Horse owners know that if you give a horse a chance, he will get injured on just about anything. One time, when my Palomino gelding was 2 years old, I went to the barn to check on him and do the chores, only to find his eyelid sliced open. A quick call to the veterinarian and a remarkable stitching job, you never could tell years later that the incident had happened. But do you know what else I couldn't tell?
How in the world did his eyelid get sliced open???
I spent over an hour going through every square inch of his stall to try to find the culprit. I couldn't find a single protruding object that he could have gotten caught on, found no blood anywhere and found no evidence that anything happened.
No evidence…except for the vet bill.
Nothing like that ever happened again, and it wasn’t because I prevented it—it was pure luck. Pure bad luck that it happened in the first place, and pure good luck that it never happened again.
What this story illustrates is that you can be the most attentive horse owner and accidents can still happen. But taking some time to walk around your barn/farm might help you locate some potential hazards.
Fencing
The most obvious location for injury is your fence. Whether you use four-board wooden fencing, no-climb wire or temporary fencing, your horse can get injured.
T-posts can impale a horse, but you can use T-post caps or even cut a pool noodle to cover the top of the post.
Wooden fence posts and boards can have splinters or chunks of wood stick out, which can impale or cut your horse.
High-tensile, smooth wire can cause significant lacerations if your horse gets his leg or head caught in it.
Barn Aisles
Protruding hooks and tack boxes in the aisle are the most glaring concerns for horse owners. Metal or plastic hooks set at chest or shoulder level on a stall door can impale a horse if he were to spook or run into the hook. To help prevent any puncture wounds from hooks, have them set higher on walls or doors or use a flexible hook such as Tough1's Rubber Hook.
Any saddle rack that is attached to a barn aisle wall should be the kind that can fully fold down or be collapsible when not in use. Put away clutter around tack boxes, as well as pitchforks, brooms, buckets, or chairs when not in use.
A shattered light bulb can leave tiny pieces of glass in bedding, hay, etc. If there are low-hanging light bulbs in the aisle or stall, cover them with a metal cage to protect them from breaking in case of an accident.
Run any electric cords through metal or plastic tubing to prevent any fraying or damage from horses or rodents chewing on them. This kind of damage can result in devastating barn fires or electrocution of animals.
Stalls
Any windows in stalls should have metal bars or screens to prevent horses from chewing on the frame, breaking the glass or getting cut, while allowing airflow when the windows are opened. Some stall windows can be removed entirely during the summer, but metal bars should still be used to prevent any ideas of jumping out through the window, if it is low enough for a horse to stick his head out.
Any gaps in the stall door, wall boards, etc., can be an invitation for a leg to go through and get stuck. If you use any feeders in your stall (hay or grain), ensure they are free of sharp edges.
If a stall has a dirt floor, do your best to keep the floor as level and solid as possible. Any soft spots or holes can cause injury to the legs. Rubber mats should be level and connected to prevent any tripping or getting a leg caught when lying down.
Barn and Barn Yard
Park any large equipment a distance away from the barn and heavy horse traffic. This will prevent any trauma from running into hitches or implements, and it will offer protection from potential barn fires.
Tack and Feed Rooms
Any grain storage containers should be covered to prevent snooping horses that might happen to get loose and search for snacks. If a horse is able to access grain, it can result in scary results such as colic or founder.
Pick up all trash lying around, including baling twine/wire, empty feed bags or supplement containers. Baling twine that is ingested can cause intestinal issues and blockages, while wire can cause lacerations. Empty bags or containers can invite a head to get caught, causing panic and potential injury. Keep any tack cleaning solutions or shampoos stored where leakage can be prevented.
Keep In Mind…
If you have a riding arena with jumps or trail obstacles inside, avoid turning your horses out in this arena unless the equipment is put away or stacked in a way that prevents any potential harm. Remove any jump cups when not in use.
Any trees around the barn or in turnout lots should have the lower branches pruned to avoid any head or eye injuries from a horse running into them. Make sure that the shrubs, plants and trees around the barn and lots are safe for horses to ingest.
What greenery is hazardous to have around a horse farm? The Penn State Extension offers a comprehensive list of poisonous plants to avoid around the farm.
Take-Home Message
With everything that goes into caring for your horse, barn safety can sometimes take a back seat. There can be so many dangers lying around in plain sight, so take a few minutes to walk through your barn and look—you may spot something you never noticed before. After all, a simple bucket hook or misplaced piece of equipment could turn into an expensive emergency. Or, just another one of those mysteries of horsekeeping…
