Arenas, Bedding, Décor, Specialized Areas, Storage and Structures
Horse Arenas – An Introduction
An arena is where horses are worked and trained. They come in two basic kinds: covered and uncovered. This subject is mostly images of arenas I have seen in my travels. Some are majestic and some are bare bones. There is something that can be learned from each...
Horse Arenas – Covered
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Covered arenas are made to shelter the horse and rider from weather and strong sunlight. They can be built with 4 enclosing walls, with one side permanently open with a half wall, with sides or half walls that can open and close...
Horse Arenas – Uncovered
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Uncovered arenas are easier to build and less expensive. Their use in harsh climates is limited. The footing material and how it is constructed is the elaborate and costly part. Good drainage is imperative and is often...
Horse Barn Bedding – An Introduction
Horses are bedded in stalls on different materials and with different styles. Which type and style of bedding used is dependent on price, availability purpose and the whim of the owner. This sounds like picking a bed for ourselves even though we, and our horses and...
Horse Barn Bedding – Paper And Cardboard
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Paper used for bedding has been around for a while and if you think about it, paper and cardboard are processed wood. There are several types of shredded newspaper and chopped cardboard. **CONTINUED IN ARTICLE TAB** Related...
Horse Barn Bedding – Straw
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Straw is the collection and baling of the stems of a grain crop left over after the grain has been harvested. Wheat is the most common straw used for bedding but oats, rye and barley are also used. **CONTINUED IN ARTICLE TAB**...
Horse Barn Bedding – Styles
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Everyone seems to have a different way they add, distribute and clean the bedding of the stalls. I believe there are only a few rules. The first is to remove all waste material. In other words if you are going to spend time and...
Horse Barn Bedding – Unusual Materials
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material There have been other materials used for bedding horses with some being new ideas and other fairly old. The ones I have seen are flax, hemp, peat moss and shredded bark. I don’t have enough experience with any of these to comment...
Horse Barn Bedding – Wood
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Wood bedding comes in many materials and forms. The most common woods used are the soft woods representing the coniferous trees (pines) while the least common are the hardwoods representing the deciduous trees (maple, walnut,...
Horse Barn Décor – An Introduction
Horse barns and farms take on an individual flavor and uniqueness brought on by the décor (decorations) applied. Some are small and some very large. This is a place to enjoy and get ideas from for your farm. Grab your coffee (or wine / beer) and settle in. Use the...
Horse Barn Décor – Images
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Décor are the individual touches people add to the barn to make it their own. This one is fun – enjoy! Related material – Sometimes I have a lot of material here that I have written, podcasted, video blogs and other things. ...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – An Introduction
The topics covered here are the unique areas on farms made for a specific purpose (farrier station, vet lab, tack rooms, turn out sheds). The images here are the ones I see the most on farms. Use the browser back button or menu to return to the index of topics. Back...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Assisted Horse Riding Facilities
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The efficacy of using horses as therapy for people with mental, emotional or physical challenges is unquestioned. Barns that have adapted their facilities to accommodate these people and their families are now found everywhere. ...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Feed Rooms
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Feed rooms are specialized areas within the barn used for preparing the food delivered to the horses. It often doubles as storage for food but here, the article and images are about organization and preparation. **CONTINUED IN...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Grooming Stalls And Wash Racks
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material One of the fun things to do with horses is bathing and grooming the horse. Even the hard edged rancher appreciates a clean horse. Having a specialized area to do these things is common on almost every farm I visit. **CONTINUED IN...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Laundry Rooms
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Laundry rooms are often seen in barns where horse hair can be kept from the clothes people wear. Washing horse blankets requires a heavy duty machine. Where there are a lot of horses using leg wraps, saddle pads and blankets,...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Professional Working Areas
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Areas dedicated for use by visiting professionals are found in large barns where their activity can be separated from the day to day activities of grooming or the movement of horses in and out of the barn. This helps efficiency...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Sheds And Turnouts
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The ability for a horse to live outside is accomplished on many farms by providing structures that allow for free entrance and exit at any time for the horses. These structures provide protection from the weather including rain,...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Tack Rooms
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material If you ride your horses you will need a place to keep your saddle, bridle and cleaning supplies. This room should be organized and kept clean. This said, I have seen plenty of owners who work out of a trunk or the back of their...
Horse Barn Storage – An Introduction
There never is enough storage on a farm. Storage areas are needed to protect equipment and supplies. Here are some I have come across. Most are standard and represent the concept but some are fairly unique in the way they are made. Use the browser back button or...
Horse Barn Storage – Barn Loft
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Many barns utilize the space just below the roof and above the stalls (the loft) for storing things. Where the temperatures are moderate, lofts are usually large with room for large amounts of hay. Where the temperatures are very...
