Dangerous Things Around Horses

Doc-t March 17, 2015
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There are so many dangerous things I have found on horse farms.  These include sharp objects, exposed electric wires and bee hives in the wall.  Most of the issues come from either laziness of the barn owner or lack of money to make the repairs.

The cost of having dangerous things on the farm ranges from additional time lost in treating wounds, the added expense for a veterinary visit, the lost training time or the loss of use or death of the horse.  

I have seen stall walls made of horizontally laid boards that can move up and down in end slots that trap the legs of a horse during their roll.  The guillotine effect of the one leg over the night hours leads to exhaustion and the eventual death of the horse by morning.  I have seen this, and it is awful.

Injury prevention
Care topics

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This small spiked harrow helps to smooth out uneven dirt including footing in arenas. It also breaks up piles of manure to help them dry out (though not really an effective preventive parasite control. When kept in the grass like this it becomes a danger to any loose horse running around the farm.
Can you see the hidden danger here? There is a metal harrow used for smoothing the sand arena hidden in the grass here. A loose horse may come across this with terrible consequences.
Thorns in the hay creating a sore under the upper lip on the left side of the muzzle. Skin sweating and general discomfort with a lip injury from thorns in the hay.
Thorns in the hay creating a sore under the upper lip on the left side of the muzzle. Skin sweating and general discomfort with a lip injury from thorns in the hay.
Thorns in the hay creating a sore under the upper lip on the left side of the muzzle. Skin sweating and general discomfort with a lip injury from thorns in the hay.
Thorns in the hay creating a sore under the upper lip on the left side of the muzzle. Skin sweating and general discomfort with a lip injury from thorns in the hay.
Thorns in the hay creating a sore under the upper lip on the left side of the muzzle. Skin sweating and general discomfort with a lip injury from thorns in the hay.
Screw eyes with nothing attached are common and can easily bruise and tear flesh and skin.
Thin wire is no match for horses that attack or play. These two broken wires are exposed creating a danger for gums, tongue, eyes, and more.
Located at the end of the barn aisle and next to the large barn doors was this. A fire extinguisher with access obstructed, a no smoking sign not visible, extension cords and a power strip, insulation stuffed into the door, I think the fly spray tubing is along the wall, and just plain filthy.
Loose and stretched electrical wire from a plug in the middle of the barn aisle going to the fans mounted in the stalls. Cobwebs surround the outlet.
Hog paneling (¼ inch steel rods welded) used as stall wall paneling. This type with wide boxes throughout was susceptible to damage from horses. Hog panels with smaller spaces on the bottom does not damage nor can the hoof get caught in the large box.
Hog paneling (¼ inch steel rods welded) used as paneling for the stall door. NOTE the exposed edges of the panel that can catch halters, blankets, or skin.
An unused lighting structure is located directly above the horse. It has obviously been damaged in the past by other rearing horses.
These exposed nails are above the door and appear out of the way, but as I worked on this horse, his head and eye could come into contact with these sharp edges.
A large feed tub that is falling apart leaving a sharp and exposed edge.
Hook at knee height on stall wall
Opening below a stall door – wide enough for a leg entrapment.
This horse has chewed the electric wire to the stall fan.
The point of the screweye comes through the other side of the wood into a stall.
Rusted out galvanized metal on stall walls
Dangerous Rusted out galvanized metal on stall walls
Automatic water dispenser permanently set in between 2 paddocks. A dangerous set up.
Automatic water dispenser permanently set in between 2 paddocks. A dangerous set up. Pipe fencing is used on this FL farm – very unusual for this area.
Sandwich board is sprung and not doing its job. This is the problem with using nails and not bolts or lag screws.
Crushed salt block holders are common and can easily tear flesh and skin.
Exposed nails are common and can easily tear flesh and skin.
Exposed nails are common and can easily tear flesh and skin.
Exposed nails are common and can easily tear flesh and skin.
Exposed nails are common and can easily tear flesh and skin.
This sign tells us that horses can be dangerous to be around. However there are a lot of things that we make dangerous for horses.
This stall wall is falling into a stall
Dangerous things
This stall wall is falling into a stall
Categories: Injury Prevention Topics

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