# Building A New Barn



## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Be still my heart ------ beautiful beautiful beautiful on all counts!!!!

Now as to your dad---------

Is he for hire --------- I am "only" four hours away, lollol


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

Oh fantastic! I can't wait to see the progress.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Today was the last day my pastures remain a hay field!
















Baling soon. Going to try and save as many bales as I can fit. I have a hay guy lined up that we've used in the past, so that's who I'll be buying from, from now on.



walkinthewalk said:


> Be still my heart ------ beautiful beautiful beautiful on all counts!!!!
> 
> Now as to your dad---------
> 
> Is he for hire --------- I am "only" four hours away, lollol


Thank you!  He's been doing great. My friend keeps joking that he needs to go in business after this, just be the contractor and delegate the work haha!

He's very talented. 2 years ago he designed and made me this saddle stand for my first saddle:









When I got Bear (his registered name is Berry Flamable, so his barn name is really Berry), he made me this mahogany brush box:









But back to the barn! 

He finished the big sliders today, final coat of paint and got the rollers on them. Tomorrow his buddy is coming to help us and we're going to hang them! 









He's starting the dutch doors next.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

walkinthewalk said:


> Be still my heart ------ beautiful beautiful beautiful on all counts!!!!
> 
> *Now as to your dad-*--------
> 
> Is he for hire --------- I am "only" four hours away, lollol


When I read this part about the Dad, I was thinking you were going to ask, oh never mind, mybad.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Big doors are up!!

My father's buddy came, and between the two of them, and me trying to help we got them hung  Still need to cap off the ends of the tracks, adjust them a little, and add in the roller guides at the bottom, but they're up! The frames ended up working fine, so all he has to do is put in the roller guides at the bottom and locks in the inside.

Front:









Back:









Called the barn guys, they did a shoddy job on the back corner of the barn's metal work, so hoping they are able to come out this week and fix it, but until then, it's functional I'm just unhappy with it. 

Now he's beefing up the door frames for the dutch doors and starting on those  We're all SO relieved that the big doors are done and hung, they were a lot of work, but I'm very happy with how they came out, and they feel great and more study than the sheet metal doors I've experienced at other barns.


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

Beautiful job of photographing the progress and a very nice result. Thank you for sharing. I've learned a lot from reading these barn build threads. I appreciate the work that you put into documenting your experience.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Beautiful barn and fabulous sliding doors!! Your Dad is very talented; those doors are not only very functional, they are a work of art! 

Thank you for documenting the progress, can't wait to see more.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Joel Reiter said:


> Beautiful job of photographing the progress and a very nice result. Thank you for sharing. I've learned a lot from reading these barn build threads. I appreciate the work that you put into documenting your experience.


Thank you so much! So did I  It's fun to try and put the things I've learned into play.



AnitaAnne said:


> Beautiful barn and fabulous sliding doors!! Your Dad is very talented; those doors are not only very functional, they are a work of art!
> 
> Thank you for documenting the progress, can't wait to see more.


Thank you!  We're so happy with them 

Speaking of doors, started the dutch doors! Just fitting and mocking them up now, no trim work or anything like that on them yet; but it's a start


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Wow, looking GREAT! You - and the horses! - will love that overhang above the stall doors! This is absolutely gorgeous. You will love your barn! I still smile every day when I walk out to mine, and I still prefer cleaning my barn to cleaning my house!


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Nice! We will hopefully be building a barn in the next couple years I love seeing progress!


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Your barn is absolutely beautiful with details done and especially because of who is doing so much of the work...
Straight from the heart and it shows!!

Can't wait for you to share more as it progresses... :thumbsup:

:clap: :thumbsup:.... those are for your dad and the obvious craftsmanship he is bestowing upon this job. He is indeed talented with his tools and thinking how to go about projects of all kinds.
:runninghorse2:....


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Wow, looking GREAT! You - and the horses! - will love that overhang above the stall doors! This is absolutely gorgeous. You will love your barn! I still smile every day when I walk out to mine, and I still prefer cleaning my barn to cleaning my house!


I am so excited! I loved watching your barn build and followed through all your updates  It's definitely an exciting venture, one I dreamed about my entire life. It's funny how "normal" it feels now, like "this is what it's supposed to be". My horse had an accident last week and I've been doctoring some wounds, and I just wish I could have him right out my back door to monitor him, but I told myself, very soon!  I am so happy I made the barn 12ft shorter so I could afford the lean-to. Originally I was going to go with a 4th stall, and just use that as extra storage space, but I figured in time I can always add on or add another building for more storage.



beau159 said:


> Nice! We will hopefully be building a barn in the next couple years I love seeing progress!


Exciting stuff!! Keep us all posted 




horselovinguy said:


> Your barn is absolutely beautiful with details done and especially because of who is doing so much of the work...
> Straight from the heart and it shows!!
> 
> Can't wait for you to share more as it progresses... :thumbsup:
> ...


Thank you so much! He's put literally every day, 8 hours a day working on that thing since the barn builders left. Today he's working on the final door which was the first door he made. He ended up making it too tight (he was trying to keep the gaps as close as functionally possible) and made it a little too tight. He did some cutting that he has to now re-add back on. That door may be a little funky, but I'm sure it'll be fine in the end haha.










Progress picture of the dutch doors  The frames were still drying in this picture (hence the painters tape). They still need latches installed, but will once they're actually done. They're fastened right now to keep them secure from when the wind comes in from the storms starting tonight.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Today we staked out the fence line and dug the main post holes for the main fence support (installing Ramm flex fencing for around the house and paddock). Excited, but not excited about paying for all those posts, yikes! lol! Nervous that all the posts we'll be getting will need a year or so to "dry" before I can paint them  I got black flex fence, so wanted to paint the posts to match. My builder scored me some free telephone poles to use for the end-support posts. Those can get painted now at least.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Today he set up the 6x6s to support the stall fronts and dividers


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

So exciting! It is so much fun to watch a barn go up. It was seriously a dream come true and one of the most exciting things I ever did in my life! (and I've done some exciting things) I still love my barn so much.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> So exciting! It is so much fun to watch a barn go up. It was seriously a dream come true and one of the most exciting things I ever did in my life! (and I've done some exciting things) I still love my barn so much.


This is so, so true! Whenever I have gotten picky about something or unhappy with something someone has done, they keep saying "It's just a barn!" and I made it clear, this isn't just a barn for me lol. I've had to make sacrifices and compromises simply because of budget, not out of lack of caring or desire.


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## 4hoofbeat (Jun 27, 2013)

Beautiful barn! I'm jealous 
Can't wait for the day hubby and I can build ours!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

4hoofbeat said:


> Beautiful barn! I'm jealous
> Can't wait for the day hubby and I can build ours!


It's so worth the wait!  I'm so excited to FINALLY be able to bring the horses home. It's a day I have been long waiting for. 


Today's progress!

We're really hoping this week we'll have the stalls done (not building the 3rd stall until it's needed). Next week my father's friend is coming to dig the fence posts for the paddock and around the house!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

This forum should really have a "love" button  This looks amazing!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Thanks so much, @Acadianartist! <3

Today my father stopped by this evening when I was taking a break from work, and we finished the stall fronts (minus the doors), and started the first divider


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Finished the divider between the two built stalls  The 3rd stall wont be built until whenever I get another horse, which may not happen for several years. So for now we're doing a solid wall that can be converted into a social divider like this one later.










I LOVE how much natural light this barn gets. The barn I'm leasing from my friend is so dark, so it's a nice change.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Wow, beautiful! I agree, natural light should be a consideration in building all barns. I also love how open the tops of the stalls are. As you know, I left my stalls open all the way up to the rafters, and I think it makes such a difference in the air quality and the general feeling of spaciousness in the barn!

Also, I finished two stalls and left the third one to be finished later... I have had two occasions where I could have picked up a free horse in that third stall... whether it's a good or a bad thing that I haven't finished it yet, I will leave up to you to decide


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Wow, beautiful! I agree, natural light should be a consideration in building all barns. I also love how open the tops of the stalls are. As you know, I left my stalls open all the way up to the rafters, and I think it makes such a difference in the air quality and the general feeling of spaciousness in the barn!
> 
> Also, I finished two stalls and left the third one to be finished later... I have had two occasions where I could have picked up a free horse in that third stall... whether it's a good or a bad thing that I haven't finished it yet, I will leave up to you to decide


I agree! The barn they're in now, is an older barn, has 8 ft ceilings and then a hayloft right above. It's super cozy in winter, but I feel like in summer, it's so hot in there. We have fans all over to help circulate the air better and thankfully it did well.

Haha that is my same reasoning! In the end, all that 3rd stall is going to need is a stall font, divider grills, and stall mats and it's ready for a new horse.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Werecat said:


> I agree! The barn they're in now, is an older barn, has 8 ft ceilings and then a hayloft right above. It's super cozy in winter, but I feel like in summer, it's so hot in there. We have fans all over to help circulate the air better and thankfully it did well.
> 
> Haha that is my same reasoning! In the end, all that 3rd stall is going to need is a stall font, divider grills, and stall mats and it's ready for a new horse.


