Standing / Portable Fan for barn in Summer

[EmieMcGee]

I’m currently boarding my old man at a completely metal barn. It of course gets very hot in the summer so I wanted to get him a stall fan but there’s no wood for mounting in the stall.

The barn owners would probably be fine with mounting a fan to the metal but I’m curious if anyone had this issue and what you did to solve it? Unfortunately there’s no way to have stall guards so the stalls are enclosed (bottom half solid, top half is metal bars) so if I had a fan outside of the stall it would need to be on a stand in order to reach inside.

I really liked the Outdoor/Indoor 18-in Waterproof Livestock or Barn Fan by J&D MFG (https://www.valleyvet.com/mfg/jd-mfg.html) but need to be mounted to use.

[LCDR]

Can you attach a fan to the metal bars? Say with bungee cords? Or hang the fan in a fan bag? An unattended floor fan is just waiting to be knocked over or blown down.

[Simkie]

@EmieMcGee

I really liked the Outdoor/Indoor 18-in Waterproof Livestock or Barn Fan by J&D MFG (https://www.valleyvet.com/mfg/jd-mfg.html) but need to be mounted to use.

I can’t tell how this one mounts, but I totally hang similar fans (that are supposed to mount.) You just need to hang from two points, or they spin.

Is hanging it an option?

[luvmyhackney]

I use zip ties to hang on the outside of metal bars. Super easy and keeps my playful idiots from loosing body parts.

[Critter]

We have the metal bars…I just use 2 heavy duty bungee cords to hold the fans up. One bungee runs vertically, one horizontal…I loop them though the handle so it has a bit more support. If needed I duct tape over the metal hook on the bungees.

[Pico_Banana]

I have one of these and it works great. https://www.amazon.com/Air-King-9219-Industrial-Roll-About/dp/B000L9ORZO?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&gQT=1

[2DogsFarm]

I know it’s not an answer, & won’t apply if your horse is kept stalled in the daytime, but my 36X36 pole barn is all metal.
I’m in the Midwest, so Summer can be hot - 80-90+ & humid).
I leave the big - 12’w x 16’h - sliding door at the South-facing front partly open to allow shade & half open the big sliders in the attached 60X120 indoor for ventilation.
Stall doors (facing East) at the back are always open, horses have free access from pasture 24/7.
Even on the worst Summer days, the barn feels near 10 degrees cooler than outside.

[EmieMcGee]

Yes, the top of the bar is high up so I’d need a long strap but was thinking hanging might be an option. Only problem is that if I got the fan I want, it would be sitting flush with the bars and I’m not sure how safe that is. I’d be hanging it in a more redneck engineering style.

The way the stall is setup looks best for the box fan pictured but I’m of course nervous with the idea of using a box fan (of course)

[EmieMcGee]

Would you happen to have a picture? My old man thankfully wouldn’t bother it (I don’t think) but I think outside of the stall would be safest.

With the way I think I’d need to attach it though, the fan would be flush with the metal bars and it makes me nervous that it could cause an issue.

[EmieMcGee]

What style of fan are you using and would you happen to have a photo of the setup?

At the old barn we did this with box fans (I know ) and was my plan until I found out the fire risk so now I’m nervous but not sure if the fan style I attached above would be safe with a bungee cord set up flush to the metal bars?

[EmieMcGee]

This is the style I’m looking for, thank you!!

[EmieMcGee]

Thank you for the advice!!

He’s inside during the day because he had injured his eye and we used atropine and now we’re waiting for it to wear off. So we have to keep him completely indoors which is the issue 🥲

We can keep the barn doors open but the stalls themselves get almost no air flow (or feels like it) when the windows are also closed and there’s only a light breeze. His neighbors window is open but it’s not really enough to get things flowing. My hope is the addition of a fan will at least keep him somewhat cool and I’m thinking of just getting a box fan until I find a more permanent solution.

[2DogsFarm]

Box fan & the hanger @LCDR suggested sounds like your best way to go
I sympathize on the eye injury.
My TWH has managed to scratch one of his every Summer for the last 3yrs
No damage to th cornea, but 3X daily ABX ointment was not fun for me

Hope you can keep your guy cool until he can go out again.

[Critter]

This was one of the outdoor farm grade fans from FarmTek…has the auto shut off if there is any overheating.