Handy Checklist

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7 Barn Hazards

In the winter, it’s likely your horse will be spending more time indoors than he does in warmer months. Is your barn safe for your horse? Inspect it with this checklist of potential hazards in hand. If you spot a hazard, fix it right away.

■ Sharp protrusions in stalls.

Sharp protrusions—such as nails, splinters, or sharp edges on a broken plastic manger—can scrape, puncture, or lacerate your horse. Your horse’s eyes are particularly at risk, because they’re so large and prominent.

What you can do: Visually scan stall walls, then run your hands over all surfaces, including feeders, waterers, and feed buckets to detect rough or sharp areas.

Check the walls and ceiling. Remove splinters, and replace any broken boards. Replace broken mangers and waterers. If you find sharp nails, pull them out or whack them in. ■ Unsecured feed. Rodents and birds can contaminate feed with urine and feces, which can make your horse ill. Mice might also chew on the insulation around any accessible wiring, which can cause a barn fire. What you can do: Keep pellets and grain inside heavy metal containers; rodents and equines can chew through even the strongest plastic. Look for secure, locking lids. ■ Improper hay and bedding storage. Hay and bedding dust interfere with your horse’s breathing and can harm his respiratory system. Hay and bedding are also fire hazards. What you can do: Store hay away from your horse, preferably in a separate, well-ventilated building.

Keep hay on pallets to keep it safe from ground moisture.

Stack bales on their sides, and leave spaces between bales to promote air circulation, which helps keep the bales dry. If you don’t have a separate building, make a “floor” with pallets, stack the hay, and cover just the top two-thirds of the stack with tarps so air will circulate. ■ Electrical wiring and cords.

An exposed electrical cord can electrocute your horse or cause a barn fire. What you can do:

Enclose your permanent wiring in PVC conduit. (Stay away from metal conduit—your barn’s humidity will lead to corrosion, which increases the risk of electrical-system failure, which can cause a fire or electrocute your horse.) Use extension cords only when absolutely necessary, and then use only heavy-duty models designed for outdoor use. Be careful with fans and water heaters, and use conduit to protect these cords, too. Avoid heat lamps, which can start a fire. Don’t overload your circuits.

Use as few electric appliances as possible, and disconnect those not in use. ■ Uncovered stall lights. If your horse rears in a stall with an unprotected light, he could come down in a shower of glass. What you can do: Cover overhead lights in wire or metal mesh cages.

Consider using only plastic-coated safety bulbs. Check that the

bulbs are the correct wattage. ■ Cobwebs and dust. Cobwebs are dangerous because they’re flammable, and they trap dust, bits of hay/straw, and particles of bedding—more fire hazards.

What you can do: Add dusting and cobweb removal to your daily barn-cleaning routine. A long-handled feather duster is ideal for dusting light fixtures; a light broom is useful for stall grilles, walls, and corners. ■ Fuel and chemicals. Many products you use in and around your barn are toxic to your horse if ingested; they can also damage his respiratory system if they mix with the air inside your barn.

“Fuel” refers to gasoline, kerosene, oil, and gas-and-oil mixes used in motorized equipment.

“Chemicals” include fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, and paint.

What you can do: Correctly store fuel and chemicals. Store combustible materials at least 50 feet from your barn. When you spruce up your barn’s interior, use fire-retardant latex paint. — Jessica Jahiel, PhD

Is your barn safe for your horse? Inspect it with this checklist of potential hazards in hand.