29 Horsesarrangement of stalls & pens

29.1 A passageway must be provided at the front of each horse stall and each stall or pen must be so arranged that access is provided to the rear of each horse.

29.2 The means of closing a horse access to a pen or stall, may be a gate or portable rails:

(a) capable of maintaining continuity of strength and the alignment of the adjoining boundary; and
(b) capable of being secured against accidental lifting or removal.

29.3 The floor of a stall or pen must be of adequate strength, so constructed as to facilitate drainage and cleaning and:

(a) if constructed of wood:
  (i) in the case of a stall, must be boards close fitting at the front of the stall and spaced about 25 millimetres apart at the rear, effectively secured against lifting; and
  (ii) foot battens of cross section not less than 50 millimetres by 50 millimetres with edges well rounded must be provided at the front and rear of the stall or pen;
(b) if constructed of concrete, the concrete must be well finished off to provide a non-slip surface and, if necessary, suitable standings[\[40\]](#_ftn40) must be provided; and
(c) if constructed of metal mesh, the mesh must be made of rods having a diameter of approximately 9 millimetres placed to provide apertures of not more than 50 millimetres by 50 millimetres and suitable standings40 must be provided.

29.4 If horses are to be moved between decks, a ramp must be provided that must:

(a) have a minimum clear width of 750 millimetres;
(b) have panelled or sheathed sides that are free from protrusions and that extend to a height of not less than two metres perpendicular to the ramp floor; and
(c) be fitted with foot battens that are:
  (i) of a minimum height of 50 millimetres and a minimum breadth of 25 millimetres with edges well rounded;
  (ii) spaced at regular intervals of not more than 300 millimetres, each end batten being not more than 200 millimetres from the end of the ramp; and
  (iii) have a gradient not exceeding 1 in 2.

29.5 If stalls or pens are on an exposed deck, the uppermost stalls or pens must be fitted with a roof of a height that provides at least the minimum clear height specified by provision 27 for each stall or pen and that is waterproof and extends not less than 450 millimetres beyond any part of a stall or pen referred to in 29.6.

29.6.1 A stall or pen on an exposed deck must:

(a) in the case of an outermost stall or pen, be fitted with protective sheathing on its outboard side; and
(b) in the case of a stall or pen the forward end of which would otherwise be exposed, be fitted with protective sheathing on its forward end.

29.6.2 Sheathing must effectively screen the stall or pen and its feeding and watering arrangements from sea spray, but must not exclude natural ventilation.