Metal Barns

Although blankets and water deicers are important, we all know that there’s more to do before you’re fully prepared for the coldest part of the year. It’s time to seriously consider barn safety management. You may even want to upgrade your barn for the sake of your horses (and all of the people who work with them, including yourself!).

Stables, barns and farms are ripe for injuries, especially so in the thick of winter. In this blog, we’ll discuss a few strategies to make your barn safer for everyone involved.

Look for potential problems. Nothing beats finding problems before they develop. An area where common issues arise tends to be the stalls. You can check them for damage while you’re cleaning. Damage is typically caused by chewing, rubbing or kicking. Additionally, look for hazardous objects such as broken boards, loose screws or dangerous tools left alone that are out in the open.

Horse-proofing barns. It’s essential to horse-proof stalls, as boredom, anxiety and other issues can lead to troublesome behavior. Walls should be sturdy as they’re susceptible to a powerful kick (we recommend hardwood). Gaps on ground level should be 3 inches or less to prevent hooves from getting caught and bars should be too small for a horse’s foot to get in or wide enough for them to pull their foot out. Remove hay nets from stalls as it can lead to front legs getting tangled up. Reposition hay racks that are mounted too high on the wall which can hurt the horses eyes and nose due to dust. A safe bet is hay wooden bunkers that are placed low and built across one corner of the stall to avoid protruding corners.

Prevent fire disasters. One of the worst-possible scenarios for any horse enthusiast or professional is that of a barn fire. Unfortunately, it is always a possibility, so a solid plan is a must before you’re faced with such a situation. One way to mitigate disaster is to request for the fire department to pay your barn a visit. They can assess the situation, checking the placement of smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and combustible materials that may be at-risk. Check alarms and change batteries periodically, sticking to a set schedule. Finally, create a fire-evacuation plan and practice it every year.

Replace risky equipment. Any sharp object or hardware that sticks out is a potential hazard that can injure someone (horses and humans alike). Replace sharp objects with rounded or rubber versions of themselves. Common hazards include horse racks which usually stick out 8 inches (sometimes more) and have sharp metal edges. Other hazards might be stall door latches, which need to fully retract as they can cause injury to anyone passing by. Finally, many forget that buckets can be a danger to any horse due to the metal bail. Bail ends should be protected to keep the horse from wounding herself.

Check all electric wiring. Old barns are particularly susceptible to wiring problems, but newer barns should be checked too. All wiring needs to meet code and should be enclosed to protect from damage by pests or horses. Outlets and switches also require protective covers to keep dust out and should never be placed in the vicinity of a water zone. Finally, remove any extension cords (or at least put them away when you’re finished using them)! Outlets can be added close to stalls but should be out of any horse’s reach.

Remove blockage. Make sure to clear out anything that could block or trip someone in the aisles. Tools, wheelbarrows, tacks and equipment should not sit out in the open and trash cans should be accessible but out of the way. Make sure that everything is properly stored and hung up so that it isn’t a hazard.

Accident prevention in grooming stalls. Grooming stalls are hotbeds for injuries and accidents which is why they’re a key area for accident proofing. First, they should have non-slip flooring, this includes aisles, tack-up sections and grooming stalls. Crossties need to have panic snaps that will break and should be positioned so there’s a wall or bar behind the horse to avoid backing. Check your stalls for any other potentially hazardous issues.

Fix or upgrade lighting. Dim lighting can be very dangerous. All work areas should have proper lighting, including the fronts of stalls, down the sides of the aisle and grooming areas. Fixtures should be placed at least 8 feet high and bulbs should have strong wire cages. Remember that dust and cobwebs on lighting fixtures are potential fire hazards.

All in all, if you want to keep your barn safe, you need to focus on prevention as a strategy. To aid you in discerning where you need to focus first, walk around your barn and imagine all of the worst-possible scenarios. Focus on the most evident and end with the least concerning hazard. Or, you could start from scratch with one of our horse barn building kits.