# Clean Barn Obsession



## Skutterbotch (Dec 1, 2009)

I do! Rule at our barn is everything has to be SPOTLESS when we leave, I take it above and beyond. It's great to come in the next day having everything where it's supposed to be!


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## AQHA13 (Apr 19, 2017)

I wish I had that disease....


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## upupandflyaway1 (May 10, 2010)

I do. Its horrible. I hate things being out of place or just overall messy, I think its a good thing.


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

This lady from my church sometimes has me come and ride her horses...her barn is such a mess though. So I asked her one day if she needed "help" around the barn. She said "oh no..its pretty clean already, there would'nt be much to do". Yeah right!!!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Don't feel bad...there was a lady boarding at the barn down the road that would put on gloves, get down on her knees, and look through the bedding in her horse's stall for little pieces of poop after the BM had cleaned it (and the BM really did do a very good job in the stalls).


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

WOW. now thats pathetic!


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## corinowalk (Apr 26, 2010)

I did have it. I have overcome. If all the people I board with wanna be lazy bums...let em! My stuff is organized...the rest of the barn really isnt my problem!


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

Yep totally! Im not as anal to pick through a stall w my hands to look for poo-bits lol....but I CANNOT stand a messy barn! 

I have this disease so bad...that I will often clean everything up spotless and high tail it out of the barn, before boarders show up, cuz if they are there before I have a chance to leave at the end of my day....Ill never leave, as I find im just following them around cleaning up after them as my standards are jst too high....so my theory out of sight out of mind....as it was spotless when I left


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## BigGreyHorse (Sep 28, 2009)

Yup, used to have this disease really bad. I used to wash the barn walls once a month. (seriously!) It went into remission but I've been having twinges lately. We are starting a long remodel of our barn (new roof, moving walls, etc.) and everything is a mess. Some days I just can't stand it.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

I clean my barn walls!! I'd say probably once a month...maybe more depending on the circumstances.
Nothing turns me off more is to have poo smeared walls in a barn.
My one gelding stnads right up against the back wall when he craps, so it gets gross quite quickly.
I use a bucket of warm sopay water and a bbq brush, and scub away.
I also clean their stall bars, as they rub their sweat and faces on the and they get so grundgy..wash that all off once a month too.
I dust my walls, daily, scrub my water and feed tubs daily, there is not a weed in sight around the outskirts of my barn. Every object tht sits on the floor (ie barbage can etc) is moved and swept behind not just around it. The list goes on.
Anal? Maybe, but I'm never worried about any boarder thinking my barn is disorganized or a mess, as there is no possible way lol. Perhpas tht is why I don't have turnover in my barn unless someone is moving out of town, or they sell their horse.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

Wow, I am the same way. people love their horses so much, but if they really love them..they would keep the horses enviornment clean. Just my theory


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

AQHA13 said:


> I wish I had that disease....


Same here to a point. You only have so much time to do everything.
Lets see take care of and feed animals, clean pens, work a job, clean house, cook, laundry, take care of vehicles, mow lawn, fix fence, grocery shopping, pull weeds, spread gravel, gill arena, clean tack and what ever else I may have forgot so my isle way is at the bottom of the list.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

churumbeque said:


> Lets see, take care of and feed animals, clean pens, work a job, clean house, cook, laundry, take care of vehicles, mow lawn, fix fence, grocery shopping, pull weeds, spread gravel, gill arena, clean tack and what ever else I may have forgot so my aisle way is at the bottom of the list.


Thank you, churumbeque.

I'd rather make sure the horses' environment is _safe_ and they have enough to eat, than worry about scrubbing stall walls or dusting for cobwebs every time I turn around.

I've had people leave their horses with me overnight, and none have ever run squealing in horror because I don't -gasp!- sweep the barn out twice a day.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

churumbeque said:


> Same here to a point. You only have so much time to do everything.
> Lets see take care of and feed animals, clean pens, work a job, clean house, cook, laundry, take care of vehicles, mow lawn, fix fence, grocery shopping, pull weeds, spread gravel, gill arena, clean tack and what ever else I may have forgot so my isle way is at the bottom of the list.



I do all that and still have my barn spotless?? 
My friends refer to me as "The Machine" lol.... as I get more done in one day, then most people get done in a week. And more effectively and efficiently. lol


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Maverick101 said:


> I do all that and still have my barn spotless??
> My friends refer to me as "The Machine" lol.... as I get more done in one day, then most people get done in a week. And more effectively and efficiently. lol


You work a 40+ hour job every week and _then_ go home and care for your animals? Or is your _job_ the animals? This does make a difference, since if the animals are your livelihood, then I'd expect you to be anal about keeping your barn spotless.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

I work evenings part time ... plus we have a working grain farm on top of my boarding barn. So yeah Id say 40+ hrs a week  I get maybe one or 2 full days off a month where im not either working at my job, barn, on the farm, or doing something house related...

