Nikki Alvin-Smith - 06/02/2025 Products

Horizon Structures Presents Series: Barn Design Solutions for Horses with Metabolic Disorders

Horizon Structures shedrow barn with large overhang and stall doors that open to the outside so horses can come and go. Horizon Structures

Newsdate: June 2, 2025 - 8:30 am
Location: ATGLEN, Pennsylvania

Certain breeds of horses are more prone to metabolic diseases than others. Notably Iberian, Morgan and Arabian breeds seem especially at risk for developing these diseases. Smaller equids like miniature horses, donkeys and older horses commonly face some form of health issue related to changes in their metabolism.

Horizon Structures center aisle barn with overhang and easy access to outside by horses.

There are barn design solutions and farm plans that can help horses either avoid metabolic diseases in the first place or at least minimize the likelihood of them developing.br /> © 2020 by Horizon Structures New window.

Whether the metabolic disorder is acquired or genetic, the horse owner is often faced with how to make their horse’s lifestyle better balanced to address their health care and management.

There are barn design solutions and farm plans that can help horses either avoid metabolic diseases in the first place or at least minimize the likelihood of them developing. Horse-housing design decisions at time of building can provide opportunities for the horse owner to confidently manage new requirements for dietary changes and exercise for optimizing health care when specialist needs arise. It pays to plan for the future.

You Are Not Alone

Many horse owners have to care and manage a horse with a common metabolic disorder at some point in their horse ownership lives, which is not surprising as the list of common metabolic disorders is extensive.

These include EMS { Equine Metabolic Syndrome }, Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy, PPID, Equine Laminitis, Malignant Hyperthermia, Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis, Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis, Colic, COPD/Heaves, and Equine Gastric Ulcers.

So if you are a horse owner dealing with one or more of these issues, know you are not alone. And better management techniques can make all the difference to the horse’s quality of life and also its chances of recovery and useful lifespan. Try not to stress but take steps to minimize the associated risks of these various metabolic disturbances.

Begin with a detailed work-up by your vet of the horse’s present condition and take veterinary advice on dietary changes and best management practices for your particular horse. The following barn design solutions and care practices may help too.

Stabling Needs

All horses benefit from having shelter from both hot and wet weather. Horses in acute stages of laminitis and certain other conditions will likely be required to remain stabled with limited exercise for a lengthy period. After which some return to exercise will be suggested. Weight control plays a big part in metabolic disease management, and along with restricted diets the need for daily exercise is generally encouraged.

A barn, either shedrow or a center aisle with access to the outside via an exterior Dutch door allows the horse some freedom of movement, which is good for his brain and his body. As the door can be kept closed at certain hours, this design is a user-friendly method to manage the horse’s needs on a daily routine. If pasture is available to the horse then turnout on sunny, warm day light hours can be avoided, as at these times the level of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) is highest in the grass.

Hay may need to be soaked as this can significantly reduce the non-structural carbohydrate level in the forage by 40% or more. It is a good idea to design your horse barn with plenty of electrical outlets in case you wish to use hay steamers as an alternative to soaking hay in water in tubs or other vessels. As nutrient values in hay will be diminished by the soaking process it is a good idea to talk to your vet about the right type of supplement to add to the horse’s diet to ensure his nutritional needs are met.

As access to forage may need to be slowed or restricted, the use of slow feeders within the stall space and outside with an equine hay feeder in a dry lot can help manage forage intake. Here is some advice on how to choose an equine hay feeder. The smaller the openings to the slow feeders then the less the horse will be able to take in during a 24-hour period. If pasture is to be provided then a grazing muzzle can lessen the quantity of pasture ingested by 40-80%.

If the horse lives on a dry lot then feeding forage in bags/nets or equine hay feeders versus directly off the ground will help avoid gastric issues like sand colic. Additionally this can cut the budget on the hay bill by 30% due to wastage of the hay being avoided.

