This will reduce the tendency for the horses to walk back to the barn to defecate and keep the barn cleaner. If cleanliness is not a concern, hay can be fed in the barn. There is, however, a danger when feeding horses in a confined space. Competition for feed in a confined area may lead to an accident. In areas where there is high annual rainfall, a windbreak may be all that is needed for outdoor housing.
Windbreaks are essential for all animals housed outdoors.
Many different objects can be used as windbreaks. Their purpose is to slow the wind speed and, therefore, the wind chill. Large bales stacked two or three high and stored adjacent to a paddock will act as a wind barrier. Solid board fences, cedar hedging, a bush lot, or snow fences of at least six feet in height, will provide good wind protection. In some areas, material such as shade cloth, as used in the ginseng industry, is attached to tall fence posts to act as a windbreak.