Im gen in the barn by 5am. Have everything spotless by 12. Then its off to do other farm and barn related duties.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Maverick101 said:


> I work evenings part time ... plus we have a working grain farm on top of my boarding barn. So yeah Id say 40+ hrs a week  I get maybe one or 2 full days off a month where im not either working at my job, barn, on the farm, or doing something house related...
> 
> Im gen in the barn by 5am. Have everything spotless by 12. Then its off to do other farm and barn related duties.



You krayzee. I like some _me _time to actually ride my horses and spend time with friends and loved ones.

The barn clutter can wait. Life won't.


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## Starlet (Jun 3, 2010)

I like when barns are clean. It seems there are two types of barns: super clean, neat and organized or super cluttered, dirty, and run down. I haven't seen many barns that are in between the two =)
Luckily we have a super clean, neat, and organized type barn.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> You krayzee. I like some _me _time to actually ride my horses and spend time with friends and loved ones.
> 
> The barn clutter can wait. Life won't.


Crazy or just busy?

When you run a family farm there isn't a lot of down time even w out horses.
Like I said barn is clean by 12...so that leaves me all afternoon to do what I need/want to do around the farm/barn.

The key is to be able to multi-task, and also be efficient, and well organized. It is because everything is clean, and well organized that I can accomplish more in a day.

Of course I have me time, my me time is my horses...so when Im riding that is my me time.

And we often have friends and family over for bbqs or evenings of drinks etc. Just because I have alot on my plate doesn't mean I don't find the time for such things....I do, I just like to have everything in its place.


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

Just sayin' for you people that said you are too busy to clean your barn all the time...well, the time spent on this forum right now could be used for the barn


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

wannahorse22 said:


> Just sayin' for you people that said you are too busy to clean your barn all the time...well, the time spent on this forum right now could be used for the barn


 these **** computors are addicting and do waste alot of time but it is more fun tahn cleaning


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

I like to have a clean barn. It's so nice to walk into a place and know it's taken care of the way it should be.
The tack room is a mess right now so I have to clean it.


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

Maverick101 said:


> Crazy or just busy?
> 
> When you run a family farm there isn't a lot of down time even w out horses.
> Like I said barn is clean by 12...so that leaves me all afternoon to do what I need/want to do around the farm/barn.
> ...


 

she has a point. She says she cleans and keeps the barn organized and safe not to mention welcoming. If you clean a dirty barn and from then on clean a bit everyday it really keeps up on the barn and sometimes you won't spend a couple hours in the barn cleaning. Luckily our barn stays clean..just do a bit of sweeping and it's good!


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## ladybugsgirl (Aug 12, 2009)

Its sounds more like a OCD thing. I use to help manage a barn and regarless of what i did, scrub walls, waterers etc it always got messy fast. Horses are mess animals they don't understand that its not ok to crap on the wall etc. Theres a difference between a clean barn and some anal clean obsessed person. Plus when you run a boarding facility there are boarders that maybe dont obsess over things like omg did the wall get scrubbed today. Plus really anal ocd type people drive me crazy....I would rather be at a clean barn then sitting and worry about walking on egg shells cuz the floor wasnt swept five times a day or because Im not as neat as the owner etc. Plus as mentioned above I would rather spend time living life then scrubbing a wall every single day that is going to get dirty regarless. If someone was at the barn I use to work at scrubbing walls with a toothbrush or whatever they would be laughed at bad. Yes I wish I was more organized with home life but my horses stuff is always organized and I tend to know where things are.


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## ladybugsgirl (Aug 12, 2009)

When I worked at a barn I would clean it all the time but I would'nt CLEAN it. I would dust spiderwebs twice a month. Stalls were cleaned once a day and the aisle way was always swept after that and then after someone fed dinner. I did alot and the barn was the cleanest barn in our area but it wasn't over the top. I would'nt get down on hands and knees with a toothbrush but you can totally tell the place was clean.My life and stuff I could really careless if I am organized or not. But horses mean alot to me and Hopes stuff is always organized except right know when I don't have a locker and have to keep crap in my car,house, shed and truck. I am not OCD but i do like to be able to find my horses stuff.


