Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Our barn has a concrete aisle and a rubber-matted grooming area where Zipper
stands tacked up and ready to go.
Lighting
Incorporate a combination of natural and artificial light in your stable plans. Natural light
should include some direct sunlight, a source of vitamin D. Sunlight is also one of the best
sanitizing agents and can help keep a barn from developing a rank odor. Sunlight also adds
warmth, however, and although it may be greatly appreciated in the winter, extra heat can
become a big problem in the summer. Natural light can enter the barn through windows,
large sliding doors, and panels and vents in the roof.
The three main types of electric lights used in barns are incandescent, fluorescent, and
high-density discharge (HID).
The common household lightbulb produces incandescent light by heating tiny wire fila-
ments made of tungsten within a glass vacuum bulb. Such bulbs convert only 6 percent of
electricity to light, and the rest goes to heat. They burn out much more quickly than other
lamps, but they are cheap and easy to replace. They are satisfactory for tack rooms, feed
rooms, and other similar spaces.