Horse Barn Storage – Equipment And Trailer
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material A place to keep equipment and trailers from exposure to weather is necessary on any farm. This protection from the elements will extend the working life and your investment in these things will be extended in time. Just as...
Horse Barn Storage – Feed And Bedding
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Storing food and bedding should give protection from weather and be efficient to access for use. These things are accessed daily and have turnover on a consistent basis. They also create a lot of dust and dirt so this access...
Horse Barn Structures – An Introduction
There are about 20 different topics in this subject and each is a specific structural part of the barn (stalls, roof, etc). Barn architects will enjoy this but there is one important topic every horse owner should look at. It is “sandwich boards.” Look at these...
Horse Barn Structures – Casting Rails
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material A horse becomes cast when they lie down next to a wall with their legs facing away from that wall then they roll over onto their backs and continue that roll until their legs now face that wall (they roll over). Instead of having...
Horse Barn Structures – Ceilings
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Most horse stalls have no ceilings but there are some barns with lofts above which create them. Here are some examples of ceilings from simple to ornate. Related material – Sometimes I have a lot of material here that I have...
Horse Barn Structures – Condo Stalls
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Some farms build individual stalls with their own floor and roof. These are placed anywhere on the farm and are not attached to a turn out, paddock or field. They are found on driveways and outside along the wall of arenas. I...
Horse Barn Structures – Damaged Barns
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Weather and elements can damage barns. So can horses. These images will show some of these. Protective trim may help against horses that chew. A better structure will help against snow loads. Plan ahead to prevent repairs....
Horse Barn Structures – Exterior Views
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material This gallery is to help you with ideas for your architect. Bits and pieces from all of these can be applied to the development of your barn structure. You will see the details in some of the other topics in this chapter. There...
Horse Barn Structures – Flooring
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Most floors of barns are either dirt or a simple concrete slab. Some barns have more elegant floors or built in features to help you and your horse. This gallery has them all. **CONTINUED IN ARTICLE TAB** Related material –...
Horse Barn Structures – Footings And Foundations
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material I am not an engineer or architect but I do know that if the barn is not a pole barn (structure is attached to poles set in the ground) then it is sitting on top of a footing or foundation. This adds complexity and expense and so...
Horse Barn Structures – Gates, Doors, And Windows
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The variety of these structures on horse farms is large. Here are some images from simple to hand made to ornate. All do the job. Whatever you choose to use, remember to keep safety a priority followed by common sense and ease...
Horse Barn Structures – Interiors And Stall Views
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Grab your coffee or wine / beer and your notepad for this one. I have included so many images in this gallery because there are infinite combinations and designs. Safety first followed by efficiency, practicality and common...
Horse Barn Structures – Kick Mats
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Some horses like to kick when in their stalls. If behavior modification or horse relocation is not an option then adding cushioning to the direct kick to the wall becomes necessary to prevent injury to the horse. Yes they can...
Horse Barn Structures – Protective Trim
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Horses often use their teeth to chew on the barn (this is called pica) and protective trim helps to prevent damage. However I have also seen horses destroy this trim leaving very sharp edges exposed to cut the horse. Maintenance...
Horse Barn Structures – Retaining Walls
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material When a structure is built into a hill then there needs to be a retaining wall. This prevents the hill that was cut into from moving down into the structure causing damage. An engineer is needed for this. Old barns (horse and...
Horse Barn Structures – Roof Gutters (Eavestroughs)
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Rain falls and when it does on any roof, all of it rolls down to the edge and accumulates in a volume equal to the area of the roof. There is that math again. But you can see this and can appreciate it when all of this water is...
Horse Barn Structures – Roof Structure Details
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material This gallery has images of details from a variety of barn roof structures. Some are functional and some are aesthetic. Some are architectural wonders and complex and some are basic. Some are good for snow loads and hurricanes...
Horse Barn Structures – Slip Stalls
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material It is rare to find slip stalls, at least in my travels. These are usually temporary standing stalls for ponies and horses that will be used throughout the day. At night they are usually turned out or placed in a full stall....
Horse Barn Structures – Stall Doors And Latches
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material There are so many varieties but I might be able to categorize stall doors into groups: swinging in, swinging out and sliding. All have advantages and disadvantages. Latches are too numerous but again fall into two camps for me:...
Horse Barn Structures – Stall Floor Dividers
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Bedding often slips out from the stall under the stall door and into the aisle making a mess. One simple solution is to place a board across the front of the stall to act as a lip. This stall floor divider can be removable if you...
Horse Barn Structures – Stall Wall Sandwich Boards
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Stall walls made of plank boards stacked on edge inside a channel make a quick set up for stalls. They also provide an easy way to take the wall down to double the size of a stall. A sandwich board ties these boards together...
