# discovered mold growing on barn walls/stalls



## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

Not sure if this should be in horse health or the boarding section.


Long story short- I board my horse. I noticed some white mold in my horses old stall. I now notice there is mold growing on the wood in the horses stalls. At first, I thought it was just starting to travel, but no, its on the other side of the barn as well. Sadly, the barn is old and damp ( its been rainy this fall). How can this problem be taken care of? I been reading bleach water and air movement. 



My concern is this very well can be an ongoing battle. Sadly, the BO isnt  bringing in much money, and I feel even if I scrub and bleach the entire stable, it would probably be an ongoing issue. Water leaks in one side of the barn. so unless a revamp happens, the moisture entering in is still going to happen. A revamp isn;'t going to happen because of $$, which I understand.



And well, 3 days ago my horse has been diagnosed with heaves/allergies. She is being treated- and she wasn't bad ( did have crackles and wheezes when breathing with use of stethascope) but er breathing isn't labored. She doesnt have a temp, but does cough. she is medicated, and I havent been hearing her cough since. Zoe is outside as much as possible, but its coming into winter, and we did just have a snow storm that the horses were in longer. She is currently stalled at night.


I hate the thought of having to move barns, but man, mold growing on the wood? I dont need a fancy new place, but a horse dx with respiratory issues and discovering mold isn't good.


So, is it worth trying to clean the mold or opt for a better facility?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

edf said:


> And well, 3 days ago my horse has been diagnosed with heaves/allergies. She is being treated- and she wasn't bad ( did have crackles and wheezes when breathing with use of stethascope) but er breathing isn't labored. She doesnt have a temp, but does cough. she is medicated, and I havent been hearing her cough since. Zoe is outside as much as possible, but its coming into winter, and we did just have a snow storm that the horses were in longer. She is currently stalled at night.
> 
> So, is it worth trying to clean the mold or opt for a better facility?



You have quite a problem but at the cost of the horses health...
_*I would move.*_
The mold problem is present and not going to go away but will get worse as winter progresses, barns are closed up more against the weather and cold...
Best thing would be to open all doors and windows...blanket the horses heavily according to weather conditions but get air-exchange happening.


Heaves/allergies are nothing to not act upon...
For medical reasons alone..._gone is the action needed._


You write of a barn in disrepair with leaking, rotting wood and no $ to fix nor does it sound like the owner is willing to have the fix done either.


Time to find new boarding situation.
What is now being held in check with a cold climate...wait till spring warmth of thaw and rains begin the allergy season in earnest, forget the heaves being aggravated.
*GONE *

ASAP or sooner. :frown_color:
:runninghorse2:...


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## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

Yeah, I hear you. Even before I hit post, I kinda knew the answer. Like, the conditions for mold to grow wont change even if the mold there now is taking care of



Prolly like the worst thanksgiving ever- my black friday shopping consisted of vet care- no, not a cold but a chronic condition. Then top it off with discovering the mold issue. And here I am reading on ways to keep dust at bay- well, screw the dust- heres the mold. 




I will tell her about the mold. I don't know if she could afford to do something about it or not- I mean, the place is old, and just needs more repairs than its getting.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

edf said:


> Yeah, I hear you. Even before I hit post, I kinda knew the answer. Like, the conditions for mold to grow wont change even if the mold there now is taking care of
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The only good thing about the diagnosis is the barn owner should understand if you decide to leave. You are putting your horse's health first and if they care about horses they should understand that.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

How sad for you, but I would move to a better barn before the weather gets much worse. Anytime spent around mold is hard for her, being in all night adds to it. Not only is she breathing mild but ammonia from urine, hay dust, etc. Maybe a new place with a run so she can choose when to go in (and the ventilation will be better.) I don't think there's a easy fix for your current old barn 😞


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## dogpatch (Dec 26, 2017)

Living in rain country, mold and rot bring down even new, high end houses here starting within 10 years. You would have to know that your new barn was engineered to provide air circulation without draft. We've had to deal with mold issues inside and outside our house. A whole fire station in our town was shut down and demolished because of mold.


I think if you're otherwise comfortable with your surroundings, you really might consider abatement instead of moving, because mold is everywhere and you don't know if a move is going to help. I am also thinking that you might actually have some of dry rot, which is white. Mold is usually black. At any rate, bleach water is super cheap. Get a pump up sprayer and hit the bad spots. See how it goes.


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## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

> I think if you're otherwise comfortable with your surroundings, you really might consider abatement instead of moving, because mold is everywhere and you don't know if a move is going to help. I am also thinking that you might actually have some of dry rot, which is white. Mold is usually black. At any rate, bleach water is super cheap. Get a pump up sprayer and hit the bad spots. See how it goes.



the stuff is white, but some of it is fuzzy though, so I assumed its mold. But just now I googled it. Is there any simple way to determine if its mold or efflorescence? Both are white and fuzzy



However, the place is usually damp- as I am sur emost places are when its rainy, but th ewater really seaps into the barn and can stay damp. The place is a 200 year old horse farm. And sadly, I dont see much renovation in the future with the same BO.


