Layer Ventilation Features for the Healthiest Stables

By Classic Equine Equipment

A well-ventilated stable is a healthy, happy place for horses and the humans who care for them. Proper ventilation exchanges stale air with fresh air, which is distributed throughout the stable. Thoughtfully chosen barn doors and barn windows will facilitate comfort year-round, especially when supported with high output basket fans and ceiling fans. This layered approach creates a space in which to breathe easily.

Health

Veterinarians and professional horse handlers continually emphasize how important good ventilation is for maintaining the respiratory health of stabled horses. Dust and pathogens thrive in poorly ventilated barns, causing infections, dust allergies, and heaves in horses. The naturally occurring moisture from the sweat and body heat of horses can also foster mold growth. Proper ventilation mitigates these concerns, allowing peace of mind that all who enter are breathing clear air.

Safety

A properly ventilated barn stays dry, minimizing the risk of a bacterial reaction occurring in damp, incompletely cured hay. Add in oxygen from a wide-open door or ineffective box fan and disaster is at hand.

Weather Concerns

Excellent ventilation can make every day feel pleasant. Keep your horses and pros comfortable with doors and windows that open to encourage airflow and close tightly when necessary. More openings mean more options for controlling airflow. Augmenting barn end doors with stall and loft doors can be opened in the heat for cooling breezes.

In the colder months, the stable doors and windows are often closed to keep winter winds off the horses. Horses tolerate colder temperatures better than humans if the barn is dry with no condensation dripping from the structure. Cold and humid conditions are uncomfortable for both horse and human and lead to a stuffy, dank environment within the stall. Keep the stable dry and the air healthy by opening doors and windows when the weather is mild and running the fans while the horses are turned out.

To remove harmful particles, combat extreme temperatures, and create the most comfortable space, work with the experts to design a safe and healthy barn. Classic Equine Equipment works with owners, architects, builders, and trainers to create custom solutions for ventilation. Consider the following products to find the perfect combination for your climate and how you care for your horses.

Interior Horse Stall Doors allow for ventilation into the stall while keeping horses safely inside.

Barn End Doors are a great source of cooling breezes in the summer and can be closed tightly in winter.

Loft Doors If you have a hayloft, consider adding a loft end door. Heat rises. Send it out with loft doors.

Barn Windows are a great addition to any barn. Open them for pleasant breezes and increased cross-ventilation.

Window Grills and Yokes add airflow to stalls, provide aesthetic enhancements, and protect horses with properly spaced openings.

Shutters are an attractive and useful add-on in warm climates, especially when coupled with window yokes.

Hinged Barn Windows offer another ventilation point to let fresh air in and stale air out.

Boost Ventilation With Barn Fans

When natural ventilation needs a boost, fans, specifically high output basket fans and ceiling fans designed for barn use, are the answer.

Inexpensive box fans are not designed for agricultural use – their motors are not sealed. This creates a fire hazard should they become dusty and overheat. A box fan is also not an effective tool for helping moisture evaporate. Electrical products meant for the rigors of a barn environment are essential for health and comfort.

The High Output Deluxe Basket Fan combines high output performance, low cost and energy efficiency to give you one of the best fans available on the market today. This hardworking fan features a high velocity air pattern with quiet operation. All fans include a heavy-duty hot dip galvanized mounting bracket or an optional wall mounting bracket.

The Indoor/Outdoor Ceiling Fan provides a healthier, cooler environment for your horses all year long. Sixty inches in diameter, it uses less energy than a 100-watt light bulb.

Fans are useful year-round. In the summer, fans promote evaporation, which cools the horses as they sweat. In cooler temperatures, fans help keep the barn dry, because while the cold doesn’t bother them, damp conditions are unpleasant and unhealthy for them. Fans also help remove particles and promote respiratory health.

Horses are our trusted companions, hard workers, and athletes. They must be protected with proper ventilation.

About Classic Equine Equipment
From horse stalls to barn doors, stable flooring and entrance gates, Classic Equine Equipment offers the widest, high-quality product lines in the industry. Working closely with you and your architect or builder, we can help create an environment that you’ll be proud of — one that is stylish, that will allow you to care for your horses in an intuitive way and that gives you the peace of mind that comes from knowing your horses are protected by the finest equipment available. Our sales team is knowledgeable about everything from horse barn design to equine stall systems and readily available to assist you in planning your barn. For more information, visit classic-equine.com.