Whether you are constructing a new barn or running an older building, before the winter winds blow you need to take steps to ensure there are no costly December deep-freeze disasters.

We will assume that you have a reliable winter water delivery system for the horses such as a hydrant or frost-free waterer that returns the water below the frost line (between 3-6 feet, depending on where you live) when it is deactivated. But most barns also have running water in them for needs other than the horses (i.e., bathroom, wash sink, wash stalls, etc.). These areas need to be either designed for withstanding the winter or be able to be shut down during the cold months. Installing a barn-safe heating source such as wall-mounted fan-forced heaters is a solution and safer than baseboard types. Never use portable heaters in a barn! They are an enormous fire risk.

Horses create heat. If a barn is full of horses, they will add their body warmth to keep waterlines for automatic waterers in the stalls from freezing. In very cold areas, electrically heated or thermal buckets can be used for drinking water. If the wash stall area is in a space that does not have horses in it, then additional heat is needed (either in-floor or electric). Placing the water lines and hose bibb (faucet) in a wall that is shared with a heated room helps as well. Part of winterizing is knowing the climate in your area and the impact it has. For example, when colder days are forecast, horses may need to be brought in sooner in order to keep that heat present in the barn.

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