I have been thinking of moving, but do really like it there. The lessons arent that good, which is a down side.


:sigh:


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## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

actually, just found out efflorescence won't grow on wood.


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## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

So, a little update. Zoe finished the syrup meds, and yesterday I exercised her lightly, no coughing. However, today, just bringing her in to pick out her hoofs, she was coughing. The neighbor was burining wood in their fireplace. You could smell it just exiting the barn. Now, we did get a warm spell, so there is fog int he fields, but there wasn't much air movement. Needless to say, my joy of not hearing her cough has diminished. However, I know meds alone isnt the solution, but either it wasn't enough/needs something stronger/the smoke aggitated her/ initial problem is still there. I am hoping it was just because of the fire place smoke, but yeah... who knows. when the vet comes back out, i hope her lungs sound better



as far as checking other facilities out- been finding some choices- some out of my price range. One place sounded good, but can't use your own vet or farrier. Won't ding that one off the list, but it bumped it to the bottom. One place sounded awesome, so naturally, no stalls available and a waiting list.


I do have some good news though- the place right next to us has some stalls open. I rode there last year. They actually have a older horse with heaves and the horse does well there. I asked a lot of questions regarding my concerns with heaves and mold. While s some one posted cannot garantee a mold free place all the time, the BO states never had a mold issue- the place is airy ( but no drafts) 



They do use saw dust for bedding, which was a concern, but they said it doesnt get dusty. I even went into a stall and kicked it around- wasn't dusty like I thought it would be. It still gives me something to think about though.


The pros of this place:


Barn is nicer. IT IS DRY. It was soggy weather when we visited, and no water coming in. The stalls are nicer, its newer. Cleaner.


right next to us ( can see the place as we pull out of our trailer park)


I like the BO who also gives lessons- will learn a lot more.


has more storage for boarders


the bedding- while can be counted as a con too, will provide a dryer place for my horse when stalled since no water seeping in.


they take care of blanketing ( this is good when its the start of cold season and going into spring)


cons- 

will state saw dust bedding


no indoor ring ( but indoor was dusty since it doesnt get watered enough) Has a nice outdoor ring- but has jump course in it. ( not that big of a deal)



smaller fields. She would be in with 5 mares, and the fields are decent, just not like the barn currently at. Also, in the winter, the front field where the mares are gets a round bale- which I read isn't the best for heavey horses


it costs more- but pretty much ANY place, aside from field board or self care- is going to cost more since the current place is cheap and I get a discount already.


they do show, so it is a show barn- but not a super fancy show barn. I do have to vaccinate for something else I usually don't get since horses travel off property at this place for shows.







I have not found a place that has the run ins with stalls to give my horse a choice. As per the contract with the rescue- she has to have access to a stall ( doesnt state she has to be in it though, but just for bad weather or stall rest) so I can't do field board.


So, that is where I am at right now, if anyone was curious.


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## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

Well, decided to move. Just gotta contact the rescue and all that jazz to see if there is anything I need to do. Not saying anything until its given the all clear to move.


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## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

update:


Zoe has been moved. it is day 3.


the move went much smoother than I could have expected: she trailered ok and while she is a bit nervous, she isn't freaking out. We are working on changing her over to new feed slowly- I did gave several days supply of the grain and a bail of the alfalfa hay.


She did make friends with her stall neighbor- which is good because she loves looking over the stall at him.


She isn't a wreck with being led or me picking out her feet. I feared she was going to regress and be all kicky- but she isn't. The worst she did was really lift her leg up when I go to pick it out and move it up and down a lot like she used too, but now on day 3 its not even that bad. She isn't as relaxed in the cross ties, but she isn't dancing around either.


She does stall walk a bit still, but it's not terrible. They use the saw dust bedding and I swear her feet look a little drier allready. She has been weaned off the ventipulmin (sp) syrup and is just getting the tri-hist in her feed. I was concerned because I was still hearing coughs while weaning her off- however I have not heard a cough since the move.


Telling the old BO went smooth too- it was hard though. She did try to make extra accomodations for me to stay, but in the end- the fact the barn gets so damp, I think the mold was going to be ongoing. She has been scrubbing the walls, but we always see some still on other places. In fact, mold was starting to regrow where she scrubbed in one section.


The schedule for when the hrses come in is much more routine. There were times I was going over to the old place at dark, and they were still out, and there was no way I was getting her out past the horses waiting to be let in to be fed, so I'd have to skip picking her feet and have to dose her in the field- with only the flashlight on my bf's phone.


Everyone loves her there- says she is such a cutie.


So far, I am very happy with the decision to move.


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