We all know that fresh air is essential for the health of our horses. Stall guards are a good way to allow better circulation of air in your barn, and horses enjoy being able to stick their head out for fresh air and to see what's going on out there! However, there are a few guidelines to follow to ensure safe stall guard use.

SOLID Stall Guard	WEBBED Stall Guard

>> Avoid webbed stall guards, period. I can't tell you how many times I believed a horse was content enough to have a webbed stall guard, and turned out to be wrong. If a horse paws at a webbed stall guard, his foot can get caught and at that point, injury is inevitable.

>> Single chain guards are safe ONLY for horses who are content to stay in their stalls. Younger horses try to excape, so solid stall guards are better for them.

>> Make sure your stall guard is streched tight enough across the stall doorway to prevent the horse from lifting it and escaping underneith. This has happened countless times due to hanging the stall guard too loose.

>> Be sure to adjust each stall guard to hang at a level that is good for each individual horse. The top of any stall guard should stop at the point where the horse's chest and neck meet. For larger horses, a single chain stall guard can be hung about 5 inches above the solid stall guard.

>> Make it a habit to check the stall guard every time you are near your horse's stall. Be sure to check for cracked wood. The screws and snaps should only be of heavy-duty quality.

>> If a horse is excitable in a stall, rushes the stall door or leans on his stall guard excessively, forget using a stall guard and try something like a half-door or a screened door.

Editor's Note: If you're interested in replacing your old stall guard or installing a new one, here's a "web closed stall guard" on sale at: It's the last one shown on the page.

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About the author:

Cheryl's goal is to educate horse owners on how to develop a trusting and respectful partnership with their horses. The training methods she uses and teaches are ones that promote a horse's confidence and willingness to please.

As the President of Equusite.com (The Ultimate Horse Resource), Cheryl teaches her methods of horsemanship online in a simple step-by-step fashion to ensure that horsemen and women of all ages and disciplines are able to understand and use her methods easily.

For more information, see Cheryl' bio page or contact her:

Cheryl McNamee-Sutor
President, Equusite.com
cheryl@equusite.com
(630) 267-9397