Do You Ever Wonder Why Sports Are Played Worldwide?

Posted on: 5 February 2018

Placing your horse in a stall ensures your animal will remain safe from harm and makes it easier to care for your equine friend. However, you can make things more convenient for yourself and increase the horse's comfort adding a few accessories. Here are three you should consider purchasing for your horse stall.

Swing-Out Horse Feeder

Many horse owners simply throw feed into the stall with the horse and let the animal graze. While it may be more natural for the horse to feed this way, there are a couple of problems with this setup. First, you end up going through more feed than you normally would because the horse contaminates the food by peeing and pooping on it. Since letting a horse eat food that's been defecated and peed on is a surefire way to make them sick, you have to remove the contaminated feed each day and replace it with new, increasing your costs.

Second, not everyone is comfortable or capable of being in the stall with the horse at the same time. If you have children helping you care for the horses, they may be too intimidated by the size of the horse to place the feed inside, which may lead to a lot of procrastination and excuses.

A swing out horse feeder eliminates both of these and other issues. No one needs to go into the stall to place feed, which means your kids have no excuse for not feeding the horses. Plus, the device keeps the food off the ground, so you don't have to worry about it being contaminated by the horse's waste, saving money.

They come in a wide variety of styles and sizes, so it's easy to find one that fits your and your horse's needs. Research the options online and choose one that works best with your stall.

Stall Mats

Some barns and stables these days have concrete floors, because this material is highly durable and easy to clean. However, it can be harmful to your horse. The floor's hardness can stress the animal's joints and hurt the feet, reducing the amount of years the horse can walk and run. When concrete gets wet, it can be come slippery, increasing the risk of falls.

Placing stall mats can eliminate these issues and provide other benefits. For example, stall mats are typically made from insulating material that can help keep the stall warm. They also typically have holes or slots in them that allow urine to drain away, so your horse isn't constantly walking through or standing in its own pee. It provides excellent traction, and you generally don't need to use as much bedding for the horse when you place a mat in the stall.

Of course, a stall mat may increase the amount of time and effort required to clean the stall, since the mat must be sprayed out and sanitized on a regular basis. However, the trade off for improved horse health and comfort is worth it.

Window Grill

A third item you may want to consider installing in your horse's stall is a window grill. Horses are naturally curious creatures and will poke their heads through any open hole to see what's going on in their environment. This isn't always a good thing as sometimes horses can get hurt when sticking their head out of a window at an inopportune moment.

This can easily be fixed by installing window grills. Not only will this prevent your horse from poking his or her head outside, it lets you leave the window open in the barn more often, so your horse can get some fresh air while in the stall. Additionally, the grills will protect the window from damage if the horse gets upset and kicks, further protecting the animal from cuts from glass.

For more information about these accessories or to order a horse stall for your stable, contact a provider.