Grooming Stall? What would you want in yours?

Re: lighting…I looked at fancy lighting and did use larger, pricey fixtures in my indoor, but ended up putting in traditional ceramic single bulb holders in the barn part and buying 10,000 L indoor/outdoor bulbs for them. Super light, but they were like $35/bulb and are easily replaceable if broken. One would be plenty for a grooming stall.

You want good light, but also not to blind yourself so keep that in mind. I think 4 bright lights in that size space would trigger my migraines!

I just converted my work shop to 4 foot LED bulbs from fluorescents and I like the 4000k daylight option. The blindingly bright white 6000k LEDs I find really unpleasant. A light each side of the horse angled on the sidewall a bit would probably do the trick. I like the plastic tube LEDs since there is no worry about glass breaking. A number of fixtures these days seem to have a non replaceable integrated led bulb, so plug and play and no lens to come loose. That seems like a wasteful design to me but apparently the manufacturers expect high hours from the fixtures.

Whatever lights you use, if you can avoid hanging them directly over the horse and pointing straight down you will greatly reduce the shadows. I love the knee level lights in some grooming bays but that might be difficult to duplicate without rewiring.

I would like cabinets with sliding doors or no doors instead of shelving that sits on the floor. I drive myself nuts trying to sweep around shelving and I like the idea of keeping things more dust-free and off of the ground.

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When we converted one of our stalls to a grooming stall we added concrete flooring with a drain, bright LED lights that hang on either side of the horse to brighten up the whole stall, and the best part: A solarium.

I will admit I don’t use my grooming stall, and prefer center aisle cross ties, in the summer because I get a nice breeze through the middle of my barn. But one thing I’ve thought about adding is a fan for those really hot days.

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:roll_eyes:Allow me to introduce my TWH Herd Boss.
Stalls have half-height grilles on the front & between, so he can see out, but head stays in.
My “training” consists of giving him his hay first if he doesn’t bang.
If he “rings” he gets his last.
He’s😣 a smart horse.
Former owners fed from mangers, I have pans on the floor for grain.
He taught himself to grab the lip of a near-empty pan & shake it to roll remaining grain to the center.
He will pick up an empty pan to show me All Gone :smirk:

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It is very rare that anyone complains about there being too much light. Set your lighting up so you can just switch on the most basic level of lighting for every day stuff and if you need more light (vet, farrier) you can turn on additional lighting.

Make sure you have electrical outlets so that you can plug in your clippers (or the vet can) or anything else you might want to use there.

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I literally LONG FOR my old barn’s heat lamps in the grooming stalls. Also love a big industrial floor fan that you can move around. Gets the air moving through the aisle on still/stuffy days, and it’s nice to hose off a horse (and yourself) on a hot day and then hang out and dry in front of the fan.

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So after much deliberation hubby doesn’t want to turn the stall space into a grooming stall. He thinks I’ll eventually want to add another horse.

So we are closing in a section in the shed row barn for grooming. It’s only me so no worries about horses getting by in the aisle way. Just not sure the best way to add cross ties.

I pre-ordered these items already:

To hold boots, sprays, etc
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Style-Selections-18-7-in-W-x-25-79-in-H-4-Tier-Door-Wall-Mount-Metal-Cabinet-Door-Mounting-Kit/4136412

Rolling cart for grooming boxes and whatever.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-32-in-Shelf-Utility-Cart/5002141779

Ordered a dozen more of the rubber hooks. Now just need to add a folding saddle rack. The radiant heating looks amazing but will have to wait till everything is rewired this April.

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@fordtraktor where do you get the gray hooks?

I put two levels of lighting in, one is a low level for night checks, the other rivals the Sun

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I couldn’t find grey so went with purple.
https://kelleyandcompany.com/item.php?sku=41665&d=1

I’d love to see photos too. :slight_smile: wont ever have a ‘grooming stall’, but still love seeing all the ideas. One thing I shared a long time ago was I had a collection of the antique door knobs, (need to add some new) and realized how great they were for ‘hooks’ --fun collection and attractive and nothing to snag or hurt on a walkby. Its a quirky fun part in my aisleway/tiny barn.

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Random but Horseloverz has a batch of 50 black flex hooks on a screaming clearance sale.

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Not anymore. Not that I needed 50 hooks for anything :roll_eyes: but had to check out that wonder deal. Hope a COTHer got 'em.

I have those plastic cabinets in my wash stall. THree of them, and a big old enamel sink and drainboard I found at a resale shop. I had the base made (it’s simple, just legs no cabinet). The cabinet tops and the sink drainboard are SO handy!!

Nice!