Barn

When we first bought this farm there were 3 rotten stalls alongside the arena. They weren't usable for horses but we did use them for pigs for a couple months but they were prone to flooding, badly.

Last year 'We' started tearing them down and all last winter the horses had a lean too without walls to get under in the nasty rain and cold. We brought in a lot of sand, which kept their feet dry.

We could put round bales under it too and they were good for a lot longer.

Then the roof came off and new post put into the ground.

Forms were build, metal grid put down.

Everything was leveled perfectly.

And concrete poured last week for the new aisle way. We had a good crew of men, a couple who have done this for a living and a few who have never done concrete ever before.

They did a beautiful job which couldn't have turned out better. 

As a final touch, I added Joeys last set of shoes, which we removed last month when he was officially retired, in a canter pattern about 15 feet inside the doorway. I'll see them every time I walk in.

Today was the planned pour day for the stall floors but the concrete companies were booked so next Friday is stall floor day. 

The roofing will be metal and its waiting in the arena but we still need all the roofing wood. 

Barn exterior will be T1-11 and the inside will be plywood walls with 2 X 10 dividers between each of the end stalls but the center stall (there are 5 stalls) which is going to be the grooming area/wash rack, will have plywood. There is a drain in center stall and water will be there with a small water heater and utility sink (somewhere).

Last May I purchased 5 used stall fronts for $1100, (what an incredible steal!) these are 8 feet tall and 12 feet wide made with heavy duty metal and true 2 inch wood fronts. There are feed doors and all the rollers and door track. The doors weigh over 100# each and the fronts are about 400#; they are HEAVY and difficult to move.

They are all rusty but not in terrible shape. I will be sand blasting these and repainting the metal black and freshening up the wood.

I've got 4 new corner feeders and 5 automatic waterers which will go outside for spring/summer/fall use and buckets for winter use.

 I was thinking of adding at least 1 Stable Comfort floor, a super soft rubber floor. Its nice for lame/old horses to have a soft bed. Its $786 and I can go to Canada to pick it up.