Path To Success

Keeping the horse exercised can be a challenge particularly if it is not rideable. To encourage horses to be more active, set slow-feeders on fences at intervals located along safely fenced pathways that circle or extend around the property, field or barn.

If the horse can be exercised and has no lameness issues, then keeping the horse longed or ridden for at least 30 minutes a day with trot and canter work help him burn fat and help him use stored adipose tissue for energy rather than storing it.

Consider the footing for the dry lot and the exercise area carefully. Too deep and it will cause unnecessary stress on soft tissues and too hard and it will stress joints. Good drainage is essential for high traffic areas such as dry lots and weed management around the perimeter may be necessary.

A multi-layer approach to building a good base for dry lots and pathways will enable water to drain through the surface, while leaving the surface free from mud and ruts. Different aggregates are available in different regions, so explore what is readily available gravel and sand wise in your neighborhood to minimize on transport expenses.

There are also many mat systems and specialist footing solutions available on the market to address concerns for high traffic barn and pasture areas.

Fencing Concerns

Confining a horse to a small area can create challenges to fence integrity over time and use. Constant equine nibbling on the top of board-fenced areas, deterioration of uncoated wire fences and sagging electric fence lines can all cause injury to the equid particularly if equine neighbors are over the other side of the fence.

The addition of horse toys to the horsey living space can aid in providing a distraction from boredom for the equine and an electric wire kept active and running the inside lengths of a board-fenced area can deter interaction with neighbors and keep the chewing of wood at bay.

The addition to the herd of a calm babysitter (equine, goat or other livestock), can also provide social interaction necessary for keeping horses mentally happy.

All fenced areas will require some level of weed control. Options are to utilize an eco-friendly and pet-friendly non-toxic spray with a surfactant action or to strim (when horses are away from the area), or to dig and pull weeds by hand.

Remember that while a horse with many grazing options may leave the less healthy grasses, herbs or weeds alone, when choices are limited the desire to try eating anything green will tempt even the picky eater to ingest things they normally wouldn’t touch. Keep your grazing and turnout areas free of any nefarious plant life that may be toxic to horses.

Barns designed with an overhang make a great option for in/out living, and their pillars can be used to help stabilize fencing that divides each dry lot or paddock area from the neighboring equine resident.

The budget-friendly overhang also provides a shady area for the horse to enjoy fresh air and helps prevent tracking of sand and dirt into the stall from outside.

Manure Management

Daily picking of the dry lot will be required to keep the area free of manure and the associated bug life that comes with it.

Vacuums are an expensive though efficient method to pick up manure and pull-along tractor/UTV attachments that scoop piles of manure are also available on the market. Most horse owners will opt for the cheaper though time-consuming method of mucking out the dry lot with fork and skip. Unfortunately this extra ‘mucking out’ chore will be necessary and the more regularly it is done the easier the task is to accomplish.

About Horizon Structures

One horse or twenty, there’s one thing all horse owners have in common…the need to provide safe and secure shelter for their equine partners. At Horizon Structures, we combine expert craftsmanship, top-of-the-line materials and smart “horse-friendly” design to create a full line of sheds and barns that any horse owner can feel confident is the right choice for their horses’ stabling needs.

All wood. Amish Made. Most of our buildings are shipped 100% pre-built and ready for same-day use. Larger barns are a modular construction and can be ready for your horses in less than a week. All our barn packages include everything you need –

Horizon Structures also sells chicken coops, equine hay feeders, greenhouses, dog kennels, 1 and 2 car garages, storage sheds and outdoor living structures and playsets.

Headquartered in South-Central Pennsylvania, Horizon Structures, LLC was founded by Dave Zook. Dave was raised in the Amish tradition and grew up working in the family-owned shed business. He started Horizon Structures in 2001 in response to an ever-increasing customer demand for high quality, affordable horse barns.

For additional information about the company or their product line, please visit their website at https://www.horizonstructures.com

About Nikki Alvin-Smith

Please visit https://www.horseinakiltmedia.com/to learn more about her affordable services.