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## Regan7312 (Jul 5, 2010)

i love coming to a clean barn..my BO makes us (the workers) blow the aisle after we give the stall horses lunch hay then again after we feed at night..i don't mind it though..it is nice to walk in and there not be a lot of junk all over the aisle. 

i also love everything organized lol..i hate wasting time searching for something when i could be riding. 

and our barn and horses are very safe and happy


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Maverick101 said:


> When you run a family farm there isn't a lot of down time even w out horses.
> Like I said barn is clean by 12...so that leaves me all afternoon to do what I need/want to do around the farm/barn.


You said grain farm - correct? I grew up on a grain/hog operation. Busy is seasonal.

I get up at 5 - throw a load of laundry in, feed the cats, clean the litter box and then head out to feed the barn cats, dog, cows, grain, hay, turn out, clean stalls, sweep, put the dog back, then head up to throw the load in the dryer, do dishes, scrub (yes on hands and knees) or vaccum, THEN shower and head to my 40+ hour a week job. BY 7:00 a.m.

Get home at 4:30, change and head out to teach, train, mow, weed, fix fence, shovel snow, etc etc etc

Wash, rinse and repeat. I get a lot of comments on how clean and nice things are (we have a boarding operation). I just expect them to be that way. Boarders are supposed to clean up after themselves, but most to a semi sorta kinda job.


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## soileddove (Jul 27, 2010)

Not gonna lie, I don't worry about it too much as long as its reasonably organized and safe and my horses are obviously well taken care of. I mean, when I'm having trouble finding something then I know its probably time to get at it again and re-organize. 

I do a big clean twice a year-- usually spring and fall-- and that's more than enough to keep things simple at my place. Otherwise its just smaller day-to-day tasks. Some cobwebs and a little mess here and there really don't bother me.. Besides, I like squishing barn spiders cause they pop. If I had no spiderwebs around, how would I ever entertain myself? Sheesh.. ha ha 

My house is the same way, although I do try to do a weekly more thorough clean-up. I'm not a neat freak or a germaphobe, but I'm not a slob either. There's a happy medium and I'm more than happy with that.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

wannahorse22 said:


> Just sayin' for you people that said you are too busy to clean your barn all the time...well, the time spent on this forum right now could be used for the barn


Said by someone who has absolutely no clue what it takes to run a farm and keep animals. It's always so easy for those who don't actually DO the work to make pronouncements.

My barn is organized and I keep it swept and free of cobwebs. I am not anal retentive/OCD about it being spotlessly clean, though. Why should I be? Horses are livestock. 

Things are going to get messy and dirty, and the OCD/anal retentive types are only going to drive themselves crazy trying to keep their barn looking like a magazine cover. I'd rather ride my horses than try to keep up with some impossible ideal of how others THINK my barn should look. :wink:


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

I am sooooo not anal about cleanliness. If I walk into the barn and due to a crazy, busy weekend there's a pile of stuff on my tack box, oh well. I know that my horse's stall is clean, her water buckets filled and she's well-fed. THAT is what important, not that OMG someone left boot pulls, a grain scoop and half a dozen misc. other small items on top of *my* tack box or heaven forbid, didn't sweep the aisle! 

A filthy, fire-hazard of a barn? Not acceptable in my opinion but a few cobwebs, which by the way CATCH BUGS, no issues whatsoever.


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## Shenandoah (Aug 9, 2010)

I've known a couple people who liked spotless barns. It always made me laugh, because they'd get it spotless, and not 10 minutes later a flake of hay or something would be brought through and leave crumbs all over, or a horse would walk through and leave some dirt, or a breeze would blow and bring in leaves.

On the other hand, when I was looking at boarding stables I went by one place where it looked like they hadn't dusted or swept in the 20 years they'd owned the place. I was afraid to touch ANYTHING because it probably would have started up a dust storm. (Although apparently it doesn't bother others as much as me, because they HAVE been there 20 years.)

I think there's a happy medium. The place I board now does a basic clean-up once/day, does some additional stuff on weekends, and has a once/year entire-farm clean-up day where EVERYTHING on the property is cleaned top to bottom with the help of most of the boarders.
It seems like a nice balance. The place always appears welcoming, but no one is spending excessive time on it.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Delfina said:


> A filthy, fire-hazard of a barn? Not acceptable in my opinion but a few cobwebs, which by the way CATCH BUGS, no issues whatsoever.


Want to rethink what you just said about cobwebs?


Barn Safety Expert Offers Fire Prevention Tips :: Pennyslvania Equestrian - News for the Horse owner


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

I spent 3 hrs cleaning the barn at the place I board at.I swept for ever,washed the brooms off from dirt and cobwebs,cleaned stalls,cleaned our tack room which is now the hangout room for the family  Cleaned up all the hay that drops and gave it as a snack to the horses.

