# First Horse Checklist



## heart2horse (Feb 26, 2011)

Were boarding my horse right now, but next spring we will be bringing him home. Me and my dad (and help of his carpenter workers) are going to restore an original barn that was on the property. I want to be well prepared. So is there anything that you think is a must after all your experiences? Everything from hardware to a hoof pick, even food Thank you! BTW- I'm going to convince my dad to get a ClearSpan indppr arena. Anyone have one? Your opinion?


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

1) I would kill for an indoor arena!!!LOL If you think you have a chance at convincing him.. do it!! You will be able to ride soo much more!!

As for basics...

All feed............. Hay, grain, water
Stall................. Salt block, mineral block, feed bucket, water bucket and stall latch
Barn isle............ Cross ties and snaps on the end of them, as well as safe footing
Feed room......... You should keep your feed in plastic garbage bins to keep away moister and rodents. A good, dry place to store hay. Make sure it can't get wet or it will get moldy.
Storage............. Again you should have a dry place to store your tack or it could get ruined. As well as any other things you will soon to store (over time the barn will get filled with other horsey things 

You will also need some grooming tools such as: Curry comb, Hard or stiff brush, soft brush, hoof pick, mane and tail comb, Any kind of shampoo/spray/ detangler, Fly contol.

I also like to keep a clock and calander in the barn. A calander is really good for keeping track of when you need to deworm, hooves trimmed, teeth floated, sheath cleaned, and any vet dates (such as check ups, vaccinations, any medications you need to give)

AND! Water in the barn... like a hose IN the barn. The first year we had horses we just thought we could haul water from the house to the barn via bucket... Didn't work out well! LOL As well as lighting.

This is all I can think of right now  Good luck with it all!


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Lol I didn't read the above post all the way because I'm in a hurry, but I'll type whatI got here now.

The feed. This includes whatever hay you are feeding (Grass or alfalfa) and if you rhorse needs any special grain (Mine get 1 scoop Omolene and rice bran for their coats, and trifecta is needed) 

In the stall, I like to put down a cushy bedding of shavings. I have a stall ball because my horses like to play, a salt block to lick, water bucket, a grain bucket, and a feed rack or a net. I don't like putting hay on the floor. One too many horses ended up inhaling shavings.

Grooming is something I obsess over. I have a metal & rubby curry, a shedding blade, a sweat scraper, a face brush and a body brush. I have a main and tail brush and then a braiding comb. I like to show sheen the mane and tail for a detangler, and Cowboy Magic greenspot remover for last minute spots.

Tack. The obvious saddle pad and saddle(Cinch, breastcollar, backcinch if you need it), headstall and bit, and reins will generally suffice. Of course if you are one of those people who wear a helmet, that's good too. I don't always ride with my helmet on hores I trust but I always have one or two helmets around. I ALWAYS have boots too as a spare. Splint boots, SMBs or Legacy sport boots. Bell boots, hind boots, etc. 

And now I have to get off. Will edit or post another reply later.


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## raywonk (Jan 9, 2011)

What is the floor in the barn like? 
In the stalls excpesaly?

A first aid kit.
Tack cleaning kit. I like to have a sadle stand the colapses so I can put my saddle wear ever I am tacking with out having something purmanet in my way.
Lugery not nicesaty but one of those small on demand water heaters are realy nice to have.
Chairs. 
Not a nicesaty but a small frige is good to. For vet soplies and for drinks.
Fans and plugs in each stall up high for the fans so you dont have extention cords every wear. 
Blanket bars on the out side of stall for hanging your winter blankets.
Not a nicesaty a sing is a realy nice thing to have in the barn.

That is all I got for now.


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## dezzistar (May 24, 2011)

I would definately make sure you put in a heater! My friend put up her barn in the summer and didn't think to install a heater.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I wouldn't recommend a heated barn.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

Ray MacDonald said:


> I wouldn't recommend a heated barn.


Ditto. *WAY* too much of a fire hazard. For the horse, free choice hay and perhaps a blanket will keep him plenty warm in the winter. As for people, if you're working hard enough you'll stay warm! :lol::wink: In terms of climate control, the only place that might need that is a tack room, and that need can be met with a dehumidifier or humidifier. Again, for the fire risk, I would not recommend an unattended space heater or milkhouse heater. I just keep leather tack in the house. You should have a fire extinguisher rated for the type of fires that could arise, keep it handy, and know how to use it. :wink:

Also, I highly recommend installing GFI outlets. They cost a little more, but are well worth the safety, especially if you plan to use clippers or electric water buckets. The GFI plugs will "pop" and stop working if they short out, rather than risking electrocution. 

A further electrical concern is the lighting - if there are light fixtures inside the stall, be sure that the bulb is encased in such a way that the horse cannot rear and break it, or any broken glass will be prevented from falling into the feed, etc. I just have fixtures outside the stalls, but a farm supply store should be able to guide you to some livestock-safe light fixtures.

