Whether it’s your own horse or you are a barn owner thinking of adding another revenue stream by boarding horses that are injured, you will probably experience a horse needing special recuperative care at least once.  Most of the time, it will be a leg injury of some sort and your veterinarian will recommend “stall rest.”  For most of us, time off from work sounds great, but constant confinement to a working horse is anything but relaxing.  But there are ways to make your horse more comfortable during his time in his stall and rehab and make his care easier for you.

STALL REST

First, remember that even though your horse’s body may need stall rest, his mind doesn’t.  He will still need something to occupy his brain or he will FIND something to do, e.g. cribbing, stall weaving, calling to his neighbors.  Locating your horse in a bright, airy stall near some activity that he can watch (e.g. wash rack, tack room) is one way to keep your horse entertained while he’s in his stall.  Horse Stalls like Classic Equine Equipment’s European design with mesh or yoke stall fronts so he can see out into the aisle and mesh or partially open stall partitions so he can see his neighbors will help.  Adding stall mats or a stall mattress under the footing in his stall will give him extra comfort and stability.  It may also encourage him to lay down more and take the weight off the injured leg.  Using a hay rack or hay net forces him to work a bit harder and eat a bit slower than if you just put the hay on the ground where he can gobble it up quickly and then have nothing to do until the next feeding.  Of course, there are also numerous horse treat or other toys you can add to his stall  - a simple one is an old plastic milk jug into which you cut a whole and add some treats.  Tie it slightly above the horse’s head and he will learn to bump it to make a treat fall out.

TURNOUT

After a few days or weeks, your vet may allow your horse some outside time.  This usually means being turned out in a small paddock where he can walk around a bit more, but still not run and possibly reinjure himself.  Whether your horse has his own paddock attached to his stall or you use a small round pen, make sure that it has an excellent footing – even, stable and mud free.  One of the best ways to keep your horse protected during turnout is to use stall mats in the paddock or arena.  This ensures safe and comfortable surface.

BACK TO WORK

Your vet has finally given you the OK to start working your horse again.  Usually he/she will recommend taking it very slow.  One of the best ways to slowly and carefully bring your horse back to his former fitness level without the possibility of reinjuring himself is by using a treadmill.  The treadmill lets your horse move freely in a straight line and to carry himself naturally.  This safe and controlled environment lets you create the perfect exercise program for your horse – Classic Equine Equipment’s FullStride Treadmill will remember it!

Another option is using an automated equine exerciser, such as Classic Equine Equipment’s ultraciser exerciser.  It has many of the same characteristics of using a treadmill, but allows you to exercise up to six horses at the same time.

In the past, many horse injuries were considered career-ending.  But with today’s veterinary science and products such as stall mats, treadmills and exercisers, you can soon be back to riding your horse.

When building your barn, you may want to consider special stalls for “special needs” horses, e.g. mares and foals and new horses to your barn.

Whenever a new horse comes to your barn, it is a good idea to have the owner provide you with the medical history of the horses, especially deworming and current list of vaccinations. Depending on where the horse resided and where your barn is located, you may have different vaccination requirements than the horse has. For example, if rabies is not a problem where the horse lives, it may not have had that vaccination. But you may have an issue with rabies so be sure the horse is vaccinated well before coming to the barn. Don’t just take the owner’s word that the horse “has all his shots.”

If the horse is coming from out-of-state, he will be required to provide you with a health certificate completed by a practicing veterinarian within the last 30 days and, most likely, a Coggins test. But even the most careful vet might not be able to pick up all the “bugs” that the new horse may have recently come in contact with, especially if the horse is traveling with other horses of unknown health. Some illnesses take several days or even weeks to show up. So it’s always a good idea to isolate any new horses coming into your barn until you can be sure that they are completely healthy, usually 7-14 days

During isolation period, horse will only be allowed in designated isolation stalls and designated round pen. These areas should be identified. Because most barns don’t have a separate isolation area, it is best to designate one or two stalls as such. If you know you will be having horses coming in and out, you might want to use HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), made primarily from plastic and easy to clean, for these stalls.

