Designing Feed and Tack Room

[Rae89]

Hi
Next week we are pouring cement, and then I will be getting a heated tack room/feed room put up in my barn.

The area is 12 x24. I really don’t want to store grain in my tack room. I think its just asking for trouble with mice. With those dimensions what is everyone’s suggestion for best use of space?

I was thinking of taking 4-6 ft x 12 for an unheated feed room. My feed room is only going to have sealed containers of grain in it, and supplements, and some buckets, no hay. I currently have 3 horses, but I have a ton of tack!!

What size is everyone’s tack and feed rooms and do you need more or less room? TIA

[Bluey]

Our feed room is 8’ x 16’.
Plenty for a sink, place for water heater, washer/drier that we have not installed, don’t need them yet and grain and extra storage.

I think 4’ wide x 12’ may be a bit narrow to get to the back with sacks of feed, but doable, is what those portable sheds with two stalls have on one end or in the middle.
6’ x 12’ sure should be enough for grain supplies for a few horses.

[LCDR]

My tack room is 12x18.

Feed room is also 12x18, which is way too big for the amount of feed I keep on hand. I feed forage grass year-round, plus a ration balancer, so this all the feed room space I needed for feed. So I made the rest into office.

[horsepoor]

I have 3 horses and a combination tack/feed room of 12’x12’. Works for me fine, and I’m no slouch in the tack hoarding department. In 15+ years with this space, I’ve not had a problem with rodents getting in. Granted, I do not feed much grain, but my tack/feed room was built like my house (love my builder!) and there are no gaps or ways for critters to get in unless someone leaves the door open. Which does not happen since it is just me and my partner and I have him trained to never leave it open, not even slightly ajar!

If I had the space you have, I might do a separate feed area like you describe, but I just didn’t have that kind of room. But I wouldn’t be doing it because of mice but just having that additional wall space between might help with organization. And maybe to add a sink as that would be nice but wasn’t possible with my space.

[QHEventer]

I have a separate tack and feed room, but both are 8x10. The feed room has a chest freezer which holds 5 bags of grain (which is what I buy at one time to prevent mice), a slop sink, and room to stack about 50 bags of shavings. Are you planning to store shavings in your feed room or somewhere else in your barn? I used to keep them with my hay, which is in a separate lean-to off the barn, but it’s more convenient keeping them closer to the stalls.

Regardless, 8x10 is plenty big for my needs.

[stb]

@LCDR that is one of the nicest tack/feed rooms I have ever seen. Really well organized and functional but also really attractive. Can I ask where you got your wall organization system?

[CobJockey]

They don’t have to be very big at all to be functional. We have a 7 horse boarding barn and our feed “room” is maybe 3 feet deep by 9 feet wide. It houses a command center, 2 types of feed, supplements, all of our stall cleaning/sweeping tools, a ladder, and still has more storage than we know what to do with.

[LCDR]

The wall panels are part of the Gridwall system. It is used a lot in retail store displays. The panels are heavy gauge steel and can support way more weight than you would think. They panels and hangers can be purchased online from Amazon and many other sources. I ordered some of mine from ULINE.com. Most of the hangers are generic gridwall system parts. For specialty things like the bridle hangers I used:

https://organizedbarn.com/order.html

They also sell the grids as well. There are also picture hangers for the system, and shelves too. I started with the wall grids, and added hanging hardware as I decided where things went the best. I like the grids because they don’t hide the wood wall behind them and make things feel more open. Plus, re-orgainzation is simple; just move the hangers.

The storage cabinets are from:

https://cupolasdirect.com/saddle-cabinets-barn-furniture.html

They are shipped assembled and with all the hardware installed. They come unfinished, so I sanded them and applied the same oil-based polyurethane as the barn builder used on the walls. They also make feed bins and feed room storage cabinets. The desk, stand for the mini-fridge, the feed prep table, the saddle cleaning stand, and the saddle pad rack I built myself.

Saddles are stored of wall-mounted single tube racks that I believe I ordered from Schneiders. I have never sold a saddle, to me they are like old friends. Although I did give a dressage saddle and cross-country saddle to my niece when she started eventing last year.

Thanks for the compliment.

[B-burg_Dressage]

I have two big cans, two medium cans, and two small cans for my feed. Plus a shelf for supplements. If you’re not talking hay, and don’t store a ton of grain bags–feed doesn’t take up much space for a few horses.

[PaddockWood]

Thanks for sharing your pictures and what a beautiful place. Love those grids and the flexibility for change. I’m still in the design phase of my tack/feed room but thinking maximum counter space with tall storage underneath - counters everywhere except where saddles/bridles hang. Using wall space to the max - shelves and hanging places.

Appreciate all the conversation and sharing.