saui turf team Solar Health in the Stable

saui turf team Solar Health in the Stable

Animal health is critical to horse owners and so too is being environmentally conscious. Good air quality is essential for minimizing respiratory health problems. This starts with good ventilation that also helps protect the horse stable structure from moisture damage by reducing condensation. Using the Solar Whiz Solar powered high volume fan/s, allows Mother Nature to control this air quality cost free, every day.

What is good air quality for horses?

Horses are more comfortable in well-ventilated stables with good air temperature and humidity. Stable air temperature is affected by the season type, age and weight of the horses. Temperatures can vary from 12ºC up to 44ºc. This is considered way above optimum.

Stable humidity is also important. Very dry air (low relative humidity) dries the horse's nasal mucosa and can be a source of dust and pathogen infiltration into the horse's respiratory system. Very moist air (high relative humidity) combined with low air temperature can reduce the insulative properties of a horse's hair coat.

"Episodes of bleeding are more frequent in summer and are associated with poor

stable air quality. The incidence is reduced in dust-free stables. Hay, raw grains

and bedding are the major sources of stable air contaminants, in terms of respirable particles, fungal spores and bacterial fragments." Ref Dr J H Stewart -'Exercise & heat stress' Publ. -02-2006'-(Equine Veterinarian and Consultant Nutritionist-UK)

A well-ventilated stable will remove high levels of moisture or gases.

Properties of air ?

Moisture-Holding Capacity

Air has the capacity to hold moisture in water vapor form. The amount of moisture held by a fixed volume of air (relative humidity, or RH) increases as the temperature of that air rises. E.g, cold outside air has little moisture-holding capacity, whereas warm air has significant moisture-holding capacity. For every 10°C increase in temperature, the moisture holding capacity of air approx. doubles.

Thermal Buoyancy of Air

Warm air is less dense than cold air, so it is lighter and rises. This principle works well in natural ventilation systems where the warmer stable air, caused by body heat, is allowed to rise up and exhaust in a peak vent or chimney. Reliant on external ambient temperatures, the greater the temperature difference between inside the stable and outside - the larger the uplift or buoyancy force will be. Relying on buoyancy is not very effective in warm weather since there is little temperature difference between inside and outside. For these conditions, what's needed is a summer breeze or mechanical forced ventilation.

Natural ventilation system

A natural ventilation system is quieter than most fan systems and can provide daylight, but require more management to maintain uniform temperature and air quality inside the horse stable.