Mine only needs a front (we don't bother with the grills) so it could be finished quickly if needed. However, I have been using the space to store wheelbarrows, manure forks, brooms, bedding, etc. etc. and would miss it if I had to turn it into a stall. Of course I could put some of those things in the aisle and some in the tack room - any overflow could go in the equipment bay which is huge. But I love how spacious my barn is right now. Someday, we will finish it so we can retire our 18 year old and get my daughter a new jumper, but for now, it's a nice space to have.

And yes, ventilation is so important! We don't need fans in our barn because it is naturally well-ventilated, though I have seen some people in this area use them when their barns didn't have good natural ventilation. On a hot summer day, it is cooler inside the barn than outside, so the horses like to come in mid-day and nap in their stalls (their choice, the doors stay open 24/7 except in a snowstorm). And in winter, there's no condensation or humidity. Open spaces, high ceilings (their stalls are open all the way up to the rafters 20 ft above!), dutch doors and lots of windows that open were key for us.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Mine only needs a front (we don't bother with the grills) so it could be finished quickly if needed. However, I have been using the space to store wheelbarrows, manure forks, brooms, bedding, etc. etc. and would miss it if I had to turn it into a stall. Of course I could put some of those things in the aisle and some in the tack room - any overflow could go in the equipment bay which is huge. But I love how spacious my barn is right now. Someday, we will finish it so we can retire our 18 year old and get my daughter a new jumper, but for now, it's a nice space to have.
> 
> And yes, ventilation is so important! We don't need fans in our barn because it is naturally well-ventilated, though I have seen some people in this area use them when their barns didn't have good natural ventilation. On a hot summer day, it is cooler inside the barn than outside, so the horses like to come in mid-day and nap in their stalls (their choice, the doors stay open 24/7 except in a snowstorm). And in winter, there's no condensation or humidity. Open spaces, high ceilings (their stalls are open all the way up to the rafters 20 ft above!), dutch doors and lots of windows that open were key for us.


Haha that's my exact situation! I plan to use it to store bedding bags, hay overflow, wheel barrow and potentially a 4wheeler. Once I get settled in, I may eventually buy a 12x16 equipment shed to put a lawnmower and 4wheeler in, but for now everything has to go in the barn.

I do still plan on getting corner sealed motor fans for the stalls, but will worry about that in around Marchish. I am so, so excited to get the fence started this week!! I just need to put a fence around the house and a paddock fence up. The perimeter fence is sound and came with the property so thankfully that is handled for now. I'll cross fence probably in the spring. I feel like once that project is done, I just need the feed room built (that's where the electric and water come through, tack room, and hay storage will be framed in after), so that when we move the horses, the cats can come too (we have to confine the, for a week apparently, so they know it's their new home?) Hoping by mine and Bear's 2nd anniversary (nov. 25th), they'll be here!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Stalls done minus stall mats (waiting on shipping confirmation). Going with interlocking mats. Exciteeeed, so tired of dealing with mats that separate and catch rakes!

Started the framing layout for the feed room! Electrical box and water will be going in there. It'll be insulated to help keep everything warm enough during the colder months, and safe place to stow away the barn kitties during freezing weather.

Father's friend is coming tomorrow to dig out the fence post holes! LOVE progress <3 Getting closer to bringing the boys home! I'm hoping to have them here by November 25th, which is the second anniversary of me getting Bear.  And also meeting my best friend and her horse (who is actually the horse that will be boarded here!)


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Not sure how cold it gets there, but have you thought of placing outlets in front of their stalls so you can plug in heated water buckets? Best to avoid extension cords, as you know. 

Great idea on the interlocking mats! I bought a bunch used (cheap), but they're not interlocking and it is annoying when they separate and crud gets between them/under them. 

Your barn looks amazing!


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Very nice!! I'm really excited for you, I can't wait to see your horses heads poking over the stall doors.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Not sure how cold it gets there, but have you thought of placing outlets in front of their stalls so you can plug in heated water buckets? Best to avoid extension cords, as you know.
> 
> Great idea on the interlocking mats! I bought a bunch used (cheap), but they're not interlocking and it is annoying when they separate and crud gets between them/under them.
> 
> Your barn looks amazing!


It gets cold enough for us to use heated water buckets  Working up my electrical plan, and each stall will have its own outlet for heated water buckets, etc. I just need to figure out where I want to mount them. 

Yes, I've been vying for them since I knew they existed haha, glad I sprung the extra cash for them.

Thank you! <3



LoriF said:


> Very nice!! I'm really excited for you, I can't wait to see your horses heads poking over the stall doors.


Thank you!  Meeee tooooo! Last time I have been this excited about something, was when I was waiting for Bear to be delivered.


Today we broke ground for fencing! 

















These are just for the fence line, but the end pieces I've got circulars and 8' round telephone poles. Upcycling!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

For being on the plateau my property has very deep dirt, however with flex fence, you have to go 3 feet below ground with your end and corner posts. 4 posts we hit rock, so we're having to rent some equipment to get the job done. Lost a couple days of good progress before the rain, but hopefully we'll get rolling tomorrow.  I'm trying to focus on getting as much work done today as possible so I don't have to take the day off tomorrow, because it may be the last paint-worthy day of the season (maybe), so I need to get my walk-through door painted since it's just in primer now. Saturday rain comes, so we'll be working on building up the feed room.


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## ninaslife (Oct 27, 2017)

Amazing work


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

ninaslife said:


> Amazing work


Thank you so much <3

So much has gotten done! We got the majority of the flex-fence up, a double gate installed (two more to go, the 4th came with the property for side access), and people have been stopping by just to see what it is; it's been a hit  We love it! 

Got electric and water hooked up for the most part. Still have other fixtures to get for feed and tack rooms since the t8 style double bulb LED setup would be overkill. Very happy with the fixtures I got! They're water/dust proof light weight LED housings. You buy the bulbs separately so when the bulbs die, you just change the bulb and not have to rip out the entire fixture. Hay/storage area needs light as well; probably should've ordered an 8th fixture, but we shall see; I don't need a ton of light in there, just enough to see my bales when stacking and taking down. Tomorrow my antique style barn light goes up in the front.

Got the gutters installed yesterday along the porch, so now rain wont create a dip in the footing in paddock anymore.

Today my builder who has seemingly become a friend, great guy very lucky for such an amazing building experience (he built the house and coordinated the barn, but didn't build the barn), came and spread our footing for the paddock and will be back tomorrow for final combing and spreading around external areas around the barn. Still need to order some more rock to widen my parking area to fit the horse trailer.

Going to work more on paddock fencing now that footing has been spread. We have a 10ft equipment access gate (it's only a 50x75ish ft paddock), so we can add more footing when needed, but wanted to leave it open to do the initial spread.

The ONLY real snag we've run into so far, which I am trying to HOPEFULLY get ironed out because it's been a big concern of mine since they arrived (and my dad ended up cutting up so we could install one set...) the company we got the mats through, sent the wrong style mats. They're interlocking like they're supposed to be, however they are NOT ribbed/corrugated at the bottom, and that concerns me, because the ones we ordered were supposed to have them, and every stall mat I've dealt with in the past had them. Anyway, have to call them again tomorrow to see if they made any headway on figuring out what happened and what can be done. Anyone who's dealt with mats knows it's a NIGHTMARE moving those things, so I've rallied up the troops to help out if the company has us exchange what we have. Because the footing under the mats is concrete, I'm even more so concerned about long term comfort for the horses.

Pictures!









(Before all lights were installed, but happy with the lighting thus far!)









Fencing 









Paddock footing spread and ready for the mud season  Hard to tell but there's a gradual slope away from the barn to help shed water away from barn. We had monsoon style rains this past week that collapsed roads from flooding, and my porch where the dutch doors are was bone dry. Very pleased with the drainage! No leaks in barn either, phew!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

It looks amazing! What a stunning barn! And that paddock looks like it will drain wonderfully! Good for you! I wish I had had them bring in a few more loads of sand for the paddock while they were building. I'd recommend it to anyone. I wanted to see what my paddock would look like first, without the sand. It's not so much the mud that concerns me, as the fact that we also use it for riding, and the footing isn't the best for that. But to bring in large dump trucks, I'd have to take apart my fence now, which sucks. Kudos to you for doing it up front!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> It looks amazing! What a stunning barn! And that paddock looks like it will drain wonderfully! Good for you! I wish I had had them bring in a few more loads of sand for the paddock while they were building. I'd recommend it to anyone. I wanted to see what my paddock would look like first, without the sand. It's not so much the mud that concerns me, as the fact that we also use it for riding, and the footing isn't the best for that. But to bring in large dump trucks, I'd have to take apart my fence now, which sucks. Kudos to you for doing it up front!


Thank you!  I had them bring the crush'n run ASAP since I knew it'd be much easier to spread without the fence up. The paddock has a 4ft gate (for me to get into each morning) and a 10ft gate that leads to the pastures. Figure smaller equipment like a tractor can fit in there whenever I need to add more. 

Woke up this morning to this and it made my heart swell:









The paddock fence is now tightened and done  Just need to do the wooden parts and finish hanging gates and the pasture is officially horse safe! Will be running temporary t-posts with caps and electric ribbon to keep the horses in the "sacrifice" pasture during winter, and once it warms up some in spring, we'll be cross fencing splitting up my one big pasture into 3. So excited, we accidentally ordered a lot more flex fence than needed to do the original job, and now have enough to cross fence!


