The Horse: Your Guide To Equine Care is a print and online publication that provides indispensable articles for horse owners and caretakers. On October 20th, 2013, The Horse published an article entitled, “Lots of Elbow Grease for Disinfection Project,” commentating on the process for choosing which disinfectant is best for your barn and horses, navigating the risk of contagious. John Blackburn found the article to be a great conversation starting point and has offered the following additional suggestions to make disinfecting your barn a less daunting task.
Having an isolation stall on the farm or at least in the barn, where horses can be kept when returning from off site conditions can protect your barn and the animals that dwell there. This may not be a luxury that everyone can afford but it is a useful means to limiting the spread of disease causing pathogens and reducing veterinary bills. John recommends at least one isolation stall be finished like a foaling stall if possible, with protective, non-porous surfaces that are easier to disinfect than standard stalls.
John also recommends isolated your tack room or area, thorough cleaning when in contact with an infected horse or one you believe could be, proper disinfecting of any tools used in the isolation stall and when returning from horse shows are critical to the containment of bacterial infections in the barn. We also recommend all barns consider installing foot disinfectant mats at the entrance of your barn. Bio-security is becoming a much greater concern these days and preventive measures should be taken whenever possible to disinfect your barn.
Keep your horse healthy and happy:
