(7/2020) Providing appropriate shelter is very important in equine management. A good shelter not only protects the horse from cold and storms, but also from the heat and insects in the summer. There are many types of shelters that can be used to house your horse. I've seen everything from carports, to structures made out of used pallets, to old military tents, as well as the traditional barns used to house horses. Each type of structure has its plusses and minuses. Sometimes the main plus is that it was cheap or free, and the horse owner has plans to immediately upgrade once they are financially able to.

Pre-built portable run-in sheds are constructed by several different companies and are popular horse shelters in Maryland. Since they are constructed before arriving at the farm, you don't have to worry about the builders potentially dropping nails in the field or leaving other construction debris that can be hazardous to your horse. They can be relocated and taken with you if you move. Many times, these shelters do not necessitate that you get a building permit from the county, therefore saving time and money. There are numerous positives to purchasing that kind of structure.

Most of the pre-built structures will have a metal anchor post. While the company typically doesn't anchor the barn in place for you, they tell you that you should anchor it down. The vast majority of the farms that I go to that have these structures haven't gotten around to anchoring the buildings down. Most of the time failing to anchor them is not a problem.

Recently we have been having a lot of thunderstorms with high wind gusts. While some horses will choose to stand out in the storm, others will seek shelter in their barn. Recently I have seen two of the portable run-in sheds blown over during different storms. In one instance, no horses were in the structure and the only thing damaged was the fence and that owner’s truck. When trying to flip the run-in shed back over and put it back in place, the shed was damaged more than in the initial wind storm. The owner was left with having to repair a section of fence and repair the run-in shed, as well as taking their truck to a body shop to have the fender, bumper, and hood repaired. In my mind the owner was lucky.

The second owner was not so lucky. While no animals were killed, one horse was significantly injured and the run-in shed was basically destroyed. Again the run-in shed was not properly anchored to the ground and a large gust of wind blew it over. The owner's quarter horse was in the shed seeking shelter from the storm when it blew over. The horse was pinned under the building. Luckily, after the storm the owner's husband looked out the window and immediately saw that the run-in shed had blown over. Unlike most horses, this horse was amazingly calm. She just stayed on the ground while the husband chainsawed apart the run-in and extricated her from under it.

By the time I got to the farm, the shelter was dismantled, and the quarter horse was quietly standing there eating hay. Her hind leg had sustained damage from being stuck. She had a large hematoma/bruise (that I ended up draining a few days later), a large laceration on the upper portion of the leg, and several small lacerations on her body.

I cleaned up her wounds and sutured them together. I also gave the mare anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics, and instructed the owner to cold hose her legs to help with the swelling. Her vaccines were up to date, so she didn't need a tetanus vaccine. She was very sore and lame, but she did eventually make a full recovery. While this owner does still use the portable run-in sheds, she makes sure that they are anchored down.

Most horse owners dream of having a large, new, well built, beautiful barn with large overhangs, but that is not what most of us have. Sometimes you have to get by with less than ideal shelters. When selecting a shelter it’s important to evaluate not just for its ability to keep the horse out of the elements, but also how sturdy the structure is. A well-built and well anchored shelter can prevent a lot of injuries, and a lot of vet bills.