# Foam padding for pole



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I want to take out the wooden boards between two stalls to make a larger enclosure. It would be for two horses (well, for Pony and for Teddy, who is technically a pony at 14'2, but don't tell him that; he thinks he is a small horse). This would leave a narrow metal pole in the middle of the opening.

I should have measured when I was out there today, but I believe the pole is 2" by 2". It's square, not round. I'm going to include a couple of pictures (bonus Pony picture!). I have crudely drawn a red box around it. Also, for those with sharp eyes and good memories, that is the wasp nest I mentioned in another post. I want to wrap it in some sort of foam / padding material that would ideally be brightly colored. I don't want Teddy or Pony banging into it, so I want it visible; but if they do bang into it I'd like it to be padded so they won't get hurt. 

Has anyone done this and recommend something to put over it? My internet search has so far found covers for round poles, but not square poles.


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## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

Pool noodles are super cheap - I used to use some when I lived in the dormitory halls of college to protect my head from banging on the underside of the bunk bed. I bet 2 pool noodles, cut open hotdog style, and then zip-tied around there would work well.

Do you think the horses will chew at the pool noodles though? It would be a cheap test before spending more $$$ on a different solution, only to have the horses destroy them.

Or, if you can find a used set, you can buy those "floor puzzles" that are foam, often seen in children's play rooms - I hope my description is accurate enough to know what I'm talking about :lol: If you bought a pack of them, you could replace them as they are destroyed.


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

We have a light pole in the way of our sledding hill at my in laws house and we wrapped it with yoga mat pieces. Just wrap around and cut! Not horribly expensive (especially if you can get one at TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Home Goods or used) and will wrap around any shape!


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

You can bet your last dollar that if you wrap it with anything they will chew it off! 

Why house the two together? They could get into an argument with not enough room to get away from each other and, sure as heck they will make a lot more mess.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Foxhunter said:


> You can bet your last dollar that if you wrap it with anything they will chew it off!
> 
> Why house the two together? They could get into an argument with not enough room to get away from each other and, sure as heck they will make a lot more mess.


These guys get along pretty well. The reason I want to put them together is that there is a small paddock (about 20 x 20) that I could connect to this small stall (10 x 10), so they'd each have a decent amount of room. Otherwise I have to put them both in individual 10 x 10 stalls. I hate stalling horses to begin with, so if I do have to stall them I'd like to give them as much room as possible. I want to try and see how it goes. If it doesn't go well, I can put the boards back in and consider other options.

I hadn't thought about them chewing it. Teddy wouldn't, Pony might. Pony is the one who ate the astroturf off one of the jumps here. If he chews it off, then, again, I will need to reconsider. I'd like to try it and see how it goes, though.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Pool noodles are cheap protection and easy to cut and fit around, then either use some duct tape to secure or zip ties.
Horses do not see all colors of the spectrum so just buy what you can...the fact it is there they already know about it so this is more for you than them.
You can also use pipe insulation which has a adhesive edge but it is more costly and not sure it is as thick either.
Either way, if you pad with anything I would secure the padding with either that tape or zip ties or guaranteed one of them will have it off playing swords with the other..._on-guard!!:charge:_
:runninghorse2:...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I'm liking the idea of wrapping the whole thing (pool noodle or whatever) with duct tape. That might be hard to chew through, right?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

No...they don't chew with front teeth.
They grip and rip, tear it...
They chew and grind with rear molars same as us...front teeth bite, cut, tear and rip..


Duct tape is pretty strong but it is _not_ indestructible from a horse tearing it apart with some consistent nagging at it..
I've used duct tape on my blankets to hold till I could sew a rip...the horse got a edge and the game to play with their nose and work it loose till if came apart was on..
Zip ties you can make embedded tight and cut the end close and actually file it smooth.
When though you take into account you are dealing with a animal of many hundreds of pounds there is not much that is going to withstand their punishment and determination.
:runninghorse2:..


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Why take both sides down? Just take the larger side down and leave it as a pass-through. They get along pretty well, they will figure out who wants which stall or if they want to stuff it in together. That way, if they want to go out to the paddock they both can from either stall.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

waresbear said:


> Why take both sides down? Just take the larger side down and leave it as a pass-through. They get along pretty well, they will figure out who wants which stall or if they want to stuff it in together. That way, if they want to go out to the paddock they both can from either stall.


The sides are actually both the same size -- five feet. This (having only one side open) is what I had originally proposed to the barn owner, but she was afraid that one of them might get trapped in there by the other. This has happened with Moonshine and Teddy, when she pre-emptively goes into his stall to eat his feed, then he comes over and wants her to stop eating it. He effectively blocks the only exit while continuing to harass her. This has never happened with Pony and Teddy, because Pony is 100% clear on where the two of them stand. Plus I was going to put their hay and water in the paddock, not the stall. But still... when it happens with Teddy and Moonshine, it is scary.


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