As I’ve been going through the horse barn I just purchased I’ve come across a few things that I am not sure about. If it helps anything, the barn was owned by someone with Morgan show horses. Here are the latest:
Pics
-a saddle rack but I don’t know what it is called nor what type of saddles could use it. I’ve found a number of these on a shelf in the barn. My daughter has an English saddle and it does not look like the saddle racks I am used to.
-there are these large hooks hanging around randomly. Are they just for bridles? But they seem like they would be too high if hooked over the top of a stall and too low if hooked over the bottom of the bars.
-finally is this crazy ‘door’. It is in the hallway leading to the arena (you can see the arena sliding door to the left) and opens into a stall. It can rotate all the way up and a bar can slide over into that keeper you see to the right of the opening to keep it closed. This door is super heavy and seems like a weird design if you just want to make an opening for your horse. Why not a Mr. Ed type door?
Okay, that’s it for now. Thanks
Can’t help you with the odd door.
Maybe used for a feed room? 
Saddle rack is a standard folding design.
Stateline, Dover, Valley Vet all sell them.
Hooks may have been used for harness.
Hooks were used for long line and harness equipment.
Saddle rack is normal and still sold.
The door is odd and no clue.
The door - maybe for storage of bulk (shavings or sawdust) that would be blown in?
Regarding the door -
Is the wall section below the “door” fixed or does it open?
I assume it is fixed. I am guessing that the door is to allow the horse in that stall some extra ventilation and space WHEN THERE IS NO TRAFFIC TO/FROM THE ARENA (e.g., at night). It would be dangerous to use that arena access with a horse in that stall otherwise. Does that sound plausible?
Fun mystery - thanks!
Drop down windows aren’t rare, but they’re usually mesh or bars–like this:
Not sure why this one is solid although perhaps someone just took the concept and built it out with what they had. Is there room there for a dutch door to secure back anywhere?
Is there any way it could have ever opened up into the arena or anywhere that led into the arena? I rode at a barn once that had a door like that so you could see if someone was in the arena and/or not open the arena door into a horse/rider. Is it possible the sliding door replaced a different kind of door once upon a time? (It doesn’t look like it to me, but just an idea.)
Given that it’s a heavy duty door, any chance they used to do some breeding? Maybe to keep a stallion on one side for teasing.
Oh wow, interesting idea. I know they did some breeding there
It’s a really nice Morton barn and the construction of the door matches the rest of the build so it appears that it was built this way on purpose when the barn was built. I don’t see any evidence of a Dutch door.
You might be on to something…I’m pretty sure that the barn was built first and the arena was added on some time after.
So after reading all your comments, and combining a few, I think you guys might have possibly solved it.
So the barn was built first and the arena added on some time after. I’m thinking that the aisle going to the arena might have originally been a stall. That would mean this weird door would be between two stalls. If it was only opened for breeding/teasing, that would explain why it is higher up and so heavy. When it’s put up, it just completes the wall between the stalls. I’ll have to look and see if the aisle width corresponds to a typical stall width for that barn.
Possibly the answer?
Right, but is there room for this door to be installed as a dutch door and open against the wall. If there’s not, and they wanted an opening here, with a door to close, dropping down is about the only option.
It may be solid for the simple reason to exclude weather, if this formerly opened to the outside.
I am going to second the idea of stall being a stallion stall. They were able tease a mare over the lower half, which was VERY THICK with lower, solid wall and dropped top half, to prevent breakage should either or both horse strike the wood with shoes.
Oh, I understand what you are saying. There is room for a dutch door to have opened to the right.
We’ve used these over stall doors for quick hanging of blankets.
