Radio in the Barn

[Tarlo Farm]

How many of you leave a radio on in your barn all the time? Why? What kind of station are you tuned to? Why? I'll usually turn the radio to NPR while I'm working in the barn, but never leave it on.

[Quelah]

I don't, I like to hear the barn sounds and I don't think its beneficial to the horses. That said, I do listen to audio books when I'm doing chores, on the iPod, with only one ear bud in, again, I want to be able to hear what's around me.

[bascar]

On the upside, it keeps the pigeons away.

[texsuze]

If it truly keeps pigeons and sparrows away, I might have to keep the radio on! I used to listen to radio only in the a.m. while doing chores, but stopped after I decided my chooks needed more quiet during their egg production In the afternoon, however, I'll put on a CD during chook and pony chores: Patsy Cline, Kenny G, Chopin, Nat King Cole, John Denver, Celtic harp music, all easy listening

[Fatcat]

I used to on rainy days, tuned to an ad free classical station. Now I don't unless I'm out there as it scares away the feral cat I'm feeding at the barn.

BTW, They really seem to like classical, seem to relax more when it's on.

[periastra]

I left the radio on NPR when I wasn't in the barn. It played night and day. We had a barn full of birds that were completely unbothered. They would sit on the radio. I would turn it to rock when I was out working. The horses seemed to like it.

[Kyra's Mom]

I believe it was in Equus a while back although a quick google didn't find it. There was an article about music in the barn. If I remember right, the horses didn't like Rock and preferred classical. Sorry...I can't remember how they determined that whether they observed behavior or actually checked a blood chemical like cortisol. Maybe someone else can find it (I am at work ).

Susan

[Hoof'n it]

I have a radio in the barn. If I have horses in during the day, it stays on.
Otherwise it gets turned on/off by the girls who agist here.

It's generally on an easy listening station, unless someone changes it.

I honestly find my horses are more settled in their boxes when the music is on.

I generally just have my playlist going on my iPhone through my earpieces, one in my ear and the other out. When I am on the farm or riding, so I never really turn the radio on for me.

[fergusnc]

Earlier in my adult 'horse life' I was with a trainer/in a barn that always had classical on for horses, switched to NPR for brain stimulation for herself while doing barn chores. I used to always want music when riding to distract me from the boogeyman during rough periods with my horse. Nd my horse used to seem to really enjoy music when we rode but he had preferences. Swing was his favorite. As time went on, being at barns that had no music or radio versus one where it is constant and sometimes really loud, I have noticed my horse wants quiet…at least in the barn. I think he, like Quelah, likes to be able to hear anything he might need to be aware of when in a barn. He has always been leary of sounds, versus taking quite a big "sight" to scare him, and I think that sensitivity has increased with each recurrence of EPM.

In looking around at the horses in the barn where the radio is always on…some seem to tune it out, some seem pretty on edge…but may have nothing to do with music. When my boy comes home, I probably won't have music except maybe when riding if I need some fun energy (for me). But I also won't have electric fencing or water heaters or trough heaters…same sensitive guy gets squarely about electric currents. Hopefully I will find him a buddy who doesn't need electric fences.

[PaulaO]

I hate background noise and never have the tv on at home unless I am watching it. The only time I had the radio on at the barn was when I would ride alone at night. Bob liked van Halen but did not like AC/DC.

[Tarlo Farm]

Fergusnc, Swing! I can just see that! I would love to ride to that! (Maybe THERE is my hidden Freestyle)

[Code3]

I don't even have a radio in my barn. My trainer has a radio in her barn tuned to a country music station. I prefer the barn sounds.

[M&M]

I had a radio in my barn. Most of the time, the horses were out while I was cleaning stalls, so there were no barn sounds. I listened to NPR. One time, I did call in to a talk show, and when I heard the show on it's repeat airing later that night, I heard one of my horses whinnying out in the field!

[TeresaB]

I will leave the radio on if the boys have to stay in due to bad weather. And it's on when they come in at dark until last check. So this time of year that would be 4:30ish to 8:30 ish. Other than that, it's not continually on.

I keep it on NPR. The boys play along to 'Wait, Wait don't tell me' and 'Car Talk'. At least I'd like to think they enjoy it.

[Don Giovanni]

Fergusnc, Swing! I can just see that! I would love to ride to that! (Maybe THERE is my hidden Freestyle)

Not to hijack the thread, but a few years back when we were doing lots of freestyles, my trainer was looking for music for her FEI ride (can't remember what level...). She had a big moving Hanoverian. I had narrowed down a few choices based on his BBM, and we were trying them out in the indoor.
There was no reaction to the first couple, but when the Big Band trot piece came on, he got all puffed up and just seemed to bounce along to the music. It's funny, but he really responded to it.

Carry on....

PS - when I had a horse, the barn radio was usually on - a country station while the staff was working (I really don't like country music) and rock when the teenagers were riding. Don't like that either.... old fogey that I am

[Melody]

We leave ours on during the day. Mostly for us but if horses are in because of storms we turn it up with something relaxing to try and help drown out the noise. Husband is retired now and has a big CD collection. Drives me nuts because a lot of what he loves I hate. He will try and only do that if he is cleaning stalls or what not when I am not in there. We also need the radio if it's during storm season and we are in the barn, most of the stations will have weather coverage. I did make the mistake when I use to have hired help of telling them they could change the station sometimes if they didn't like what I did. Everyone took advantage of that and I never got to listen to what I wanted. That was stupid on my part apparently.

[Paints]

I've always wondered if horses really like music left on all the time? What if you were forced to listen to music you hated? I'm sure they much prefer natural sounds. But I have certainly observed that some of them really love to work to music!

I had to google NPR - (National Public Radio). Oh - CBC Radio 1!

[Shirrine]

I put the radio on in the morning and turn it off at night except when weaning then it is on 24/7 so they have some noise happening like with puppies. I also have the football on on the weekend fairly loudly. I find it helps them become less sensative to noise when out and about.

Shirrine

[Minz]

My coach always played classical or our version of NPR. She said that it discouraged coyotes. She kept it in the arena, so I don't think it was ever loud enough to bother the horses. It was always at a low background music level, and it never bothered me. Occasionally there would be a new barn help girl who liked to blast rock or country while they worked. That was another story. I like to get kind of zen when I groom, and while I like both rock and country,it doesn't facilitate a zen mindset.

[bascar]

I lied about the pigeons. Two flew out yesterday. Time to excavate the air rifle from under the couch.

[Melody]

The radio does nothing for pigeons, I had sort of pet pigeons in the barn for years, they never cared about the music. I had also heard it would keep skunks away. Another myth!

[chantal]

I do not mind a radio in the barn and have been to an number of barns that have them. My favorite one played a mix of classical (specifically for the horses), NPR and some pop for the employees. I always feel at home when I walk into a barn playing country, good memories and generally a more laid back vibe in my experience.