# what do you wish you had at your home barn?



## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

We just bought a house with land and a barn. We are planning in moving the 3 horses home in the spring. The barn needs a lot of work, but the horses are going to live outside 24/7 until the winter.

So now to the question. What do you wish you had in your barn that you don't have? Stalls? Set up? Etc. Since I feel like I have a clean slate and I've never had my horses at home,I don't want to reinvent the wheel.
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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

Water. Year round without worry.


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## Lonestar22 (May 22, 2009)

A proper tack room, a wash rack, and a tie out area are my major ones. There's a whole ist of things I could use though.
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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

A bathroom until I think about the fact it would be another one to keep clean then I'm fine with just finding a private place to drop my drawers.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

^^ lol my barn is so close to my house I'm not worried about that! And we have multiple bathrooms! ! 

Hmm I never thought of a wash rack, thanks for the ideas! I was thinking of making a stall sized tack room bc that's what we use at the boarding barn now. Good idea or not?
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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

Heated water for winter show baths!!


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## Maple (Jan 10, 2012)

I'm not sure if you rug your horses, but a rug room is very handy. Doesn't need to be big, just big enough for the rugs to hang and you to get them. I worked at one yard that had 10 "arms" from the wall and it made storing the wet/dirty rugs very convenient and also gave them a chance to dry before the next day of turnout.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

Wow great blanket idea! I blanket 2 out of 3, but since gypsy is the only one I show,I will board her in the winter.
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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Could you put a ceiling on the stall you use for a tack room, and line any open/barred areas on the sides with something to keep the dust out?

One barn I was at built wood boxes around their hoses with a light bulb inside and it kept them from freezing. 

At that same barn they hinged one of the horizontal boards at the front of the stalls so they could just drop open the board and feed and water through the opening. No opening and closing each big stall door multiple times.


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## BugZapper89 (Jun 30, 2014)

The only thing I had wish I had done was to put my horse blanket washing machines in a building closer to the barn, rather then on the other side of my house. Where I hang them after washing is closer to the barn so I am walking with a big wet blanket I have water and electric to all stalls and each turnout. Hot and cold water wash racks etc etc. do it right the first time otherwise is expensive and sucks to have to redo stuff.


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

All great suggestions! I'd definitely have that running water.

Also a big comfy barn couch to flop on.


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## BugZapper89 (Jun 30, 2014)

Red gate. I have one if those couches in my office however my two barn cats hold it captive


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

A tack room that's at least relatively well sealed and temperature/humidity controlled would be high on my list, as would an indoor wash rack with hot water. Ideally the tack room would have enough room for some seating and be pleasant enough that I wouldn't mind spending time cleaning my tack in there


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

A rodent proof feed room


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

A good, updated electrical system with lots of plugs so I could have heated water buckets in each stall!!!
I just got finished knocking the ice out of all the buckets and thinking this same thing.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

A small tractor ... or a good working ATV/gator. I would prefer getting a tractor, but have a neighbor that can do the bigger stuff for me. 

But I am getting an ATV next year - I can drag my turn out and the corrals and haul some things with it. Added plus is dog walking, LOL!


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## clwhizy (Aug 20, 2014)

We bought a house with a barn already set up for horses a year ago and here are some suggestions from my personal experience:
- a heated tack room (depending on your climate). Our plumbing comes into the tack room which is very handy, no worries about pipes freezing! 
- automatic waterer outside (for the months when you don't have to worry about freezing). We had to install pipes for this. 
- adequate aisle width for cross ties or an area dedicated to cross ties (grooming, tacking, etc) and a collapsible saddle rack in this area. 
- a place to hang wet blankets to dry
- easily accessible bedding storage
- rodent proof feed bins
- racks to hang manure forks, brooms, etc. 

Good luck


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

A farm hand.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

I really miss having hot water outside and a big floodlight.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

lol the farm hand is my boyfriend! 

I dont think a heated tack room is really an option, but my show horse is going to board for the winter anyways. it is an old dairy barn, so it should stay pretty warm.
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## jimmyp (Sep 5, 2013)

I am in the process of adding a couple of solar panels, to run LED lights in my barn. i also am getting ready to add a wash rack outside, and a couple sets of cross ties one inside and one outside.

Jim


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## SilverKelpie (Sep 19, 2014)

gypsygirl said:


> So now to the question. What do you wish you had in your barn that you don't have?


A roof made of metal instead of rust.

Support poles that reach the ground.

Haha, look at me dreaming.

Ideally, I would like a barn to have three stalls (2 12x12s and a 12x24 that I could turn into two stalls if I wanted) and a little run for each stall. I'd also want electricity and at least a small storage room, which I actually have in my case.

If I won the lottery, I'd want to make the walls stone and decorate the interior like this one.


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## HarleyWood (Oct 14, 2011)

i have stalls but don't use them really.. mine are out 24/7. we are looking to add a row of stalls on the side of my arena instead of in the barn taking up my very little riding arena i have. and possibly a hay area. i talked my dad into building a wash rack outside that will double as a tie area and tack up place. and small turnouts for individual turnout.


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## GreenBackJack (Feb 23, 2012)

More floor drains and a central vac. It aint sexy but it sure would be nice!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Definitely the running water, and better lighting.


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## Talon (Oct 22, 2014)

Water! I want water right out to the barn so I dont have to drag the hose out there.
Also I need a tie rack which I'll have eventually but thats a lot of work.


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