to run. A horse will run back into their stall or barn as it sees this as a safe place to be. A horse cannot think itself away from the danger of smoke and fire. It needs people who know how to stay calm and who have a plan for quickly moving horses to safety.

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Horses need people who consider the risks of housing horses in buildings with materials that could catch fire, or are constructed in such a way that horses may get injured or trapped.

Need To Know: Living Spaces For Horses ©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use

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Emergency equipment should be installed and should include:

What does the Code of Practice say about stable maintenance?

a) an effective smoke and fire detection system; b) fire extinguishers rated at least s1 by the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada; and



c) emergency lighting systems.

Stalls should be cleaned frequently and thoroughly to keep the stable clean, dry and free from noxious odours such as ammonia. Adequate amounts of suitable bedding material should be provided.

Stable owners should consult with their local fire departments and request a site visit to review their emergency preparedness.

Manure should be handled and stored with a minimal negative impact on the environment.

Electrical equipment (e.g., heated water bowls) should be regularly checked for stray or trickle voltage.

Equipment and services, including feeding utensils, waterers, ventilating fans, heating and lighting units, fire extinguishers and alarm systems, should be cleaned and inspected regularly to ensure that they are working properly.

Hay and bedding should be stored in a separate building, away from horses. When haylofts are built above horse stalls, the loft floor should be constructed with a fire rating of not less than 45 minutes.

Proper storage facilities should be provided for all equipment so as not to obstruct or endanger horses.

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Horse owners/handlers should be aware that horses may ingest materials other than normal feed stuffs. Horses must not be allowed access to potentially toxic materials such as agricultural chemicals, lead batteries, petroleum products and paints.

What does the Code of Practice say about safety?





The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Horses will be updated and completed by the summer of 2013. Information on the progress of this new Code can be found on the National Farm Animal Care Council website at www.nfacc.ca/codes-ofpractice/equine.

All stables/housing should have emergency evacuation capabilities, including more than one available exit. Stalls should be equipped with quick release fasteners or some other means of easily releasing horses. A halter and lead rope for each horse should be available.

Priorities for the updated Code include housing and facility design, stall sizes, shelter and shade requirements and space for foraging, socializing and exercise. An additional priority involves dealing with the effects of inadequate housing, including isolation and confinement as well as the lack of enrichment, proper ventilation or bedding.

Emergency procedures should be posted and updated regularly and should include: a) evacuation procedures for people and horses; b) a list of emergency telephone numbers; and c) emergency transportation and housing arrangements.

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Need To Know: Living Spaces For Horses ©Alberta SPCA 2012

albertaspca.org

Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use

A CHECKLIST FOR BUILDING A STABLE The following list of general guidelines provides one view of what a “good” barn should consider. Site Considerations

Flooring Considerations

 Dry foundations

 Should be laid on a solid foundation and raised above ground level

 Well-drained  Fresh air and ventilation

 Non slippery and impervious to moisture

 Good light, facing south if possible

 Smooth and durable

 Good water supply

 Should slope from front to rear of stall, only just enough to allow drainage

 Road access for delivery of hay and other supplies Roof Considerations  Slope of the roof should be not more than 45 degrees  Should be able to maintain equitable temperature in all weather  Should be noiseless, durable and not flammable  Should have proper guttering to carry away rain water

 Flooring materials can include: o Concrete – 10 to 15 cm thick, fairly inexpensive, but can be slippery o Bricks – fairly expensive, but good flooring if non slippery o Asphalt – commonly used, fairly inexpensive, but affected by heat and can be slippery o Clay or Dirt – very good floor but requires maintenance o Rubber Matting – anti-concussive, a bedding saver and comfortable for the horse. Stall Considerations  Stalls for horses should be 3.6 x 4.2 metres.  Stalls for ponies should be 3 x 3.6 metres.  Ties stalls should be 1.5 metres wide by 3.6 metres long for an average 500 kg horse.  Stalls as well as barns should be well ventilated but not draughty, using doors, windows, vents and fans. 

Stable doors should be 2.4 metres high and 1.2 metres wide and if using dutch doors the bottom door should be at least 1.4 metres high. They should open outwards and have a bottom latch in addition to the top ones.

 Horses need to look out so they should at least have grilled doors or dutch doors. Need To Know: Living Spaces For Horses ©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use

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Water Supply

General Considerations



 Keep all light fixtures covered in cages, and all electrical outlets covered and out of reach of the horses.

Automatic water bowls are labour saving and efficient, but must be kept clean and free of rust or debris. You cannot tell how much your horse is drinking when using automatic water devices.

 Check all boards and nails to ensure they are not loose or protruding.

 Keep buckets and watering devices away from hay.

 Stabled horses should have access to daily turnout in paddocks or fields.

 The bucket should be affixed on the wall securely.

 Keep the horse’s feed in an area that the horse cannot get into it.



 Hay should ideally be stored in a separate building. Haylofts can keep the barn somewhat insulated but do pose a fire risk.

Water buckets should be checked and cleaned daily. A horse’s water consumption can be monitored when using the bucket method.

Bedding 

Bedding is used to encourage the horse to lie down and rest, keep warm, prevent slipping and encourage the horse to urinate. Bedding is used primarily to absorb urine in the stall, keep it dry and reduce ammonia in the air of the stable.

Adapted with permission from Building Your Barn (2003): Horse Council British Columbia. www.hcbc.ca/_customelements/ uploadedResources/083842_BasicBarnConstructioninfo2011.pdf

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Need To Know: Living Spaces For Horses ©Alberta SPCA 2012

albertaspca.org

Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use

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What does the Code of Practice say about space requirements?

Recommended Space Requirements for a 500 kg Horse Requirements

500 kg

STALL SIZES: - box - foaling (box) - tie (incl. manger)

3 x 3 m to 3.6 x 3.6 m 3 x 3 m to 3.6 x 3.6 m 1.5 x 3.6 m to 3.8 m

WATERING FACILITIES: - space requirements - water used (daily)

1 bowl / 20 horses 40 litres

GRAIN FEEDERS: (individual grain boxes) - length - width - depth - throat height

30 to 60 cm 20 to 40 cm 15 to 30 cm 60 to 90 cm

HAY FEEDERS: (individual manger) - length - width - depth - throat height

60 to 90 cm 50 to 60 cm 60 to 76 cm 60 to 106 cm

BARN FACILITY ALLEYS

3 m (minimum)

PASTURE GATES

3.6 m (minimum)

CORRALS: - for runs - for working pens

95 m2 / horse 20 m2 / horse

OPEN FRONT SHEDS

7.5 m2 to 9 m2 / horse

Adapted from Horse Handling Facilities, Alberta Agriculture (1997) in the Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals - Horses (©1998).

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Space requirements for horses are affected by their weight.

Excerpts from the Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farm Animals - Horses (©1998) have been used with permission, Equine Canada™. www.equinecanada.ca The process for the development of updated Codes can be accessed through the National Farm Animal Care Council at www.nfacc.ca/codesof-practice.

Need To Know: Living Spaces For Horses ©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use

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