Grand designs

VENTILATION of buildings is a key factor in airway health. It’s worth considering the movement of air around a horse’s living quarters – not just for the EA sufferer, but with any horse spending more than a few hours indoors.

Increasing natural ventilation is an effective way of reducing respirable particles, yet the benefit within an individual stable or barn is variable and very localised. Particles must be cleared from the air before the horse inhales them, so any ventilation must be targeted at the horse’s breathing zone – the area at nostril height.

When building new stables, the air quality in this all-important breathing zone can be considered within the design. For most, however, it’s a case of working with existing buildings and modifying them where possible.

Mechanical ventilation is aimed at replacing inadequate natural ventilation, so any design or benefit will be specific to a particular stable or barn. Agricultural engineers with experience in calf and dairy cow housing are usually the best people to approach for advice.

To maximise airflow and enhance air quality in a stable setting, consider:

1 Bars or grills on the top of stable doors and partitions, or slots between the boards. 2 No ceiling, with an interior that opens to the roof peak.

3 Steamed or soaked forage, ideally fed from the floor.

4 Siting the stable in a windy location, away from outside sources of respirable particles, so that openable windows admit clean air.

5 “Breathable walls” on the outer barn building, created by leaving gaps within the wall material or using mesh between structural supports. 6 Low-dust bedding – for all stables in a barn setting.

7 A sealed, padded floor, to reduce the amount of bedding needed.

8 An adjoining outdoor area, so the horse can choose to be in or out.