Horse Barn Structures – Stall Walls
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The images in this gallery will demonstrate the variety of designs and materials. There are a few principles to stall walls. They must be durable so that a kicking horse will not punch a hole through it with a kick. This said I...
Horse Behavior – Barn Damage
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Welcome to this topic page. Right now I have not written an article and summary but be sure to check for images in the gallery. As time moves on I am adding summaries and articles, videos and podcasts so eventually there will be...
Horse Arenas – An Introduction
An arena is where horses are worked and trained. They come in two basic kinds: covered and...
Horse Arenas – Covered
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Covered arenas are made to shelter the horse and rider from...
Horse Arenas – Uncovered
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Uncovered arenas are easier to build and less expensive. ...
Horse Barn Bedding – An Introduction
Horses are bedded in stalls on different materials and with different styles. Which type and...
Horse Barn Bedding – Paper And Cardboard
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Paper used for bedding has been around for a while and if you...
Horse Barn Bedding – Straw
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Straw is the collection and baling of the stems of a grain...
Horse Barn Bedding – Styles
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Everyone seems to have a different way they add, distribute...
Horse Barn Bedding – Unusual Materials
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material There have been other materials used for bedding horses with...
Horse Barn Bedding – Wood
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Wood bedding comes in many materials and forms. The most...
Horse Barn Décor – An Introduction
Horse barns and farms take on an individual flavor and uniqueness brought on by the décor...
Horse Barn Décor – Images
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Décor are the individual touches people add to the barn to...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – An Introduction
The topics covered here are the unique areas on farms made for a specific purpose (farrier...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Assisted Horse Riding Facilities
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The efficacy of using horses as therapy for people with...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Feed Rooms
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Feed rooms are specialized areas within the barn used for...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Grooming Stalls And Wash Racks
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material One of the fun things to do with horses is bathing and...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Laundry Rooms
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Laundry rooms are often seen in barns where horse hair can be...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Professional Working Areas
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Areas dedicated for use by visiting professionals are found...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Sheds And Turnouts
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The ability for a horse to live outside is accomplished on...
Horse Barn Specialized Areas – Tack Rooms
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material If you ride your horses you will need a place to keep your...
Horse Barn Storage – An Introduction
There never is enough storage on a farm. Storage areas are needed to protect equipment and...
Horse Barn Storage – Barn Loft
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Many barns utilize the space just below the roof and above...
Horse Barn Storage – Equipment And Trailer
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material A place to keep equipment and trailers from exposure to...
Horse Barn Storage – Feed And Bedding
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Storing food and bedding should give protection from weather...
Horse Barn Structures – An Introduction
There are about 20 different topics in this subject and each is a specific structural part of the...
Horse Barn Structures – Casting Rails
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material A horse becomes cast when they lie down next to a wall with...
Horse Barn Structures – Ceilings
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Most horse stalls have no ceilings but there are some barns...
Horse Barn Structures – Condo Stalls
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Some farms build individual stalls with their own floor and...
Horse Barn Structures – Damaged Barns
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Weather and elements can damage barns. So can horses. These...
Horse Barn Structures – Exterior Views
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material This gallery is to help you with ideas for your architect. ...
Horse Barn Structures – Flooring
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Most floors of barns are either dirt or a simple concrete...
Horse Barn Structures – Footings And Foundations
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material I am not an engineer or architect but I do know that if the...
Horse Barn Structures – Gates, Doors, And Windows
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The variety of these structures on horse farms is large. ...
Horse Barn Structures – Interiors And Stall Views
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Grab your coffee or wine / beer and your notepad for this...
Horse Barn Structures – Kick Mats
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Some horses like to kick when in their stalls. If behavior...
Horse Barn Structures – Protective Trim
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Horses often use their teeth to chew on the barn (this is...
Horse Barn Structures – Retaining Walls
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material When a structure is built into a hill then there needs to be...
Horse Barn Structures – Roof Gutters (Eavestroughs)
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Rain falls and when it does on any roof, all of it rolls down...
Horse Barn Structures – Roof Structure Details
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material This gallery has images of details from a variety of barn...
Horse Barn Structures – Slip Stalls
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material It is rare to find slip stalls, at least in my travels. ...
Horse Barn Structures – Stall Doors And Latches
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material There are so many varieties but I might be able to categorize...
Horse Barn Structures – Stall Floor Dividers
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Bedding often slips out from the stall under the stall door...
Horse Barn Structures – Stall Wall Sandwich Boards
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Stall walls made of plank boards stacked on edge inside a...
Horse Barn Structures – Stall Walls
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material The images in this gallery will demonstrate the variety of...
Horse Behavior – Barn Damage
SummaryArticleVideosRelated Material Welcome to this topic page. Right now I have not written an...