Eliminating a tack "room", but adding a wall of tack closets?

[normandy_shores]

So in my hopes to build a small tack shed with a groom bay and wood storage, I’ve discovered that I can build up to 215 sq ft without a permit. We were looking originally at 300 sq ft or so, but would like to try to avoid the additional costs of the permit process.

I only have 2 (maybe 3) horses on the property. I don’t really need the “floor” space of the tackroom, it’s just the wall space where you hang saddle racks and bridles and shelves for other stuff. Ideally I could store my blankets and extras there, but we also have a large (25 x 50) shop so can put my less frequently accessed big items in there.

What about having a covered grooming bay with essentially a large closet on both sides, with sliding doors? Sort of like the big wardrobes they use in place of closets in smaller dwellings in Europe. Can anyone think of why that wouldn’t be ideal? I’d have sliding doors so they don’t encroach on the groom space, and would have to find a way to lock them. Could make them deep enough to put saddle racks up, a few bridle racks, and some shelves. If I did a second one on the other side I think I could throw blanket tubs in there, but that would make the remaining space for the wood shed pretty small.

I’d probably do a 10 x 10 groom bay and 10 x 10 tack room. If most of the storage is in the 3 feet closest to the walls in a traditional tack room, I eliminate 4 feet (width) of just standing space, though lose that storage along the back wall as well…

Has anyone seen this type of idea implemented? I’m thinking it’d be quite convenient to open a sliding door and have all my tack and grooming equipment right there. I’m sure there’s downsides I’m not thinking of…

Currently, all my tack is living in my trailer dressing room (3 ft shortwall), and my blanket tubs, extra buckets and folding wheelbarrow are in the shop. If it helps at all, my SO is an OCD storage WHIZ.

[poltroon]

Tack closets can work really well.

I would say the main thing is making sure you have a place to hang wet blankets where they can dry. But, those don’t necessarily need to be in interior space like your leather does - they could have racks that are merely in covered space.

Some of your stuff could stay stored in the trailer, especially stuff that is used mostly when traveling.

[normandy_shores]

[QUOTE=poltroon;7883077]
Tack closets can work really well.

I would say the main thing is making sure you have a place to hang wet blankets where they can dry. But, those don’t necessarily need to be in interior space like your leather does - they could have racks that are merely in covered space.

Some of your stuff could stay stored in the trailer, especially stuff that is used mostly when traveling.[/QUOTE]

Good point about lots of it staying in the trailer. Currently, because my trailer is my daily tack room, I don’t want the extra buckets, etc in there (I use them only for shows).

I have a shed by the paddocks that I store a weeks worth of hay, hang halters and the current blankets, and some work lights in. I’ve been putting the current blanket in there for now.

I suppose I could hang a few blankets along the back wall in the groom shed, they don’t take up a lot of space when you’re only hanging a few…

[Bluey]

Pictures you may enjoy of tack closets:

[Blume_Farm]

This is actually how my trainer’s barn is set up. She does have a tack room but the only thing kept in there are saddles and bridles which you could easily incorporate into a closet. Across from her wash rack there is a wall of closets with sliding doors. Inside are shelves (we each get a shelf) where we keep out helmet, brush box, treats, etc. Then she has another closet where we hand blankets. It is actually very functional and convenient to have the closet right across from the wash rack.

[Bluey]

Another one, in larger stalls, a stall corner as a tack closet, opening into the aisle:

[lorilu]

This came across my fb page last month. cool idea! https://www.facebook.com/DressageHub/photos/a.662716187088214.1073741827.659273890765777/993206907372472/?type=1&theater

[normandy_shores]

[QUOTE=lorilu;7884203]
This came across my fb page last month. cool idea! https://www.facebook.com/DressageHub/photos/a.662716187088214.1073741827.659273890765777/993206907372472/?type=1&theater[/QUOTE]

Oh, I like that idea…

[achcosuva]

[QUOTE=Bluey;7883107]
Pictures you may enjoy of tack closets:[/QUOTE]
I like how the first one has roll up door instead of sliding doors. Sliding doors get off the tracks so easily (or at least, cheap ones do). If you do go with sliding doors, make sure they are very heavy duty and won’t mind a bit of dust or hay in the tracks.

[horsepoor]

If they are going to be the walls to the wash rack (which is how I interpreted the OP), you’d want them to be easy to close and pretty water tight, lest you spray off your tack (with them open). Roll up doors rather than sliders seem like they would be a pain to have to open and close between horses. I’d also be concerned about a horse butt connecting with the doors – I know mine like to put their bums on the wall of the groom stall or wash rack and lean sometimes, or downright sit and rub, and having doors to cabinets rather than a solid wall might be a problem. Unless you did as I have seen in some wash racks and had a heavy pipe or something there to serve as a barrier between horse and the cabinets.

