Housing horses indoors in our colder and unpredictable climate is a popular option. There are many facilities across Alberta that offer indoor, heated arenas and stabling. A few years ago I decided to board my horse at one such facility so I could continue riding through the winter. The facility was very new, the arena was a nice size for multiple users and there were indoor and outdoor boarding options. It seemed like the perfect place to be and it was a lot of fun spending the winter riding my horse every night.

As the days got colder, the heat was turned up in the barn and the doors stayed closed. That’s when I noticed that both me and my horse were coughing and sniffling a lot more. I also noticed the increase in humidity and the smell of ammonia — ideal conditions for mould to grow.

For the size of the barn, the ventilation system just didn’t have the capacity to cycle out the bad air fast enough and bring in fresh clean air. It took me a while to realize my horse’s coughing and my asthma attacks were caused by the poor air quality in the barn. The barn owner had to re-think the ventilation system and do a major mould cleanup.

RESPIRATORY RISK

Horses housed or ridden in facilities with inadequate ventilation put them at risk of respiratory illnesses such as inflammatory airway disease, similar to asthma in people. Melissa Millerick-May, MS, PhD, assistant professor in the division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Michigan State University, shared her research findings of the risk factors for airborne particulates in stabling and their association with respiratory problems, at the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ convention in 2008.

“The syndrome of inflammatory airway disease (IAD) includes the accumulation of mucus and inflammatory cells in the airways in the absence of clinical signs of disease. In addition to the risks viruses and bacteria pose to the horse, environmental exposure to particulates dispersed from feed, bedding, footing materials, and other sources including diesel exhaust all can lead to IAD,” said Millerick-May.

She went on to say that even small increases in airborne particles can worsen airway inflammation. The degree of exposure to these particles varies with stable and stall location, season and the degree of activity around the area.

There are ways to reduce the risk of respiratory issues including IAD. Ensuring the barn has adequate ventilation and dehumidifiers to cycle out the bad air and bring in fresh air will lessen the risks. Other ways to improve air quality in the barn is to use low-dust hay and bedding and water down dusty areas. Also minimize raking, sweeping, and never use leaf blowers while people and horses are inside. Use of fans, having windows and doors open, even slightly and keeping the temperature just above freezing will all help to improve air quality.

BARN CONSIDERATIONS

Building and maintaining an indoor arena is an extremely expensive venture. Ensuring there is adequate ventilation will not only protect the horses and people using the facility, it will also increase the life of the arena.

When Anchor R arena owners Dave and Cranna Roberts built their facility for performance horses and rehabilitation of injured horses, a good ventilation system was a must.

“I’ve been to many barns and arenas so I knew what worked and what didn’t,” explained Cranna. With this in mind, Anchor R incorporated ceiling fans, circulating vents, fresh air vents, fans that blow inside air out and humidity control in their arena.

“Even with everything we’ve done if I had the chance to do this again I would do things differently. For instance, I have to switch the humidity control on and off. I’m always here so that’s not a problem but if I could do it over I would have installed an automatic humidity controller,” said Cranna.

Basic construction techniques should be used when building a barn or arena to keep the air flowing. The key is to allow large amounts of warm air to exit at the highest point of the barn. Many older barns use cupolas to achieve this. Newer barns may still incorporate cupolas or rooftop turbines. Allowing plenty of fresh air to enter the barn is also important. One way to keep the air flowing is to place mesh under the roof overhang instead of soffit.

Keeping the temperature in the barn slightly above freezing is healthier for the horses because the humidity is lower and the temperature variability between the barn, arena and the outdoors is reduced. Lowering the temperature will also save money on utility bills.

For smaller facilities letting nature do the work by using cupolas and allowing air in through the roof overhang may be enough but for a larger facility like Anchor R a good ventilation system is a must. Many arena builders use engineers to design the facility to ensure adequate airflow and humidity control.

If you are housing your horse indoors for the winter or planning to ride frequently in an indoor arena, take the time to make sure the facility has a good ventilation system to keep your horses healthy and reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses such as IAD.