Quarantined horses won’t have much access to turnout or paddocks or even being ridden during the isolation so giving the horse as much room as possible in his stall is a good idea. Using Classic Equine Equipment’s horse stall designs, you can easily convert two 12 ‘x 12’ stalls into one 12’x 24 stall, and back again when isolation is no longer needed. Locate the isolation stall at one end of the barn so that the horse doesn’t need to walk past healthy horses. Make sure the stall has plenty of ventilation, but do not use an open stall front. You don’t want air-borne germs communicated to healthy horses from a horse hanging his head out in the aisle.

Setting up a foaling stall is similar to the isolation stall. Thoroughly clean and disinfect the stall. Carefully check for any dangers in the stall – put yourself in the mind of a new foal, full of curiosity. Will he get his head stuck in the grill front of a stall? Will he put his hoof in a too low bucket?

Put the mare in the stall at least 3 weeks before her due date so she can get used to it. Stalls should be as roomy as possible so the mare doesn’t accidentally step on the foal. Again, Classic Equine Equipment’s ability to turn two stalls into one gives you that added room when needed. Look for stall fronts that let in plenty of light and fresh air. Consider using a mesh fronts so you can easily keep an eye on the mare and her new foal.

How do horses see?  Horses have a wide field of vision, with blind spots immediately behind their bodies and below their noses.  The ability to see in all directions is invaluable for a horse’s survival in the wild.  On the other hand, because of their wide set eyes, horses have monocular vision on each side.  This limits their depth perception and means that they must see an unfamiliar object from both sides before they can understand whether or not it is a danger.

As animal care architects, we must consider the unique way that horses see and design spaces that help them feel relaxed.  In this month’s post, we will share five useful rules of thumb for designing visually comfortable spaces for horses.

1.  Light the work spaces evenly.  In barns, deep shadows and bright rays of light can be beautiful and comfortable, similar to standing in the dappled shade under a tree.  But in spaces where horses are working or under stress, such as arenas or veterinary spaces, uneven lighting can create anxiety.  Design equine work spaces with regularly placed, unobstructed lighting.  If possible, use lighting that has a spectrum similar to natural sunlight.

2.  Soften and filter natural light.  Fabric roofed arenas make for very comfortable indoor riding spaces because they filter natural light.  The effect is a space that is bathed in soft, bright light.  The idea of filtering natural light can also apply to traditionally constructed structures.  High windows and skylights can be designed with translucent materials to evenly distribute the light in the space, thereby minimizing shadows and glare.

3.  Allow horses to see what is coming.  If you have worked with horses, you know that they prefer not to be surprised.  In arenas and work areas, it is better to locate visible doors at the ends of the space rather than the sides.  This gives the horse a better chance of seeing an object or person arriving with both of its eyes.  Horses can be especially terrified of unexpected sights at the ground level, such as moving garden hoses, plastic bags, and the like.

4.  Design a floor surface that looks solid and even.  Horses are spooked by drains, grates, changes of materials, and other features in the floor surface that are difficult to see and visually comprehend.  Therefore, the walking surfaces should be designed to be even, unobstructed, and uniform.  Drains can be placed to the sides or carefully obscured to reassure the horse that the floor is safe.

5.  Give horses a pleasant view.  Place equine housing in locations where the view is pleasing and reassuring.   Orient views from stalls toward paddocks, pastures, and woods and away from traffic, unloading zones, and utility areas.

In general, it is important to remember that horses are prey animals, so they are very motivated to look for danger in their surrounding environment.  Spaces that are designed with horses’ eyesight in mind will perform better and make for happier horses!

Heather E. Lewis, AIA, NCARB is a principal at Animal Arts, an architectural firm that has exclusively designed animal care facilities since 1979.  Heather’s primary area of expertise is the design and management of equine and large animal projects.  She is also highly experienced in the streamlined management of animal shelter projects.  Heather was the Project Manager for the country’s first LEED Platinum animal shelter designed for the City and County of Denver.  Heather speaks regularly about the design of large animal facilities at such conferences as the Veterinary Economics Hospital Design Conference for the Central Veterinary Conference and the American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Conference.