A horse shelter provides a spot for your horses to sleep and spend time when they're not roaming your fields, but this structure can also be useful for various tasks on your to-do list. Many horse shelters have ample storage space, either in a dedicated tack room or in an overhead loft area, but there are also shelters that are equipped with a wash bay. This is a specialized area in which you can wash your horses, rather than performing this task outdoors. Wash bays can vary from structure to structure, but they're a highly valuable feature to have. Here are three benefits of having a wash bay in your horse shelter.
Climate Controlled Washing
A major advantage of being able to wash your horses in the wash bay inside the shelter is that you'll have a climate-controlled space for this task. While some people wash their horses outdoors, this isn't always ideal. If it's very cold or windy, for example, the horse might be uncomfortable during an outdoor wash — which can make the animal fussy and cause the task to take much longer than it should. The comfortable temperature and lack of wind inside the structure can make this task more pleasant for the horse.
Safer For the Horse
You may find that washing the horse in the wash bay of the shelter provides a safer environment for the animal. Not all horses enjoy getting washed, but you can do so in a controlled manner in the wash bay by using ropes that hold the horse in the center of the bay. Outdoors, you might not always have the same amount of control — and something in the distance could startle the horse, causing it to move around and try to evade you.
Less Mess
Washing a horse outdoors can sometimes be messy. If you're washing the animal on a grass or dirt area, the water will soften the ground and often make it muddy. The horse can splash around in the mud, dirtying its legs even as you attempt to clean them. Performing this task in the wash bay of your horse shelter will be far less messy. The wash bay's floor can be made of various materials, including concrete, that won't cause issues when wet. If you're starting to look at horse shelters for sale, be sure to consider one that is equipped with a wash bay.
For more info about horse shelters, contact a local professional.
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