Diaphragmatic hernias or rents are uncommon in horses and mostly related to direct trauma, strenuous activities, or parturition. Current advancements in minimally invasive surgery seem to favor thoracoscopic approaches, standing or under general anesthesia, to guide closure of dorsal or central defects. To our knowledge, the use of barbed suture has not been reported. The objective of this case report is to describe the successful use of barbed wire suture with or without an automated suturing device for standing thoracoscopic diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy in three adult horses. All patients were diagnosed with a dorsally located tear associated with either a penetrating injury (case 1) or a small intestinal incarceration (cases 2 & 3). After diagnosis during exploratory thoracoscopy (case 1) or emergency laparotomy (cases 2 & 3), closure of the dorsal defect in the diaphragm was later performed through a standing thoracoscopic approach in all cases. Defects were closed with barbed suture with either a direct suturing technique or an automated suturing device. All horses recovered uneventfully and were alive at follow-up (two-to-three years after surgery). No significant complications or recurrence were reported. Standing thoracoscopic herniorrhaphy is a reliable technique and shows promise for correction of small dorsal diaphragmatic defects. Additionally, the combination of an automated suturing device with barbed sutures yielded a good outcome in all cases and required minimal training before its use. This approach eliminates the risks and costs associated with general anesthesia, can improve surgery time, facilitates defect closure, and allows accurate suture placement.