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

That is so beautiful, I can see why you would be so proud of this.

Love the fencing. When I have my own place, I think that I will use this type of fencing.


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## ObiWan (Jul 7, 2017)

This is really looking great! I've been building my own barn for the last year or so, so it's fun to see somebody else on the same journey. Two things:

What did you use for footing in your paddock? Crusher run usually turns to near-concrete when it gets soaked & then dries out. I've used a lot of it around our barn for various things, and I can't imagine I'd want it in my corral. Is it not so bad when it mixes with a lot of normal dirt? Our corral is currently just bare dirt. It gets pretty cratered with hoofprints when it's muddy, then it dries really hard, which makes walking difficult. I'd like to mix something in with the dirt to help that.

As for the lighting in your stalls, what does your final setup look like? What I've heard, and what I did, is to put your lights directly over your stall walls, not over the middle of your stall. With the light in the middle, your horse is always creating a shadow no matter where he stands. With the lights over the walls, they angle in to light the sides & belly of your horse. This makes it easier to work under & around Bear.

I went with fixed-mount LED fixtures on my barn, and absolutely love them. If anyone's curious, my build thread on a different forum can be found here:
Obi-Wan's new barn - MyTractorForum.com - The Friendliest Tractor Forum and Best Place for Tractor Information


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

That photo is breath-taking! My barn isn't nearly as pretty (though it is highly functional), and I still smile when I look up at it from the bottom of the property. You will LOVE this barn for years to come! 

I also have a 10 foot gate to my paddock, which is wide enough for our tractor, but not for a full-sized dump truck. I'm getting a couple of small loads of sand brought in, just to fill some low spots in the paddock, and we'll likely have them dump it outside the paddock, then use the tractor bucket to bring it in. But next spring, I think I'll move a couple of posts and do the whole area properly.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

That is turning out just lovely!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

LoriF said:


> That is so beautiful, I can see why you would be so proud of this.
> 
> Love the fencing. When I have my own place, I think that I will use this type of fencing.


Thank you! I highly recommend it. It's really easy to install, and when all is said and done, long term and upkeep, I think it's cheaper than a proper wood fence. Could be wrong, but boards here are expensive.



ObiWan said:


> This is really looking great! I've been building my own barn for the last year or so, so it's fun to see somebody else on the same journey. Two things:
> 
> What did you use for footing in your paddock? Crusher run usually turns to near-concrete when it gets soaked & then dries out. I've used a lot of it around our barn for various things, and I can't imagine I'd want it in my corral. Is it not so bad when it mixes with a lot of normal dirt? Our corral is currently just bare dirt. It gets pretty cratered with hoofprints when it's muddy, then it dries really hard, which makes walking difficult. I'd like to mix something in with the dirt to help that.
> 
> ...


For the first layer we did the crusher rum because around here, especially during winter, it rains -a lot- and to prevent slips, it's better than plain dirt for us which gets very slimy/slippery/deep etc. when wet. In spring I am going to look into something like rock dust or something to layer on top of it, since the crusher run is just a base that we needed a big truck to get in and drop off before we fenced off the corral and could only access it with tractor/pickup and trailer.

Lighting: My father wanted to do lights mounted from the site of the wall, but honestly I'm used to lights centered above, and since we have ample lighting in the isle, we haven't had issues with objects casting any bad shadows. But I've got a 12x36 concrete isle to groom/tack/medicate/etc that I can use when wanting to work with a horse in that regard. We went with all LED dust/water proof lighting and plastic/rubberized conduit which is current code in our state (even though we don't have inspection on non-human dwelling buildings, I wanted to go by the book).



Acadianartist said:


> That photo is breath-taking! My barn isn't nearly as pretty (though it is highly functional), and I still smile when I look up at it from the bottom of the property. You will LOVE this barn for years to come!
> 
> I also have a 10 foot gate to my paddock, which is wide enough for our tractor, but not for a full-sized dump truck. I'm getting a couple of small loads of sand brought in, just to fill some low spots in the paddock, and we'll likely have them dump it outside the paddock, then use the tractor bucket to bring it in. But next spring, I think I'll move a couple of posts and do the whole area properly.


I bet! I like your barn, it looks so spacious and airy  I love the tall rafters. That's how they did my paddock, dumped two 22 ton loads outside of the paddock and my builder came with his front loader and moved and spread them for us.  I can't afford a tractor right now, trying to get into a 4 wheeler and a big mower. He gave me an AWESOME drag to do my pastures with, I just need to find the right 4 wheeler. Found a great one that got sold before I could go see it. There will be others, hehe.



beau159 said:


> That is turning out just lovely!


Thank you! <3


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

The barn is stunning! Would love to wake up to that view everyday 

That might be the prettiest place I have ever seen, the horses are going to love living there

Wow a builder friend and your very talented daddy! You are blessed


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

ObiWan said:


> Our corral is currently just bare dirt. It gets pretty cratered with hoofprints when it's muddy, then it dries really hard, which makes walking difficult. I'd like to mix something in with the dirt to help that.


ObiWan, I have had very good success with rototilling crushed limestone into the kind of soil you describe. It makes it softer and more pliable. I have no idea why it works. I saw it in a gardening tip and was pleasantly surprised with the result.


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## ObiWan (Jul 7, 2017)

Joel Reiter said:


> I have had very good success with rototilling crushed limestone into the kind of soil you describe. It makes it softer and more pliable.


What size stones did you use? Screenings / fines? 1/4"? 1/2"? Any problems with getting stuck or hurting horse hooves?

What do you think of mixing in sand?


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## Joel Reiter (Feb 9, 2015)

ObiWan said:


> What size stones did you use? Screenings / fines? 1/4"? 1/2"? Any problems with getting stuck or hurting horse hooves?
> 
> What do you think of mixing in sand?


I just used bags of crushed limestone like you would buy for the garden. It was as fine as flour. I would expect sand would help, as would sawdust or shredded leaves.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

AnitaAnne said:


> The barn is stunning! Would love to wake up to that view everyday
> 
> That might be the prettiest place I have ever seen, the horses are going to love living there
> 
> Wow a builder friend and your very talented daddy! You are blessed


Thank you! <3 I've been planning this place over and over in my head for years, so it's crazy to see it come alive 

This week we installed the security light and I'm very happy with it! Would love to get another to mount on the rear side of the barn as well, but I think my father will die if I tell him that (it apparently was difficult to mount haha).


















All fencing around the house is complete! Perimeter fencing around the property is another story, but that'll be a large project over the years, right now it's functional but not ideal (old farm fencing that came with the place, kept horses in for years but has a few strings of barbed wire above the no climb and is completely overgrown, a bit ugly, etc.).

Paddock is complete minus one gate latch, our local COOP was out of them, and have been taking forever to get them back in stock. For now it's being held closed with a chain, which is fine, it works. It's just to keep the horses locked in the paddock if I need to, it'll be open most of the time.

Electrical is about done!  Fan outlets and switches are wired and working, almost all light fixtures installed. Feed room has been framed!  Have to pick up more studs and insulation of Friday to get the tack room framed and then the hay/storage room.









Every time I see this face, I keep telling him "You'll be home soon!!".


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Wow, that looks amazing! It's so exciting to see it come together! You must be overjoyed. I had the electricians put in a motion-sensor light front and back and love it. It makes those late night and early morning chores a lot easier. Also good for security.

Guess what we're doing today... getting sand for my paddock!!! I talked to a local guy about it, and he said he can get into my paddock with his dump truck so he's bringing 3 loads today. This is just enough to deal with the problem areas over the winter. The ground is frozen here, so too late to do the leveling needed if we wanted to do the whole riding arena properly. But it's a start! And he says he can do the whole area next spring after we level it, for under 2000$. So excited! And so, sooooooo glad I put in those 10 ft gates! 8 feet would have been too narrow, but he had no problems getting in the 10 foot gate. No need to move posts!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Wow, that looks amazing! It's so exciting to see it come together! You must be overjoyed. I had the electricians put in a motion-sensor light front and back and love it. It makes those late night and early morning chores a lot easier. Also good for security.
> 
> Guess what we're doing today... getting sand for my paddock!!! I talked to a local guy about it, and he said he can get into my paddock with his dump truck so he's bringing 3 loads today. This is just enough to deal with the problem areas over the winter. The ground is frozen here, so too late to do the leveling needed if we wanted to do the whole riding arena properly. But it's a start! And he says he can do the whole area next spring after we level it, for under 2000$. So excited! And so, sooooooo glad I put in those 10 ft gates! 8 feet would have been too narrow, but he had no problems getting in the 10 foot gate. No need to move posts!


That's exciting! How big is your paddock?  I could've made mine longer and I kind of wish I did because I could've used it as an outdoor arena type setting once I get the softer layer put in. For now, I have the first layer to get us through the wet winter, but I'm thinking of fine gravel dust for the next layer once everything settles.


Today I bought the studs to finish the tack room and hay/equipment room as well as the insulation for the feed and tack rooms! My father thinks he can have those studded and set up in a week or so (not going to hold my breath, we always run into hangups  hehe.) Will post pictures once there's more to look at.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Werecat said:


> That's exciting! How big is your paddock?  I could've made mine longer and I kind of wish I did because I could've used it as an outdoor arena type setting once I get the softer layer put in. For now, I have the first layer to get us through the wet winter, but I'm thinking of fine gravel dust for the next layer once everything settles.
> 
> 
> Today I bought the studs to finish the tack room and hay/equipment room as well as the insulation for the feed and tack rooms! My father thinks he can have those studded and set up in a week or so (not going to hold my breath, we always run into hangups  hehe.) Will post pictures once there's more to look at.