*In terms of basic startup requirements, you'll need...*

*For the stall:* water bucket and mounting hook, feed bin/manger and mounting hardware, salt/mineral blocks (there are holders for these, or you could rough it), and a hayrack (optional - my guys eat off the floor in a corner where I deliberately don't spread bedding), rubber floor mats, and bedding (sawdust, shavings, straw, pelletized bedding, paper.... the list goes on - research what works best for your budget, availability, and needs). 

*Grooming Kit:* Shedding blade, metal currycomb (for cleaning brushes), rubber currycomb, stiff brush, medium brush, soft brush, mane/tail hairbrush, hoof pick, and a tote or bucket to store it all in.

*For the Barn:* Manure fork and muck bucket/wheelbarrow, pitchfork, flat-edged shovel, tie rings, tack hooks/racks, feed storage (galvanized steel trash cans with bungee cords holding the lids tight are wonderful - mice chew right through plastic), grain/hay scale, fly repellent.

Further considerations would be: adequate turnout with secure and horse-friendly fencing, access to water for drinking and cleaning/bathing, manure disposal (spreader or compost pile are the most common), and vehicle access for trailers, pickup trucks, etc. 

That's what I can think of right now... I'll pop back in if anything else crucial comes to mind. Congrats on your restoration project, and on bringing your horse home! It's a lot more work than boarding, but it is very much worth it.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

You have gotten great advice so far. I also agree with no heater. Very dangerous. The only thing that has heat in my barn is the wash rack & it very rarely gets used. I did use it through the winter for a tendon injury so I could soak him and he didn't freeze waiting to dry off. 

Put together a first aid/vet kit. Every barn should have a thermometer (with a stopper and a string on it), Stethoscope, weight tape or you can use the formula Heart girth X heart girth X length, divided by 300, + 50 = weight. Cotton wrap & balls, vet wrap, sterile gloves, iodine, alcohol, peroxide, ointments, liniments, etc. It's always good to keep bute & banamine on hand also. 

I have an indoor, but it's not a clearspan. It's my favorite thing about my barn! If it's in your budget, go for it! Mine is 100 x 200 and we put it up in 93 I believe, it's attached to the stall barn but also has large sliders on all sides with gates so it can be opened up for air flow. It gets used a lot! 

I've never boarded so I can't relate there, but I can tell you that despite the work it is wonderful having them right out your back door


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Ive been at two heated barns (professionally heated throughout) and let me tell you, it was very nice in the winter. Of course where I live, winter is half the year or more....so it makes a huge difference.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

I just think it isn't very healthy for the horse, but that is just an opinion


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## LikeIke17 (Mar 18, 2011)

Everything you've been told has been pretty much spot on. 

I won't repeat anything they've said (hopefully) but I would definitely go over all the walls and fences. Make sure there are no nails or sharp objects sticking out. And make sure that gates and stall doors are horse genius proof.  
It is also really helpful to have labeled buckets for everything. I have a bucket with all my brushes I use daily and that I take everywhere with me. The bucket is good because I can dump out the brushes and use the water bucket for my horse. 

I also highly agree with a hose IN the barn. You will go crazy without it.

OH one more thing... automatic water buckets ARE amazing. Do not be tempted to get them. We have them and they are difficult to clean. Plus, you never know how much they are drinking, and if they aren't drinking, that could be a medical problem (colic). We now have large buckets that sit on the stall floor and I like them much better. Just clean them out once a week with a scrub brush and bleach and you're golden.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Agreed about the auto waterers. One thing I saw in a barn once that I thought was absolutely brilliant was a hose/ piping system that went to each stall right over a water bucket with a very simple lever tap. You could monitor water intake, and not have to lug water buckets around.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

That sounds like a great idea JDI! I'm keeping that in mind for my future amazing barn of my dreams lol


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## wren (Dec 13, 2009)

One thing i like about our barn is that there is a high outlet in front of each stall. It helps when we put fans up in the summer, or good for lights, clippers, etc.


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## Ray MacDonald (Dec 27, 2009)

That sounds like a good idea too, but would that be a fire hazard?


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

Ray MacDonald said:


> That sounds like a good idea too, but would that be a fire hazard?


With hay and bedding around, most everything in a barn is a fire hazard... but power outlets are pretty much a must-have thing. The best thing is to make sure that the wiring and electrical components are sound and up-to-date, and to make sure that there isn't stuff stacked around them. Cobwebs are pretty flammable as well, so keeping the walls and ceilings well swept also helps to reduce the risk. 

Another potential risk reducer would be investing in some of those plastic outlet caps - like the kind that parents baby-proof the house with? Should help keep dust and stuff from accumulating near the business area of the outlet. Again, GFI's are your friend. :wink:


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