Why Walk-In Shelters Are Ideal For Your Horses
Posted on: 5 January 2021
For many first-time horse owners, the learning curve can be substantial. While horses are pretty self-sufficient animals, they aren't completely independent. If you're getting ready to invest in horses or you have already purchased your first horse, it's important that you understand the shelter needs. The right shelter is one of the most important considerations for horse owners. Remember that horses can be vulnerable to sunlight allergies and photosensitivity, so having the right shelter is key for their well-being. Here's a look at what you need to know about walk-in shelters for your horse.
Escaping The Weather
The most obvious reason to invest in a walk-in shelter for your horses is to provide them with an escape from the weather. These shelters are open on one side, allowing your horses to wander in and out at will, which is important because horses will instinctually seek shelter when they need it.
Whether it's an effort to escape rain, wind, and snow or seeking relief from sunlight sensitivity and prolonged exposure, a walk-in shelter is easily accessible for your horse to get relief when it's needed and then venture back into the pasture at their leisure.
Keeping Your Horse Healthy
Another reason to consider a walk-in shelter in the pasture for your horses is that it's a healthier option for your horse. Remember that, while barns are a good option for stabling your horse when needed, the enclosed environment can often encourage bacteria and pathogen spread. A walk-in horse shelter, on the other hand, is open to the air. That means that your horses are enjoying shelter without the stuffy air that can come from an enclosed stable environment.
Along with physical health benefits, a walk-in horse shelter also provides mental health benefits for your horse. Many horses struggle with the sense of captivity that comes from being in a stall and enclosed in a barn. This can lead to anxiety and distress, usually exhibited by restlessness, stomping, and other similar behaviors. When your horse has the freedom to come and go in an open shelter at will, it helps to prevent this stress and the emotional upheaval that comes with it.
Ensuring Overall Safety
The idea of a barn fire is one that no horse owner ever wants to entertain. However, when you consider the fire hazard that hay can be, and the presence of hay in barn loft storage and horse stalls, a barn fire is a risk that you need to take seriously.
For horses, barn fires are a serious threat. If your horses are enclosed in their stalls, they are essentially captive if there's a fire in the barn. With walk-in horse shelters, you have the peace of mind that your horses are free of that kind of threat. Even if a barn fire should arise, your horses won't be trapped in it. Additionally, in the event that the shelter should catch fire, your horses are free to flee it.
Providing Versatility
A walk-in horse shelter can serve far more purposes than just somewhere for your horses to escape the sun, heat, and weather. In fact, if you need to have some storage capability, there are styles that have incorporated storage structures. Additionally, walk-in horse shelters are a great resource for when you need to provide veterinary services. You can contain the horse in the walk-in shelter, tethered to one side or the other, without worry about stall injuries or access concerns.
These are a few of the many reasons why a walk-in horse shelter is a great option. When you're looking to create the ideal environment for your horse, reach out to a horse shelter supplier to explore your walk-in shelter options.
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