You're lucky your father is so helpful! Mine was also great at stuff like that, but at 72, he can't anymore. 

My paddock is 75 x 150'. We use it as a riding arena too, so yeah, sand was becoming necessary. We've had a spell of rain, then cold weather, so now there are ice puddles everywhere. It was good timing actually, since I know exactly where the problem areas are! Got three loads dumped, so hopefully this weekend, my husband can spread it around the lower areas with the tractor. 

Looking forward to more pictures!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> You're lucky your father is so helpful! Mine was also great at stuff like that, but at 72, he can't anymore.
> 
> My paddock is 75 x 150'. We use it as a riding arena too, so yeah, sand was becoming necessary. We've had a spell of rain, then cold weather, so now there are ice puddles everywhere. It was good timing actually, since I know exactly where the problem areas are! Got three loads dumped, so hopefully this weekend, my husband can spread it around the lower areas with the tractor.
> 
> Looking forward to more pictures!


How exciting!! Congratulations!  How did it it come out? Pictures!?  Love seeing progress.

I'm hoping the crush'n run will get us through the winter. I know a lot of it will settle into the dirt, but it'll provide a good base to work up from.


Today we installed Bear's stall mats! My friend helped us so we got it done in about 2 hours and it was painless, just tiring. Also, today is my 2 year anniversary with him, can't believe it's been 2 years!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Yesterday we went and picked up the beadboard for the interior of the rooms. Wish I could've done the entire barn in tongue and groove, but budget is budget hehe.

Took the day off from the barn today to go pick this up! 









So excited! First vehicle I've ever owned brand new hehe. Now I have something to pull that awesome harrow my builder gave me.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

You will lovelovelove that^^^^^!!

We have two older ones. The 2000 Honda Rancher with a shifter is mine and I'm not parting with it, Lol. 

DH has the 2008 Kawasaki Prairie. It's automatic and reminds me of the 1950's Buicks with Dynaflow transmissions that never shifted --- makes me crazy so I only use it if my Honda is in the shop, lol

You will be amazed at how much you use the 4-wheeler for things you'd never thought you would.

*Keep it well maintenanced. * it will last forever


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Nice four-wheeler! I never thought in a million years that I'd own one of those machines. Hubby thought I should get one when we bought our woodlot so we could take the kids with us (he has one too). Turns out, it's one of the most useful things around! I love it! 

Mine is old, but it works great and gets the job done, which is all I care about!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> You will lovelovelove that^^^^^!!
> 
> We have two older ones. The 2000 Honda Rancher with a shifter is mine and I'm not parting with it, Lol.
> 
> ...


Yes! I've been wanting one since I was little, and I'm excited I finally had a true excuse to get one. We use a Rancher at my friend's farm where my horse is currently at, and it's truly shown me just how useful it can be, so I had to budget for one and SO glad I did. I decided to get a regular (hopefully at minimum 52" deck) mower, used vs. a 4 wheeler used because around here, mudding is REALLY big, and it's common for people to abuse the heck out of them. So I wanted to the peace of mind, and got new.

Mine has automatic and EPS, so I can manually electronic shift when I need to, which I'm used to since my friend's Rancher is like that.

I already hooked the dump cart (it's a little too low for the Rancher, but still will work well for hauling muck), to carry tools for putting up cross fencing today  I LOVE that I'm already using it and the horses aren't even here yet. I must say, I am SO glad I got the IRS model, it's so much more comfortable to ride than the standard axle model.



Acadianartist said:


> Nice four-wheeler! I never thought in a million years that I'd own one of those machines. Hubby thought I should get one when we bought our woodlot so we could take the kids with us (he has one too). Turns out, it's one of the most useful things around! I love it!
> 
> Mine is old, but it works great and gets the job done, which is all I care about!


Thank you!  I'm so happy with it, it's exactly what I wanted. I already named it too LOL!



Today my father took a small break from working on the feed and tack rooms to drive some t-posts in (I have caps for them that I'll be putting on tomorrow) to block off the sacrifice pasture for the winter. Come spring, I'll be cross fencing the one big pasture into 3 smaller pastures with more flex-fence, but wanted to put some electric ribbon up to keep the horses off the majority of the land during the rainy season.

Anyway, had to take a picture of the pretty sunset today <3


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Another productive day with the help of great friends!

My friend Joanne came over who knows a whole lot more about electric fences than me, my father, and my friend who's been helping out all put together haha. So we got the temporary fence put up today that'll keep the horses confined to about 1.5-2 acres for the winter. I still have to cap the t-posts but ordered my solar charger from Stateline and got it 22% off, which I was excited about.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Such a beautiful location! Love those rolling hills! We have 13 acres here, but very little open space. My province is know for its forests. Sounds pretty, but I envy those who live in wide open spaces!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Looks like the Forum rolled back a week or so and removed some posts. Here was earlier in the week; all done and ready to move ponies!:









































*Yesterday, we finally moved them!!! *

















Doc (black TWH) settled into his stall right away, Bear (bay Arab) is a more nervous type when it comes to change, and he isn't fully settled yet, but both of them are adoring the pasture! Both properties boarding mine are horse properties (the one to my right they're finishing up fixing fencing to move their 2, one behind me has 2), so so they have other horses they can see but have shown zero interest in them, they're too into the grass lol.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Congrats on the move! How exciting to have them home for their very first Christmas in the brand new barn! And I'll say it again... enjoy how clean it is right now!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Congrats on the move! How exciting to have them home for their very first Christmas in the brand new barn! And I'll say it again... enjoy how clean it is right now!


Haha I hear that! The hay room is already a mess, the cats love sleeping in the hay (and we keep their beds elevated up there), and they have already knocked the open bale down lol! Everyone seems to be settling in nicely, Bear is still nervous, but he seemed a lot calmer tonight. It was so nice coming HOME to them, vs. having to go OUT to see them. I went to my parent's for dinner and when I got back, I went in around 10:30 to do my night check and final pick out of the stalls before turning out the lights, and ended up spending almost 2 hours out there just loving on them. Happy.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Yay!!:happydance::happydance::happydance::happydance:

Now we look forward to watching Bear and Doc enjoy this next stage of their lives:runpony::runpony:


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Lovely, lovely place! Bear will settle in nicely before you know it, especially with all the green grass to enjoy and you close by. Nirvana 

Wonderful to have them so close isn't it? I miss that boarding mine...

Thanks for sharing the journey


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Werecat said:


> Haha I hear that! The hay room is already a mess, the cats love sleeping in the hay (and we keep their beds elevated up there), and they have already knocked the open bale down lol! Everyone seems to be settling in nicely, Bear is still nervous, but he seemed a lot calmer tonight. It was so nice coming HOME to them, vs. having to go OUT to see them. I went to my parent's for dinner and when I got back, I went in around 10:30 to do my night check and final pick out of the stalls before turning out the lights, and ended up spending almost 2 hours out there just loving on them. Happy.


A year and a half later, I still find myself lingering. Finding excuses to stay a little longer. Just one more carrot. Just a little more organizing. Just another snuggle in their neck. We are so, so fortunate, to be able to bask in the wonder of these amazing creatures. Enjoy every minute!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

A week later and the horses seem to be settling in nicely! I've still got quite a bit of grass, so so they don't want to come in until late at night, so I'm bringing them in a bit later than I was at the old place. It's so nice having bigger stalls, they are a bit easier to muck 





walkinthewalk said:


> Yay!!:happydance::happydance::happydance::happydance:
> 
> Now we look forward to watching Bear and Doc enjoy this next stage of their lives:runpony::runpony:


They seem to be quite happy 



AnitaAnne said:


> Lovely, lovely place! Bear will settle in nicely before you know it, especially with all the green grass to enjoy and you close by. Nirvana
> 
> Wonderful to have them so close isn't it? I miss that boarding mine...
> 
> Thanks for sharing the journey


Thank you!!  The people that own the property next to mine, just moved their 2 horses the other day, so now there's 6 horses I can see from the back of my house, which is pretty awesome. Crazy how they're all black except for Bear and the new sorrel 



Acadianartist said:


> A year and a half later, I still find myself lingering. Finding excuses to stay a little longer. Just one more carrot. Just a little more organizing. Just another snuggle in their neck. We are so, so fortunate, to be able to bask in the wonder of these amazing creatures. Enjoy every minute!


Same here! At night when I go to do my night check, I always say "I'll just say goodnight, turn the lights out, and go back in" but I end up mucking stalls, grooming, giving treats, and playing with the cats lol.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I keep an intercom on the nightstand, so I can hear what goes on in the barn. You eventually learn which horse is sneezing, snoring (my Arab was the snoring horse, who's getting up, etc.