I love a clean barn. It's very welcoming. If you have people who are coming over to hangout with you and they want to see where you board your horses it's always nice to have it clean..I don't like tons of dust,hay,straw,poop all over the floor in the barn so I will usually do a quick sweep if I have time.


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

Oh and we have black widows O.O But we also have birds and bats that nest in the barn so they help with the spiders.

I love watching the bats fly around and climb on things at the barn..so cute!


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

Shenandoah said:


> I've known a couple people who liked spotless barns. It always made me laugh, because they'd get it spotless, and not 10 minutes later a flake of hay or something would be brought through and leave crumbs all over, or a horse would walk through and leave some dirt, or a breeze would blow and bring in leaves.
> 
> On the other hand, when I was looking at boarding stables I went by one place where it looked like they hadn't dusted or swept in the 20 years they'd owned the place. I was afraid to touch ANYTHING because it probably would have started up a dust storm. (Although apparently it doesn't bother others as much as me, because they HAVE been there 20 years.)
> 
> ...


 

I like that idea


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

Oh and..sorry for posting so much but another thing is I boarder at a stable and well it wasn't the cleanest of them all. I ruined jeans from there and all my clothes and shoes smelled of bad horse urine...if you touched a shovel or something you would smell bad. Now that in my honest opinion is bad. I won't mention anything else but if you have boarders you would think you would like to keep your place clean....atleast somewhat?


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## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

wannahorse22 said:


> I have a "clean barn" problem. I don't understand how people can work around their barn if it's dirty and un-organized. I guess when I clean and organize it...I feel like it is benefitting to me and my horse. Seriously, when I walk into a dirty barn I am tempted to do a full on clean to it!:lol: Does anyone else have this diesese??


OMG YES!!! My current instructor is a busy guy, but the key word there is guy. Therefore his barn is kept more in the masculine fashion. It is pretty organized, but there is always stuff to clean. So, as I need almost 100 hours to qualify for my state FFA degree by December 31, I have taken it upon myself to clean the barn on the weekends. 

So I spend most of my time sweeping up the stray pieces of hay that carpet the floor. Oh, and mucking out the run in shed. And washing the feed pans. And clearing out the spiderwebs (the ones I can reach anyway :wink. And the thing that takes up almost as much time as the latter.....is playing with the horses! :wink: No trip to the barn is cmplete without thuroughly visiting your four hooved friends!

I'm not too anal about it. I know horses make manure and there is no possible way to be there every second of every day to clean it up as soon as it happens. 

Clean is a must. Spotless, not so much.


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> Said by someone who has absolutely no clue what it takes to run a farm and keep animals. It's always so easy for those who don't actually DO the work to make pronouncements.
> 
> My barn is organized and I keep it swept and free of cobwebs. I am not anal retentive/OCD about it being spotlessly clean, though. Why should I be? Horses are livestock.
> 
> Things are going to get messy and dirty, and the OCD/anal retentive types are only going to drive themselves crazy trying to keep their barn looking like a magazine cover. I'd rather ride my horses than try to keep up with some impossible ideal of how others THINK my barn should look. :wink:


 
Excuse me? I LIVE on a farm.


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## ilyTango (Mar 7, 2010)

Man, all of you would DIE if you walked into my dad's barn. I really wish he had that disease. Even for me, who has lived with it for 16 years, finds it abhorrent at times. I always tell myself: "Man, if I had control of this place, I would fix/clean it up so good." My dad's horses are his own business, but I at least make sure my two have spotless stalls (when and if they are ever in them) and a sanitary environment.

Then again, I'm not way over-the-top anal about it, like I know a lot of people are, and I know a horse couldn't care less if it's got mud on its coat and dirt on the walls, but it makes _me _happier when everything's neat and clean-which of course, is hard to come by at our barn -.-


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

My barn is an old three sided cow shed. I keep it as clean as I can, but most of the barn is my dad's storage area. It's not as nice as I'd like, but it does the trick.


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

i get spring cleaning and fall cleaning diseases . & also when i buy new stuff, i get to cleaning and organizing. but honestly, i wish i had this disease year round :x


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

I wish I had the disease with my room. Lol.


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

I love our barn. It is always clean. The BO's dad comes every Saturday and does a huge clean. They have auto waterers in the stalls and they are drained and thoroughly scrubbed. Their paddocks are clean. The tack room is awesome, but all the boarders there respect the place and keep it nice. I always clean up after grooming and whatnot and so does everyone else. Its nice to go to. I was looking at a barn closer to my work the other day. What a mess, and muddy. It was more money than my current barn so um nope not moving. We always joke and call the barn Hunters Castle - stall is like 16' x 24'.


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