Horse Stall Maintenance

Horse inside stall, Photo from Flickr.com vw4ross

For anyone who has ever had horses, you know first hand about horse stall maintenance. It seems not matter how ‘horse proof’ we strive to make their surrounding, they always find a way to chew on something, kick a wall, or even groove the wood with horse size teeth prints. Once the weather is warmer there are some simple steps to turning your stable back into the horsey palace it once was when it was first built.

The first step is to get the stalls down to the bare floor. Whether that is a dirt floor, cement, or something else, in order to repair walls, the horse stall bottom must be ‘found’. The very most important thing to fix first is any rottenness in boards along the floor of the stall wall. The danger here is horses legs becoming trapped under the walls or doors and subsequently breaking a leg. For stalls lined with plywood, the boards should be cut back to where the wood is solid and not rotten. Cutting should be done from upright stud to upright stud on the wall. Then a new piece of plywood installed. When lumber such as 2×6′s or 2×10′s are used for the stall walls, then any boards that are rotten should be removed, once again, stud to stud. Screwing boards into place verses nailing make them easier to remove for repairs. If a board is rotten half way or a quarter of the way through the board, the whole board should be removed, not just part of it. This retains the strength board to board.

Another area of attention for board repair is under the water buckets or around the automatic waterers. These areas attract a lot of moisture and are more prone to rotting.

The final place for attention is wherever a horse has decided he is a beaver. Rotten wood and pine seem to attract horses the most. It is amazing to me how an animal as large as a horse can turn beaver in a second. The chewed boards should be removed and replaced. Painting Chew Stop can help repell horse mouths. Also covering areas with metal or wire can help. Also the use of oak boards is a great way to keep the horse teeth at bay. It really is rewarding to see your horse stalls back in top shape. And it is easy to think to yourself, “Boy, the more time the spend outside, the less time the old or young horse will spend inside destroying things!”

Horse Stalls Guide

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Michael, June 1st 2010 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in horse stalls

Horse Stall Latches

Horse Stalls Guide- a look at latches

Horse stall latches are as varied as the animals they contain. A simple latch can include a slide bolt, chain with a snap, gravity close, no latches, a horse shoe clip, or a simple slide peg or pen.

Latches are very important as of course our horse treasures could escape and get hurt. A simple slide bolt is very common. The draw backs to it is that the bolts many time become hard to operate. With a vast majority of women working around barns, the latches need to be such that they can operate them. If a door begins to drag some, the bolt will not slide as it should. If using them, careful attention has to be paid that the bolts stay in working order.

Some barns simply mount a round ring on the horse stalls, put a snap on the end of a short chain, and that is the latch. An economical solution, it also does not stop working even if the door drags. The main down fall is if the snap itself breaks. When bolted to the end of the chain, replacement of it might not be the simplest.

A gravity close system is the newest idea. It is very clever and does keep the horse from escaping since it latches as soon as the door is closed. The down fall is if a small child goes into the stall and closes the door. They can become trapped because they cannot reach the gravity latch. Another draw back is that if someone leads a horse into the stall, the door closes, and the horse panics, the handler cannot just yank on the door and have it open. They would have to make it to the gravity latch to let themselves out.

A slide pin is a good option. The slide pin is simple, but can be the easiest for the horses to open with their mouths. If you have an escape artist, be sure their is no way for them to wrap their lips around the slide pin.

Horse are a dream, desire, and passion of people all over the world. Custom designing a horse barn and horse stalls to match your passion is fun, enjoyable, and also a journey. We will never totally out think the horse. Over time we learn from them and develop better and improved designs for all of our man made horse equipment.

Horse Stalls Guide

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Michael, August 13th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in horse barn layouts, horse stall design, horse stalls

Horse Stall Mats

Horse stall guides- looking to MATS-

Horse stall mats are another angle to making our horses comfortable. We all know standing on concrete is very hard on the body. The same is true for our equine friends. Even when a horse stall is lined with dirt or clay, the mats reduce the amount of shavings or bedding required.

There are three main types of horse stall mats: flat edged, interlocking, and pass through.

The pass through design is perfect for wash racks. The hole format provide traction as well as water flow away from the horses feet. In areas with water, the pass through mats allow for the water to escape and flow down the drain. Another good use for this style of mat is when a horse in injured. Some injuries are very susceptible to sawdust and shaving invasion. In this case the mat keeps the horse off of the ground while still giving some support.

Interlocking mats move less than their flat edged cousins. Constructed like a large puzzle, they stay put, provide a tighter fit, and also keep more moisture from penetrating down below the mat. On a cement surface, this can be a big advantage. Urine that is trapped under the mats can really make for a bad odor and a mess to clean.

Flat edged mats typically have ribbing or grooves on the back. This helps to keep the mat in place. Over time the mat will shift some. It is not a good idea to just lay a single mat in the middle of the stall. It is much better to cut mats to fit the entire area.

Some horse stalls may not need matting. One must carefully look at the ground surface. If rocks are everywhere, then a mat may still be necessary. Sometimes it is possible to simply top dress the stall area with topsoil. But more bedding is required if no horse stall mats are used.

Horse Stalls Guide

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Michael, August 12th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in horse barn layouts, horse stall design, horse stalls
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