Overhead infrared heaters in stalls?

[The_Crone_of_Cottonmouth_Count]

Is this the worst idea ever? Assuming the wiring is new, up to code, properly installed, etc?

I’ve got a delicate hothouse flower Arab mare who doesn’t grow much of a winter coat. She will just barely tolerate being blanketed, but from the stink-eye she gives me I can tell she’d really rather not. As she is my special pet, I was thinking I’d give her an infrared heater for Xmas, just to take the edge off when it dips down into the 20s. Ideally it would be controlled by some sort of thermostat or a timer or both. I’d hang it off center so she could get out of its rays if she gets too hot.

But of course everyone says, “Omigod, a heater in a barn, are you mad, Crone?”

I’ve got one of these in my wash stall, and haven’t burned the barn down yet, even though I forgot and left it on overnight one time.

[My_Two_Cents]

I’m not sure if that is the kind of heat I would want for stall use. My experience with it is that it warms up an object, and then when it shuts off, it’s cold. Warm, cold, warm, cold might not be the best for the horse. I would think a steady heat, even if cooler, would be better.

[Simkie]

I’ve been at a couple barns with heaters like that in stalls, and I think they’re awesome. We’re doing a bunch of wiring in our own barn now, and planning the outlets that are at the stalls with enough juice to support a heater in the future.

Do check the electric issue…my outlets have to each be on separate circuits due to the load.

[The_Crone_of_Cottonmouth_Count]

And those barns didn’t even burn down? I am encouraged.

[Simkie]

They did not! Even the one that wasn’t kept very clean!

[Pdgx]

Put them in our stalls about 15 years ago. They’ve been great. Only maintenance is dusting them off each fall before first use. We only switch them on when the temp requires it.
The horses seem to really like them. Stand under them when they want or move away from them. Got ours from Grainger.

[chicamux]

Tell me, who’s worried about the cold? You or the horse? Is she shivering and or losing weight? If not then give her shelter out of the wind, a high neck warm blanket and plenty of hay.

[wendy]

um, aren’t you in Texas?
I doubt any horse in Texas even needs a blanket, let alone a heater. Horses love the cold. Completely naked clipped horses overheat if it goes over 50. A unclipped horse is usually too warm if its above 30. Putting a heater in a horse’s stall is akin to torture.

[Pdgx]

[QUOTE=… Putting a heater in a horse’s stall is akin to torture.[/QUOTE]

Must be a Real small ‘Universe’ you’re from with statements like that.

Credibility = 0

[Calamber]

I would not do it personally because I would not want to leave a heater on overnight. Let her give you the stink eye, put a blanket on her when it is below 40 if she has no coat.

[OverandOnward]

[QUOTE=wendy;7951596]
um, aren’t you in Texas?
I doubt any horse in Texas even needs a blanket, let alone a heater. Horses love the cold. Completely naked clipped horses overheat if it goes over 50. A unclipped horse is usually too warm if its above 30. Putting a heater in a horse’s stall is akin to torture.[/QUOTE]

Don’t know where “Center of the Universe” is, but you must not have lived in Texas. (Although I thought the Center of the Universe WAS in Texas … :winkgrin: )

Texas is larger than most countries and has widely different temps & weather. Drier areas away from the coast and toward the north have many bitterly cold days in winter, hi temps in the 20’s and a lot of wind, sleet, freezing rain and some snow.

As they say in North Texas in winter, nothing between there and Canada but a barbed-wire fence.

(Means the cold air mass comes down without geographical features such as mountains or seas to break the flow.)

[Jexa]

[QUOTE=wendy;7951596]
um, aren’t you in Texas?
I doubt any horse in Texas even needs a blanket, let alone a heater. [/QUOTE]

Always cracks me up when people say this. I grew up in the Texas Panhandle. Elevation 3500’ MSL, very low humidity (so BIG temperature swings), and as overandonward says not a single tree to block arctic air masses from the north. Ice storms are common, occasional snowstorms as well. Temps were in the single digits with negative windchill (it is WINDY there!) when I visited over Christmas. My brother lives on the northeastern edge of the Hill Country (where Crone is) and they’ve had a few inches of snow thus far.

Texas is a big state, people. So no, helping a horse stay warm in Texas does not equal “torture”. :rolleyes:

[Simkie]

Bluey is in TX, and she was just talking about -60 degree windchill.

Sort of shattered my beliefs that Texas is warm.

[TandyTX]

I live in Texas. Have radiant heaters above a few stalls. Typically use for new foals or unexpected cold/rain snap.
Texas, can get cold. Maybe this isn’t Alaska, but tell our horses that when the temps drop 50+ degrees in 2 hours. Their natural coats are not conditioned for significant cold.
The foals really seemed to like the heaters the most, finding that warm spot in the stall.
Really like the heaters, dont use them a whole lot, but nice to have them.

[SquishTheBunny]

Infrared shouldn’t turn on^off so it should be a steady heat. I have an infrared bulb for the rabbits which is on all the time.

I also have the heaters above the stalls…I turn them on when the horses are wet but don’t typically leave them on overnight…but I don’t see any reason why they can’t be on. They heat up the horses but not the bedding water etc.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

If you do go for these, make sure they are rated for continuous use (not intermittent). Check the mounting distance so they don’t run too hot.

Also I would not get cheap ones. If there is such as thing as hazardous-area, drip-proof, high-humidity, whatever, get it. If you have to run extension cords, run outdoor-rated cords. And above all, check the ratings on the circuits because these draw a lot of power.

I dunno about the concept. If you breed and have foals in January, then it seems reasonable. If you’re talking healthy adult horses, I think it’s unnecessary.

We have an arab mare who gives us major stinkeye about blankets but when the temps get down around zero I’m sure she’s more comfortable with it on.

[Cindyg]

I have one in my barn. Farnam used to sell it as a barn heater. Never had any problem with it. On the other hand, it isn’t terribly warm. The horse has to be directly under it and sort of tall to get any effect from it. I am not sure it would help with a blanketed horse either.

[SLW]

Adding a heater over a stall is such a personal decision. I can see having one in a wash stall for drying off a horse or for vet/farrier work on bitter cold days.

For myself, I think there are enough wonderful blanketing options to help a horse that struggles with cold weather.

[DressageFancy]

I have one for my goats. They are in a small separate building from the horses. They love the heater. The food trough is at the end away from the heater and on really cold days they stand under the heater looking at me like '“You have got to be kidding! We are not going down there to eat. Bring the feed to us!”

[OverandOnward]

[QUOTE=Jexa;7951945]
Always cracks me up when people say this. I grew up in the Texas Panhandle. Elevation 3500’ MSL, very low humidity (so BIG temperature swings), and as overandonward says not a single tree to block arctic air masses from the north. Ice storms are common, occasional snowstorms as well. Temps were in the single digits with negative windchill (it is WINDY there!) when I visited over Christmas. My brother lives on the northeastern edge of the Hill Country (where Crone is) and they’ve had a few inches of snow thus far.

Texas is a big state, people. So no, helping a horse stay warm in Texas does not equal “torture”. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Bro is in north Texas. They have snow regularly over winter. But without the fun of accumulation, as the wind blows it away across the flat-ish land. There are few natural windbreaks, and fencing prevents animals from finding even a dip in the terrain. It is a miserable winter with few of the compensating benefits in other parts of the country.

Dalhart at the top of the panhandle has days when it is among the coldest winter temps in the country.

(And then you have Oklahoma, even worse winter weather … imo … )