So my favorite thing, after I've said goodnight, remind The Boys to say their prayers, and shut the lights out is to just stand outside, listen to the silence, look up at the sky and say thank you. I especially enjoy that on these colder nights and the air is still. It is peaceful and it is humbling. My fingers can be numb but for those few moments, I forget to be cold--------


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> I keep an intercom on the nightstand, so I can hear what goes on in the barn. You eventually learn which horse is sneezing, snoring (my Arab was the snoring horse, who's getting up, etc.
> 
> So my favorite thing, after I've said goodnight, remind The Boys to say their prayers, and shut the lights out is to just stand outside, listen to the silence, look up at the sky and say thank you. I especially enjoy that on these colder nights and the air is still. It is peaceful and it is humbling. My fingers can be numb but for those few moments, I forget to be cold--------


That is such a nifty idea!! I do the SAME thing at night!! Even if it's FREEZING cold, if the stars are burning bright it just adds that much more serenity. 

I got home from my parent's place (we rung in the new year at their place), came home at 12:30 and mucked in 12 degree weather haha. I am SO grateful I got my horse a blanket this year.

OH Before I forget, haha. When I went out to feed yesterday morning and let the horses out, the neighbors' (two different neightbors) horses were in a playful/frisky mood, so I shot a video. Our guys prefer to eat vs. take part in the running, but had fun editing it haha.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Too funny . Your horses are pretty chill, especially for being so new in the neighborhood

I stayed awake to see the mirror ball fall in NYC but I couldn't last to watch Nashville's music note. It was supposed to be televised on channel two.

I know your dad will likely see to it but be sure to check how low the antifreeze is good for, in your vehicles. 

Also, if you're on city water, check your water meter needle , during this cold snap, to be sure it isn't moving when you're not running water. If you have a well, your pump shouldn't be running all the time either. The difference between this cold spell and others is that it's supposed to last for a longer period of time. 

For my part, I would be happy to see some snow for the horses to play in, lollol

Happy New Year to you! I hope the coming year brings you and yours continued good health and happiness!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Great video! I mucked out the stalls in -36 C (-32F) this morning. Well, that's with the wind, so really wasn't that cold in the stalls even though the stall doors are open to the outside. More like -20C (-4F) in the barn - but I have to walk over there over exposed ground. We've been getting extreme cold weather warnings every day for about a week now, and there's no end in sight. Every morning, and sometimes through the day, I have to thaw my water pipes with a hair dryer. I count the seconds just to pass the time and to compare each day. It took four minutes this morning. Fortunately, the pipes are not frozen deep (we buried them 6 feet under to make sure), just where they come out of the ground up through our unheated tack room. And I tried to heat the tack room, but the pipes still froze. I've just resigned myself to it. As long as I can thaw them out with the hair dryer, it'll be fine. 

Really tired of this cold though. And trying to pry frozen pee puddles off rubber mats! There is one day this week when the temperatures will climb to just below freezing (-3C), but they're forecasting a blizzard that day, lol. Oh well... not getting much riding done, but I still spend time in the barn with the horses, and have taught Kodak a head down cue so it's not totally wasted!


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## ObiWan (Jul 7, 2017)

Acadianartist said:


> More like -20C (-4F) in the barn. Every morning, and sometimes through the day, I have to thaw my water pipes with a hair dryer. I count the seconds just to pass the time and to compare each day. It took four minutes this morning. Fortunately, the pipes are not frozen deep (we buried them 6 feet under to make sure), just where they come out of the ground up through our unheated tack room. And I tried to heat the tack room, but the pipes still froze. I've just resigned myself to it. As long as I can thaw them out with the hair dryer, it'll be fine.


So your water hydrants don't automatically drain back underground when you turn them off? I thought they all did that. No water in the upright pipe means no frozen pipes. Actual temp was -17F this morning outside (not much higher inside the barn), and our hydrants are still working great.

If you have an unshaded south wall near your tack room, consider building an active solar heating panel to keep it warn during daylight. Insulate the tack room, and wrap your pipes in the thickest foam pipe insulation you can find. Wrap the pipes (inside the insulation) in electric pipe tape to keep them warm.

I'm still amazed at how resilient horses are to cold. I'd prefer to close Cochise into his 10x12' stall all weekend (afternoon high was -2F yesterday), but he's always itching to get out into the sunshine every morning, no matter the temp.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

ObiWan said:


> So your water hydrants don't automatically drain back underground when you turn them off? I thought they all did that. No water in the upright pipe means no frozen pipes. Actual temp was -17F this morning outside (not much higher inside the barn), and our hydrants are still working great.
> 
> If you have an unshaded south wall near your tack room, consider building an active solar heating panel to keep it warn during daylight. Insulate the tack room, and wrap your pipes in the thickest foam pipe insulation you can find. Wrap the pipes (inside the insulation) in electric pipe tape to keep them warm.
> 
> I'm still amazed at how resilient horses are to cold. I'd prefer to close Cochise into his 10x12' stall all weekend (afternoon high was -2F yesterday), but he's always itching to get out into the sunshine every morning, no matter the temp.


Thanks, but I went over this with several people last year. The plumbing was improperly done in the barn when we built it, something I only found out when it got really cold. While my pipes are 6 ft underground and won't freeze down there, where the water comes up through the concrete floor of the tack room, it freezes. None of the pipes will burst since they're flexible. And I've tried manually shutting off all water to the barn, but I don't think it really makes a difference. The pipes come up into the tack room where we built an insulated box around them, and we keep a light bulb in there to help. Thankfully, all this has prevented them from freezing solid, but it appears some ice is inevitable for now. 

The solar panel would be great, except that the pipes don't freeze during daylight hours, just at night when the cold overwhelms our current capacity to maintain the temperature of the pipes above freezing, and a solar panel would be useless at night. I've also looked at heat tape, but the pipe is anchored to the wall and surrounded by insulation, so the only way I could add heat tape is by ripping everything out and starting over. As long as I can thaw out the pipes with a hairdryer in less than 5 minutes, I can live with it. And as long as the temperature isn't colder than -20C, they don't freeze, but we've been in a brutal cold spell for a week now. Everyone I know who has horses around here are dealing with frozen pipes, except those who heat their tack room. If I am going to rip the wall and the pipes apart to add heat tape, I might as well just re-do the plumbing and add a frost-free hydrant, and while I'm at it, I might add a source of heat in the tack room. But that's not a project I'm going to undertake in the dead of winter.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Both my tack & feed rooms are fully insulated (walls and ceilings), with exterior doors on them and my interior water is in between them inside the shared wall. The pipes didn't freeze, but the hydrant (which is a frost-free spigot style) freezes in this weather; you can't turn the knob. Like @Acadianartist a hair dryer does the trick on that, but instead we shut the water down, and I'm using my big 100 gal trough outside using my frost free hydrant and carrying buckets (short walking distance, actually almost same distance from interior spigot) to their heated buckets in their stalls. My father cut a vent hole into the the feed room wall right behind the spigot to help allow heat from the feed room keep it thawed and using. I was using a sealed oil heater but was told they're super expensive to run so switched to a smaller infrared heater which are supposedly still "safe" and more cost effective. We'll see, I don't see how that thing uses less energy. Both are clean, on a clean floor, with nothing to knock them over (cat's can't get into the feedroom). I still am obsessed about fires though and HATE that I have to have a heat source in there going what seems like constantly, but it's SUPER nice to take a break between mucking stalls when I get too cold, in that warm room.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Werecat said:


> Both my tack & feed rooms are fully insulated (walls and ceilings), with exterior doors on them and my interior water is in between them inside the shared wall. The pipes didn't freeze, but the hydrant (which is a frost-free spigot style) freezes in this weather; you can't turn the knob. Like @Acadianartist a hair dryer does the trick on that, but instead we shut the water down, and I'm using my big 100 gal trough outside using my frost free hydrant and carrying buckets (short walking distance, actually almost same distance from interior spigot) to their heated buckets in their stalls. My father cut a vent hole into the the feed room wall right behind the spigot to help allow heat from the feed room keep it thawed and using. I was using a sealed oil heater but was told they're super expensive to run so switched to a smaller infrared heater which are supposedly still "safe" and more cost effective. We'll see, I don't see how that thing uses less energy. Both are clean, on a clean floor, with nothing to knock them over (cat's can't get into the feedroom). I still am obsessed about fires though and HATE that I have to have a heat source in there going what seems like constantly, but it's SUPER nice to take a break between mucking stalls when I get too cold, in that warm room.


Yeah, I had a space heater in my tack room but it makes me too nervous. I was checking on it regularly, and it was sitting on a concrete floor, in the middle of the room, directly plugged into a professionally-installed outlet. But still... it would kill me if something happened. And as it turned out, even though the tack room felt warm, the darn spigot still froze. So I don't bother now. I just whip out the hair dryer. Hopefully it will warm up soon!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Yeah, I had a space heater in my tack room but it makes me too nervous. I was checking on it regularly, and it was sitting on a concrete floor, in the middle of the room, directly plugged into a professionally-installed outlet. But still... it would kill me if something happened. And as it turned out, even though the tack room felt warm, the darn spigot still froze. So I don't bother now. I just whip out the hair dryer. Hopefully it will warm up soon!


I switched back to my oil heater. I personally would have NO heat, but my father insisted on it, and since he is a licensed fire safety director, I try to trust his judgment. I can see the door (it's a 9 port glass door) from my kitchen and I keep checking haha. The room is kept clean, absolutely nothing touching the heater, the heater is kept clean (don't let dust build up on it), check the cord every day, actually every time I go in, etc. 