[normandy_shores]

[QUOTE=horsepoor;7884512]
If they are going to be the walls to the wash rack (which is how I interpreted the OP), you’d want them to be easy to close and pretty water tight, lest you spray off your tack (with them open). Roll up doors rather than sliders seem like they would be a pain to have to open and close between horses. I’d also be concerned about a horse butt connecting with the doors – I know mine like to put their bums on the wall of the groom stall or wash rack and lean sometimes, or downright sit and rub, and having doors to cabinets rather than a solid wall might be a problem. Unless you did as I have seen in some wash racks and had a heavy pipe or something there to serve as a barrier between horse and the cabinets.[/QUOTE]

This would be just a grooming bay. The whole building is just going to be a covered grooming area, and a wood shed. Any “wash rack” (quotations because it will be a stand pipe and a hose, maybe some gravel!) will be outside.

I’m thinking big heavier wooden sliding doors. Make sure most of my daily use stuff will be behind one door so I can eliminate the sliding them back and forth to access different stuff as much as possible. Because it will be right there I’m thinking big heavy sturdy doors like a barn door, not a light closet door.

[normandy_shores]

Oh, the plan is also to have the front and back of this groom bay have sliding doors, so in the summer, I can open it up so it’s just a covered like 10 x 10 breezeway.

[horsepoor]

That sounds better - don’t know where I got wash rack – too many tabs open and reading, knowing me:o. Heavy doors sound great, especially if you think of them like a stall door (heavy duty tracks as well as doors). I actually think your idea will be a better use of limited square feet (since you are trying to keep it all under a certain #) than an actual tack room would be.

[LauraKY]

My last boarding barn had tack closets instead of a tack room. It was an eventing barn, so two saddle racks. Just make sure the closets are well ventilated.

[betsyk]

Sounds like a really cool idea, and having all your first aid stuff right there would be great. Your vet and farrier will love a covered space with a smooth floor and a good strong light source.

[Christa_P]

[QUOTE=lorilu;7884203]
This came across my fb page last month. cool idea! https://www.facebook.com/DressageHub/photos/a.662716187088214.1073741827.659273890765777/993206907372472/?type=1&theater[/QUOTE]

Looks nice, but I would hang the bridles on the side walls of the sections and put 2 saddle racks on each side.

[red_mares]

My trainer has a row of closets in his wash rack, in addition to the tack room.

They have ‘normal’ doors on them, not sliders or garage type. The neat thing is that the latch is a 6" 1x2 that rotates on screw below the door. That way you can latch the door with your foot if your hands are full. When the 1x2 is perpendicular to the ground, the doors are locked, when it is parallel to the ground, they open.

I hope that makes sense to someone besides me.

[Guilherme]

All it takes is money!

A wash rack is a wash rack. I’d not try and have any other auxiliary uses, except maybe as a vet/farrier area or secondary grooming area. Certainly it’s not place to story anything but maybe cleaning materials in closed containers.

Never hang a wet blanket in a closet. You won’t like the result.

Are you looking for one, big closet or a series of individual closets?

If one, large closet would curtain closures be better than doors? If you want maximized air flow curtains would be a better choice. They provide some protection against dirt but no security against theft. So you’d have to weigh out the benefits and burdens of doors (and type of door) vs. a curtain of “soft” type of closure.

G.

[normandy_shores]

[QUOTE=red mares;7886633]
My trainer has a row of closets in his wash rack, in addition to the tack room.

They have ‘normal’ doors on them, not sliders or garage type. The neat thing is that the latch is a 6" 1x2 that rotates on screw below the door. That way you can latch the door with your foot if your hands are full. When the 1x2 is perpendicular to the ground, the doors are locked, when it is parallel to the ground, they open.

I hope that makes sense to someone besides me. :)[/QUOTE]

I won’t be able to get away with doors that swing open, vs something that stays flush and flat… not enough space! But I like the foot closure idea!

[normandy_shores]

[QUOTE=Guilherme;7886687]
All it takes is money!

A wash rack is a wash rack. I’d not try and have any other auxiliary uses, except maybe as a vet/farrier area or secondary grooming area. Certainly it’s not place to story anything but maybe cleaning materials in closed containers.

Never hang a wet blanket in a closet. You won’t like the result.

Are you looking for one, big closet or a series of individual closets?

If one, large closet would curtain closures be better than doors? If you want maximized air flow curtains would be a better choice. They provide some protection against dirt but no security against theft. So you’d have to weigh out the benefits and burdens of doors (and type of door) vs. a curtain of “soft” type of closure.

G.[/QUOTE]

Wet blankets get put on a rack in the garage by the wood furnace, they SMELL! Our hope is to insulate this closet so I can keep my tack heated, but that may or may not happen. My blankets that are being used frequently are an open front shed right by my paddocks that stores halters, basic daily use stuff, a frost free hydrant and a weeks worth of square bales.

We don’t have a real “barn”, nor will we ever. People up here have no use for one, and we’d never get our money back out when we sell in a few years. My hope with this building is the covered groom area could also double as covered storage or additional wood storage for future buyers. The closet is the only part that is somewhat specialized and not as easy to change.

My current “wash rack” set up is to tie to a fence by the paddocks and pull out a hose. I have a shallow well right by where this building is going, so will add another hydrant there and do my washing just outside, rather than getting around my paddocks messy!