Posts Tagged ‘wooden horse barn’
More Than a Barn – A Home For Your Horse
While the days of the American Wild West is over and modern vehicles are the primary method of modern transportation, the domestic horse is still a valued and valuable part of our culture and many work environments. While a wild horse is designed for survival in its natural environment, domestication requires a consideration of the horse’s natural behavior to keep it fit and healthy. There are some important features of horse barns that help make this so.
Horses are naturally herd beasts as so many prey animals are. It is therefore necessary for a horse to be healthy to see, smell, and stay in contact with other horses. A solitary horse will automatically stay on signal all the time and this can produce stresses that will tire and weaken the animal and create such stress-related problems as ulcers, colic, neurosis, and a lowered immune system. Stall doors must be kept low enough for the horse to be healthy to see out of. The ceiling also needs to be high so the horse does not feel closed-in and trapped. Wide central corridors between stalls also help with the visual perception of space that is so necessary for good health in a horse. Good ventilation is a requirement, which is why most horse barns include wide doors and multiple cupolas crossways the ridge of the roof.
Domesticated horses must also be groomed but this also leads to a reduction in the natural oils in the skin and hair which is why stabling is necessary to keep it out of inclement weather conditions. Good horse barn design will also usually contain areas for feed and hay storage. Many designs keep the hay in a loft area with simple access to lowering the food into the individual stalls. A good horse barn also includes a storage area and workroom for keeping the paraphernalia and other implements as well as tools for working on it.
With the advent of steel buildings the traditional wooden horse barn has almost disappeared. Steel construction grants wider ceiling spans and taller structures, which give the animals greater security. The buildings are stronger and less likely to be dilapidated by the elements or a kicked hoof. They are easier to keep clean and wage efficient shelter for your valuable livestock.