As for the spigot freezing, I still have that problem even after lowering the angle of the pipe and adding the vented box for heat to get through. My pipes are toasty and insulated, but that darn spigot keeps freezing. I'm glad we have the grill now, because if we have to work on it, we can without tearing out the wall. I've been keeping a foam blanket on the spigot when not using and that seems to help, but I've not had the extreme cold you have. I'd keep going with the hair dryer since that is a safe and controlled option and it keeps working. 

I reallllyyy need to get cabinets for my feed and tack rooms. I have some important things to do for the house first that I didn't do when building that I need to do now, that take priority, but omg I hate how messy everything is! I was going to do a barn tour video, but I'm embarrassed of the clutter! My friend (the owner of the black walking horse I'm boarding) is supposed to come out today to help me clean up and organize some. I do have a rubbermaid style cabinet in the tack room, which is FULL haha. I want to eventually do built ins, just need to as I said, get some stuff done for the house first. And also need to give my poor father a break, he'd freeze to death trying to build things in his shop right now, even with his kerosene heater.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Werecat said:


> I switched back to my oil heater. I personally would have NO heat, but my father insisted on it, and since he is a licensed fire safety director, I try to trust his judgment. I can see the door (it's a 9 port glass door) from my kitchen and I keep checking haha. The room is kept clean, absolutely nothing touching the heater, the heater is kept clean (don't let dust build up on it), check the cord every day, actually every time I go in, etc.
> 
> As for the spigot freezing, I still have that problem even after lowering the angle of the pipe and adding the vented box for heat to get through. My pipes are toasty and insulated, but that darn spigot keeps freezing. I'm glad we have the grill now, because if we have to work on it, we can without tearing out the wall. I've been keeping a foam blanket on the spigot when not using and that seems to help, but I've not had the extreme cold you have. I'd keep going with the hair dryer since that is a safe and controlled option and it keeps working.
> 
> I reallllyyy need to get cabinets for my feed and tack rooms. I have some important things to do for the house first that I didn't do when building that I need to do now, that take priority, but omg I hate how messy everything is! I was going to do a barn tour video, but I'm embarrassed of the clutter! My friend (the owner of the black walking horse I'm boarding) is supposed to come out today to help me clean up and organize some. I do have a rubbermaid style cabinet in the tack room, which is FULL haha. I want to eventually do built ins, just need to as I said, get some stuff done for the house first. And also need to give my poor father a break, he'd freeze to death trying to build things in his shop right now, even with his kerosene heater.


Sounds like it will be gorgeous! I just put up a few saddle racks, brought in an old shelving from the house and a padded bench, and added a few shelves under the stairs up to the loft, and bam! Tack room organized  It's not fancy, but everything has a place so nothing's on the floor. I'm constantly adding to it, so nothing matches. But hey, it's a tack room! 

My feed comes in for the winter, since I feed soaked hay cubes. There is a table in the basement with every supplement on it, and a rubbermaid bin underneath with hay cubes. Luckily, that part of the basement is unfinished so again, doesn't have to look nice! 

I opted not to have heat for safety reasons. If I was going to, I'd think about using a hanging electric heater. We have one in our garage that kicks in when the temperature goes below freezing. It's hanging in a corner so it can't come directly into contact with anything flammable. I've been managing with my hair dryer (picked up at a thrift store for 5$ so I can just keep one in the barn instead of using mine from the house). Takes about 30 seconds to get the spigot loose, up to 5 minutes to thaw the pipes if they're frozen further down. And we've had extreme cold warnings twice now. How many weeks until spring?????

I wish they had a product that would prevent the spigot from freezing. Like an insulated knob cover or something. Doesn't take long to thaw, but it's annoying.


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## PunchnMe (Jan 1, 2018)

NICE! how did ya get your blueprints? Come spring we are gonna build onto the stable :winkie:


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Werecat said:


> As for the spigot freezing, I still have that problem even after lowering the angle of the pipe and adding the vented box for heat to get through. My pipes are toasty and insulated, but that darn spigot keeps freezing. I'm glad we have the grill now, because if we have to work on it, we can without tearing out the wall. I've been keeping a foam blanket on the spigot when not using and that seems to help, but I've not had the extreme cold you have. I'd keep going with the hair dryer since that is a safe and controlled option and it keeps working.


I've lost track -- is your spigot a frost-free style? If so, it shouldn't freeze, especially if it's inside the barn. I have two frost-frees, both outside, at opposite ends of the barn.

They stopped freezing when DH dug them up and installed new ones correctly. The ground has to be dug out below the frost line, the a good layer of pea gravel put down where the spigot pipe connects to the water line. That will allow the water to easily drain out of the spigot pipe, into the pea gravel, when the spigot is shut off. 

The key is to dig below the frost line and put down pea gravel


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Sounds like it will be gorgeous! I just put up a few saddle racks, brought in an old shelving from the house and a padded bench, and added a few shelves under the stairs up to the loft, and bam! Tack room organized  It's not fancy, but everything has a place so nothing's on the floor. I'm constantly adding to it, so nothing matches. But hey, it's a tack room!
> 
> My feed comes in for the winter, since I feed soaked hay cubes. There is a table in the basement with every supplement on it, and a rubbermaid bin underneath with hay cubes. Luckily, that part of the basement is unfinished so again, doesn't have to look nice!
> 
> ...


So a lot has happened in the barn this week! We started straightening everything out, and like you I procured an old shelving unit! My father volunteers at the church my parents go to, and they gave him a set of oak cabinets they used to hang the priest garbs in and a hutch type table that goes between the two cabinets. Still waiting for the hutch, but have the two cabinets. What's really neat is they lock, they're solid wood, super deep, and actually look pretty nice, minus the slight water damage they have, that we're fixing. They will fill the back wall of my tackroom really nicely, and fit SO much! We can make more shelves to put in as well if needed, but they fit our huge grooming boxes, extra saddle pads folded, and all my extra tack. I now can go to my parent's and finish moving stuff over!

That's great that you have use of your basement so important things don't freeze. I think we need to all get together and do a spring dance and get that warm weather moving in 

That's a good idea, to pick up a cheap hair dryer! I was using my expensive one that I use for my hair originally and am so paranoid about dropping it on the conrete lol. Since the room has been heated and the spigot covered, it's been doing okay. The heater is in a safe spot with nothing touching it, so I have learned to stop worrying, but I still check it often.



PunchnMe said:


> NICE! how did ya get your blueprints? Come spring we are gonna build onto the stable :winkie:


I actually designed the barn how I always wanted it, within my affordability. Basically I knew I had to have 3 stalls, needed hay storage, feed room, tack room, and I wanted an isle. I got a quote for a 36x36 structure, and made it work within that space  So down the left side is the porch, which is 10ft, so really the building is 46x36. There's 2 12x12 stalls, but it's designed for 3 so will add the 3rd once I get another horse. The center isle is 12ft wide and spans the entire center of the barn at 36ft long. On the right side of the barn is the feed room, 12x8, tackroom 12x8, and the hay storage 12x16.  The big sliding door openings are 9ft tall by 12ft wide which allows our truck loaded with hay and bedding to go in with ease. I also have an out door wash rack  I just need to finish it. I wanted to have dutch doors leading out of my stalls into the paddock/holding area, as well as the stall sliding doors leading into the isle. I love my setup, it's proven to be the easiest setup I've been in. 



walkinthewalk said:


> I've lost track -- is your spigot a frost-free style? If so, it shouldn't freeze, especially if it's inside the barn. I have two frost-frees, both outside, at opposite ends of the barn.
> 
> They stopped freezing when DH dug them up and installed new ones correctly. The ground has to be dug out below the frost line, the a good layer of pea gravel put down where the spigot pipe connects to the water line. That will allow the water to easily drain out of the spigot pipe, into the pea gravel, when the spigot is shut off.
> 
> The key is to dig below the frost line and put down pea gravel


Outside I have a frost free hydrant which has been perfect. It's 26in in the ground, has rock to allow drainage, and has done well . The spigot inside the isle is the same type that I have on the outside of my house wall mounted; it's supposed to withstand freezing, allowing water to drain out. The problem is the handle itself freezes for some reason :/ Water in the pipe is fine because it's insulated and in a heated room when it goes below freezing. I haven't installed a slop sink yet in that room yet, but don't have to worry about it since it's inside the insulated room with heater.

I really don't need interior water during the winter, it's just as easy for me to use my outside trough which is right in the paddock outside of the stall doors to fill my interior buckets, then just fill that trough using the frost free hydrant, but my father still wants me to keep that room warm where the interior spigot is.



Side note: I've been working on a barn tour video, I just want to get the barn straightened out more before finishing filming  I'm picky and don't want to film on a gloomy day haha, everything always looks so dreary.


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## Loner (Dec 21, 2017)

*New Barn*

Very nice.I need one like that.Jealous


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Those cabinets sound amazing! Good for you! I'm just happy to have a spacious, organized tack room where everything has a place. No sink, or even a drain though. Which would be frozen solid now anyway. Instead, I stuck a boot mat from Walmart (like 7$) under the water so I can stick a bucket under there and not worry if a few drips fall to the ground. A really easy water catch, but a great solution for us. 

Looking forward to that video!!!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Loner said:


> Very nice.I need one like that.Jealous


If you do it a little at a time it's actually quite doable as a DIY if you're handy  There's still a lot to be done, but it's totally functional as is.



Acadianartist said:


> Those cabinets sound amazing! Good for you! I'm just happy to have a spacious, organized tack room where everything has a place. No sink, or even a drain though. Which would be frozen solid now anyway. Instead, I stuck a boot mat from Walmart (like 7$) under the water so I can stick a bucket under there and not worry if a few drips fall to the ground. A really easy water catch, but a great solution for us.
> 
> Looking forward to that video!!!


That is awesome  I totally agree, having organization is so important! Now I can move my rubbermaid style cabinet to my feedroom and actually have a place to store all my extra supplements, treats, etc. because everything is just piled in there right now.

That is such a smart idea!! So far I've not made a huge mess with the water, but I do need to come up with a way to get the water further away from the wall since the tongue and groove is an interior wood, it can't really get wet constantly.

We're having a winter "storm" right now (so far it's just a dusting), so the horses came in early. Went out to muck, replenish water and hay, and I actually enjoyed it  I love being out there with them, the cats, and just my "space" even though I do live alone so the entire house is my space haha. But the barn just feels like home too  Very grateful they're home now. My cat's API heated bowl FINALLY arrived (i had to order one, they were all sold out locally), so I don't have to worry about constantly refilling their bowl once it ices over.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Tonight we had a pretty sunset! Ran in and grabbed the camera for a quick shot.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Wow, spectacular sunset! I hear you about just enjoying your time in the barn. I still do, and pretty much spend any spare time in there. It is my getaway, where I get my "me" time. I envy you living alone - I have two kids and a husband, and sometimes it feels like they are all in my bubble. I've always needed a lot of time alone. 

As far as keeping the water off the wall, I taped a piece of plastic under the spigot so the water would not trickle along the wall. Not very high tech. But you might look at those attachments they have for eavestroughing, to keep the rain from absorbing in the ground around the foundation of houses. Even if you just had a piece long enough to make sure the water goes straight down into a bucket, at least it wouldn't creep along the wall. Just an idea  

Enjoy your new barn!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Werecat said:


> Outside I have a frost free hydrant which has been perfect. It's 26in in the ground, has rock to allow drainage, and has done well . The spigot inside the isle is the same type that I have on the outside of my house wall mounted; it's supposed to withstand freezing, allowing water to drain out. The problem is the handle itself freezes for some reason :/ Water in the pipe is fine because it's insulated and in a heated room when it goes below freezing. I haven't installed a slop sink yet in that room yet, but don't have to worry about it since it's inside the insulated room with heater.
> 
> I really don't need interior water during the winter, it's just as easy for me to use my outside trough which is right in the paddock outside of the stall doors to fill my interior buckets, then just fill that trough using the frost free hydrant, but my father still wants me to keep that room warm where the interior spigot is.
> 
> ...


I forgot to cover my frost-free spigots and they did freeze when the sleeting rain covered them with a layer of ice. 

Moisture can also gather around the bushing when the handle goes up and down, causing it to sometimes freeze.

Some automotive de-icer makes quick work out of thawing out the handles.

I thawed mine out with de-iced, then covered them with a hand towel to help wick moisture, and tied a plastic bag over the towel.

But keep a couple cans of automotive de-icer handy


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Wow, spectacular sunset! I hear you about just enjoying your time in the barn. I still do, and pretty much spend any spare time in there. It is my getaway, where I get my "me" time. I envy you living alone - I have two kids and a husband, and sometimes it feels like they are all in my bubble. I've always needed a lot of time alone.
> 
> As far as keeping the water off the wall, I taped a piece of plastic under the spigot so the water would not trickle along the wall. Not very high tech. But you might look at those attachments they have for eavestroughing, to keep the rain from absorbing in the ground around the foundation of houses. Even if you just had a piece long enough to make sure the water goes straight down into a bucket, at least it wouldn't creep along the wall. Just an idea
> 
> Enjoy your new barn!


It's so funny you say that, yesterday I went to Lowe's and got that same attachment you mentioned  I'll try it out tomorrow during the day since it'll be above freezing and I'll be more likely to mess with it hehe.

Sadly, the weekend blew by, I need more down time! I am totally the same way, I NEED my alone time. This is the first time I've lived completely on my own, so it was an adjustment but I got used to it, and when I have guests (namely my two aunts that come at different times of the year and stay with me for a while), I tend to look forward to my alone time.



walkinthewalk said:


> I forgot to cover my frost-free spigots and they did freeze when the sleeting rain covered them with a layer of ice.
> 
> Moisture can also gather around the bushing when the handle goes up and down, causing it to sometimes freeze.
> 
> ...


Smart idea! I hear rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer does something similar. Thanks so much for the input, I'll have to try it! Today it never got above freezing and the spigot never froze. Fingers crossed it continues to go that way.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

According to the Nashville weather folks, there is more snow in the forecast, Tues & Wed highs in the 20's, some areas could see below zero at night. 

I'm far enough south that I'm not sure what we'll see, except I know we will be below freezing - BLECH -


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> According to the Nashville weather folks, there is more snow in the forecast, Tues & Wed highs in the 20's, some areas could see below zero at night.
> 
> I'm far enough south that I'm not sure what we'll see, except I know we will be below freezing - BLECH -


Boy do I wish it would skip us too  Over the weekend I started getting a pain on my left shoulder and left side in my ribs. I think I may have lifted something wrong and it caught up with me. Long story short in a lot of pain with minimal movement and I am not looking forward to keeping the horses in all day tomorrow if we get ice/freezing rain/etc. My father said he may try to come over to help. Lord I hope he does, haha, if this pain doesn't go away I'm going to be SOL. haha. but STILL Grateful I don't have to drive over 20 minutes each way to do it!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Werecat said:


> Boy do I wish it would skip us too  Over the weekend I started getting a pain on my left shoulder and left side in my ribs. I think I may have lifted something wrong and it caught up with me. Long story short in a lot of pain with minimal movement and I am not looking forward to keeping the horses in all day tomorrow if we get ice/freezing rain/etc. My father said he may try to come over to help. Lord I hope he does, haha, if this pain doesn't go away I'm going to be SOL. haha. but STILL Grateful I don't have to drive over 20 minutes each way to do it!


Wowzer, if that pain doesn't go away, don't let it go. I know "doctor" is n't a word you want to hear any more than I would but you need to see someone. 

It depends on the type of pain; I know myself well enough that kind of pain would be chiropractor time for me -- provided you know a good one as they aren't all created equal.

Or you could go to your regular doctor and ask for x-rays or a CT.

At any rate, if the pain doesn't start to disappear in a day or so, find out what's causing it. You need to be well to manage your horses and your beautiful new property


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Thankfully @walkinthepark the pain went away after 4-5 days  Was just a sore muscle thankfully.

Now that myself and the horses are in our routine, I've been able to get some organization done! We got the feed shelves put in today  I went for adjustable so I can adjust the height of each shelf, add shelves, etc. as my needs change.

The other side of the tackroom has a plastic cabinet in it (it's rather small, I need a bigger one haha), and a chair. I've gotta get my tackroom organized and a bridle rack made.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Wow, looks amazingly organized! My tack room/feed room is organized, I guess, in my own way, lol, but it certainly doesn't look this tidy! I love your clock. I'm always picking up new things for the barn, but none of it matches. 

Also, I meant to tell you, we had a couple of warm days a while ago so I tackled my water pipes and decided to try the heat tape. I had bought some, but after reading the leaflet that came with them, had decided there was no way I could install them properly. You're supposed to have clearance all around the pipe, and mine is boxed in with insulation all around it. So I took half a day, and tore the whole box down, getting to the bare pipe. I shoved the heat tape down into the ground as far as I could go (the water pipe goes down into a 4" pvc pipe that goes through the concrete floor of my barn, 6' down into the ground). I think I only got it about 1,5 to 2' down, but it worked! We've had bitterly cold days since then, and my pipes have not frozen once! I'm so happy I did this. Heat tape is my new best friend.

Yes, the spigot still gets stiff on really cold days. I have a shelf right in front of my water, so I stuck a small space heater on it. On cold days, I turn it on as soon as I get in the barn in the morning, and it heats up the spigot while I do chores. It only takes 5-10 minutes for me to be able to turn it. I just unplug the heater then, because I'm so paranoid about barn fires. Works like a charm. 

No more frozen pipes for me! I haven't even used the hair dryer in weeks.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> Wow, looks amazingly organized! My tack room/feed room is organized, I guess, in my own way, lol, but it certainly doesn't look this tidy! I love your clock. I'm always picking up new things for the barn, but none of it matches.
> 
> Also, I meant to tell you, we had a couple of warm days a while ago so I tackled my water pipes and decided to try the heat tape. I had bought some, but after reading the leaflet that came with them, had decided there was no way I could install them properly. You're supposed to have clearance all around the pipe, and mine is boxed in with insulation all around it. So I took half a day, and tore the whole box down, getting to the bare pipe. I shoved the heat tape down into the ground as far as I could go (the water pipe goes down into a 4" pvc pipe that goes through the concrete floor of my barn, 6' down into the ground). I think I only got it about 1,5 to 2' down, but it worked! We've had bitterly cold days since then, and my pipes have not frozen once! I'm so happy I did this. Heat tape is my new best friend.
> 
> ...


That is wonderful! I've thought about those tapes. So now that we have the water cutoff in the feedroom, I just fill my buckets in the feedroom and we haven't had a problem. I only run the heater if it's going to be below freezing for more than a few hours.

I am so excited, I worked out a deal to get an older, but low hour, Kubota mower/compact tractor! Has a 60" cut, 23hp, diesel, power steering, and 4-wheel-drive. It can also run attachments in the rear, like an aerator, box blade, etc. What's even better, is I snagged a used wallenstien manure spreader to use behind my 4-wheeler, so I finally have a solution to my growing muck piles! I decided to save money and not get one with a front loader, since the buckets on those are pretty small, and I've used them before on my friends' compacts, and they're good for light duty work, but the money involved to get one with a loader, wasn't worth it to me when I have a pull behind dump cart to move dirt/gravel/poo if needed. If both things pass inspection, I'm purchasing the, this week!


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

Werecat said:


> Thankfully @walkinthepark the pain went away after 4-5 days  Was just a sore muscle thankfully.
> 
> Now that myself and the horses are in our routine, I've been able to get some organization done! We got the feed shelves put in today  I went for adjustable so I can adjust the height of each shelf, add shelves, etc. as my needs change.
> 
> The other side of the tackroom has a plastic cabinet in it (it's rather small, I need a bigger one haha), and a chair. I've gotta get my tackroom organized and a bridle rack made.




You're cat looks just like my cat i lost 3 years ago,was only 6 years old. Spent big $$$ on vet bills only to have him die 5 days later. :frown:

Love you're barn it's absolutely beautiful! Bet it's nice to have your horse's at home.


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

Here's my kitty his name is tiger.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Werecat said:


> That is wonderful! I've thought about those tapes. So now that we have the water cutoff in the feedroom, I just fill my buckets in the feedroom and we haven't had a problem. I only run the heater if it's going to be below freezing for more than a few hours.
> 
> I am so excited, I worked out a deal to get an older, but low hour, Kubota mower/compact tractor! Has a 60" cut, 23hp, diesel, power steering, and 4-wheel-drive. It can also run attachments in the rear, like an aerator, box blade, etc. What's even better, is I snagged a used wallenstien manure spreader to use behind my 4-wheeler, so I finally have a solution to my growing muck piles! I decided to save money and not get one with a front loader, since the buckets on those are pretty small, and I've used them before on my friends' compacts, and they're good for light duty work, but the money involved to get one with a loader, wasn't worth it to me when I have a pull behind dump cart to move dirt/gravel/poo if needed. If both things pass inspection, I'm purchasing the, this week!


Our tractor is ancient (an old 70s Ford), but we have every attachment imaginable for it, and I have a trailer and drag to hook up to my 4-wheeler. I have never appreciated farm equipment as much as I do now! Hope you're able to pick up that Kubota! I don't know what we would do without our tractor.


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

rambo99 said:


> Here's my kitty his name is tiger.


Aww you are right, they do look a lot alike!! And thank you 



Acadianartist said:


> Our tractor is ancient (an old 70s Ford), but we have every attachment imaginable for it, and I have a trailer and drag to hook up to my 4-wheeler. I have never appreciated farm equipment as much as I do now! Hope you're able to pick up that Kubota! I don't know what we would do without our tractor.


Very cool, having the attachments is awesome. They delivered them today!!









Was just using the tractor to pull the manure spreader into the barn, but I'll be using the 4-wheeler to pull it.









It was snowing today, but next week it'll be nice out again. My lawn grass got so high while it was warm for a few weeks, I was letting the horses hand graze on it to keep it lower in some spots!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Congrats on the new machine!


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## virexad (Mar 26, 2018)

Werecat said:


> Since the last thread was me mainly focusing on questions and getting as much input as possible to do things right the first time, I wanted to focus this one on the actual build.
> 
> The short and skinny, this is my very first barn, however I've leased a farm with a close friend for the past year and a half and have learned a lot of things I'd like to do differently with my own place. The main 2 things was that I wanted a center isle, and I wanted at least 12x12 stalls. The barn is 36x36 with a 36x10 porch in front of the horse stalls, 3 stalls down that side. Other side is Feed Room, Tack Room, and hay storage. It's built on a concrete slab (broomed center isle). I'll be using interlocking stall mats for the stalls.
> 
> ...


I like your horse arena so much!! awesome


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Thanks so much!! 

We got the wash stand built! Don't know what I'd do without my father's skills!


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Werecat said:


> Thanks so much!!
> 
> We got the wash stand built! Don't know what I'd do without my father's skills!


That is pretty slick!

So how are ya by now? I'm sure the critters have all adjusted --- have you got over finding dirt on your clean walls and floors?

I'm pretty sure many of us have shed a few tears over the first manure that ended up on a new stall wall:cowboy:

I stood there dumbfounded, wondering how in Thee Heck could the horse do that to his brand new stall that was not cheap to build, lollol. I finally got over it, lollol


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## ObiWan (Jul 7, 2017)

Werecat said:


> We got the wash stand built! Don't know what I'd do without my father's skills!


Looks good. How's the base constructed? Is it just rubber with holes lying flat on your gravel drive, or is there more under that?


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

walkinthewalk said:


> That is pretty slick!
> 
> So how are ya by now? I'm sure the critters have all adjusted --- have you got over finding dirt on your clean walls and floors?
> 
> ...


Horses are happier than ever it seems. My friend's walker, who never used to lay down in pastures, I have found him laying down sleeping early morning here. They seem very well adjusted and content. First year I have 100% control over my horse, so he's not dealing with weight issues anymore, which has been great (he's a super easy keeper).

Yeah, I still try to keep the floors clean and get on my father about working on the equipment in the aisle without putting cardboard down, because I don't want the concrete to keep getting stained up. And yes, when the poop started appearing on the walls, I kept thinking "you have all this space, why!?" but I expected it, so mentally prepared myself.

The one thing that made me mad, is my horse is a boredom chewer, he isn't a cribber or wind sucker. And in the mornings when my meetings would go late, and I would be late to feeding them and bringing them in to be under their fans, he started chewing the porch posts on the barn, so they have to be protected asap. He's in a grazing muzzle most of the time now, which helps with that, and I've allowed him to go in and out of his stall during the day without his muzzle, and so he seems to have stopped. The chew spots literally appeared over the course of 2 days, so I don't know what was going on.

Right now my other 2 pastures are hay fields and while the hay looks and smells amazing, this weather has been making me crazy because our baling guy can't come cut it and bale it with every single day having showers/storms in the forecast.



ObiWan said:


> Looks good. How's the base constructed? Is it just rubber with holes lying flat on your gravel drive, or is there more under that?


Thanks!  It's a concrete slab, here's a picture of it before the mats:









Before the rack was built we were just washing/hosing the horses down on the concrete slab, which it's a broomed surface and wasn't slippery and had good drainage, but added mats for anti-fatigue and if heaven forbid a horse does panic and go down. All posts are sunk in concrete, and all boards, etc. are bolted together vs. screwed or nailed.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

So glad to hear you and your horses are still enjoying the barn!!! 

Sorry to hear about the chewing. That's weird, how it just suddenly started. Have never had a chewer, so I don't know what that's like. Do they have salt licks? Harley will spend a lot of time on his big pasture-sized salt block right by the water trough. He licks, drinks, licks, drinks, lol. I'm pretty sure it's partly for entertainment. They do eat all sorts of things out in the pasture though, which surprised me. They have to walk through a bit of a wooded area, and a stream, to get to the back, and will eat some of the shrubs there. Even stuff that seems like it would be prickly, like raspberry bushes. So it's probably just normal that your horse wants to chew on something. 

I do love your wash rack! Wish I had done something like that!


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## Werecat (Aug 23, 2015)

Acadianartist said:


> So glad to hear you and your horses are still enjoying the barn!!!
> 
> Sorry to hear about the chewing. That's weird, how it just suddenly started. Have never had a chewer, so I don't know what that's like. Do they have salt licks? Harley will spend a lot of time on his big pasture-sized salt block right by the water trough. He licks, drinks, licks, drinks, lol. I'm pretty sure it's partly for entertainment. They do eat all sorts of things out in the pasture though, which surprised me. They have to walk through a bit of a wooded area, and a stream, to get to the back, and will eat some of the shrubs there. Even stuff that seems like it would be prickly, like raspberry bushes. So it's probably just normal that your horse wants to chew on something.
> 
> I do love your wash rack! Wish I had done something like that!


Thank you, me too!  You still can!  They're quite easy to build, very similar to putting fencing up.

Yeah, he I think was frustraited because he got used to my father visiting during the day and giving him treats. I'm not much of a treat giver, and I think he'd wait in the paddock for him to show up, and when he didn't, he'd get frustrated. Odd, but I think it was a break in that routine that upset him. He hasn't been doing it when I stall my friend's horse from 1pm-5pm to get a break from the sun/flies (he's black and overheats quickly). My guy gets a break from his grazing muzzle at that time and is free to come into his stall and get hay and fan time as well, but has access to the paddock and pasture. So far I've noticed no more damage and he seems relaxed. My father is also back in town lol (they live 5 minutes away and he's always over here doing something).


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