ArabDiva and KrazyTBMare what did you use for the wire mesh on the stall fronts? That actually looks like a REALLY great idea. Clean, simple, pretty :D. Just my style.
These are ours. http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0da06b3127ccef9a3b9ac944900000030O01Aas3DRq4asQe3nwQ/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/ I LOVE them for my house, but wouldn’t have them in a boarding barn where horses were cross-tied in the aisle, next to each other, etc. They work for me, but I have a 21 yr. old man, and a pony. The pony is finally starting to get more comfortable (taller) to see over the walls. I want to say they’re 4 1/2 feet tall. I wanted to personally be able to see over and I’m 5’ tall. 
One thing I didn’t take into account was the bedding though. Summer is fine, but I’ve been bedding deeper this winter and it’s packing so the 4 1/2’ has turned into closer to 3 1/2’ I’m still not worried about them because they have dutch doors that open to paddocks, so they’re really not accomplishing anything by jumping over the wall.
Very handsome 1/2 doors dmalbone. Did you build those yourself?
[QUOTE=ridingarts;5289909]
Very handsome 1/2 doors dmalbone. Did you build those yourself?[/QUOTE]
Thank you! Yes, I did. Technically DH and I built the first one, then I built the second one myself. I always brag that it was the first time I’d ever used a saw! :lol:
One note – after having the open fronts for so long, I actually don’t like my new barn which has grills in the front and solid partitions. I thought I would, but I don’t – the horses don’t settle well in the stalls when left in. They can’t see each other and feel lonely even when I leave a buddy in with them. It’s good for horses to be able to see each other, whatever type of stall you design.
It’s really annoying to leave two in the barn for shoes or something and have them yelling their heads off and pacing the stalls because they can’t see each other. I have one socialite that will rear up and look over the tops of the stalls next door to see what his neighbor is doing – and they are at least 8 feet high. THAT’s safe. Ugh, I’ll take the open fronts any day. Silly horses.
Well the front part is existing “livestock fence” or whatever it is called. Its a thick gauge wire (you cannot bend it by hand) that is welded. Like the wire on the panel gates. This was on the stalls when I moved here. In between my stalls is actually left over welded wire fence (I got fence for “pets” which has 1"x1" squares instead of 1"x2" squares in the no climb).
Kind of like this…
https://www.fencingdeals.com/images/cattle_panel_sm.jpg
Its like a 12 or 10 gauge wire. I think its called hog panel fence or cattle panel. It does NOT come wrapped but in flat panels as again, it cannot be bent.
[QUOTE=fordtraktor;5290048]
One note – after having the open fronts for so long, I actually don’t like my new barn which has grills in the front and solid partitions. I thought I would, but I don’t – the horses don’t settle well in the stalls when left in. They can’t see each other and feel lonely even when I leave a buddy in with them. It’s good for horses to be able to see each other, whatever type of stall you design.
It’s really annoying to leave two in the barn for shoes or something and have them yelling their heads off and pacing the stalls because they can’t see each other. I have one socialite that will rear up and look over the tops of the stalls next door to see what his neighbor is doing – and they are at least 8 feet high. THAT’s safe. Ugh, I’ll take the open fronts any day. Silly horses.[/QUOTE]
EXACTLY. I can never go back to closed stalls and neither can my horses.
We went with open front stalls in our small barn (24’ x 32’). They are probably almost 5’ tall.
We only have 2 horses (one a 13.2h pony), and they get along very well, so I don’t really have to worry about them fighting (their stall doors are right next to each other, so they can sniff faces). I think the setup works well for them, as they love people and love to stick their heads out to socialize. The ponies stall is the one by the cross ties, so no problem there with her biting him since she can’t reach her head totally over the wall. I really am happy with the open fronts.
During construction…
The only concern one should consider when doing stall fronts (or any wall) with space between the boards is the risk of a horse getting a foot in there. That can’t be a pretty situation.
I’ve only known one horse who jumped out of a stall… after he punched the solid steel grill out first. o_0 He’s a stallion and one of the resident trampy mares got herself out one night and paid him a vist. The wall is atleast 4’, probably 4’6.
So, to be fair, I’ve learned that some horses cannot be stopped by grills. But make sure they’re strong grills. That livestock fencing does not look like it would hold a very upset, large enough horse for very long. But, if you’re just keeping your own guys, who you know well, it may be just fine.
[QUOTE=Sundance_Solo;5289840]
ArabDiva and KrazyTBMare what did you use for the wire mesh on the stall fronts? That actually looks like a REALLY great idea. Clean, simple, pretty :D. Just my style.[/QUOTE]
It is this stuff:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/fencing/feedlot-panels/utility-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft--3610480
I’ve heard it called hog panel or cattle panel. You need a bolt cutters to cut it down to size. I used wire hammer-in staples to tack it to the posts, and then put more boards over top so that it is sandwiched. I’ve been really happy with it!
[QUOTE=ArabDiva;5290808]
It is this stuff:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/fencing/feedlot-panels/utility-panel-5-ft-x-16-ft--3610480
I’ve heard it called hog panel or cattle panel. You need a bolt cutters to cut it down to size. I used wire hammer-in staples to tack it to the posts, and then put more boards over top so that it is sandwiched. I’ve been really happy with it![/QUOTE]
Yup! Thats it! And that is how this stuff is on, with those hammer in staples.
We have an old barn that we have been rehabbing since we bought our place 2 years ago. So far, we have rebuilt 4 of the 10 stall fronts. We have 5’ half walls on all of them and we installed dutch doors. Our intention was to put some sort of grill on the fronts but we haven’t gotten that far yet!
We have a 16’ aisle and haven’t had any issues with horses reaching out to bite humans or other horses but we did have a horse with separation anxiety issues that jumped out of the stall. Twice. We installed a mesh fencing on her stall to back her off and it worked for her. We’ll replace it when we’re ready to do the entire barn.
Overall, the horses seem to enjoy the ability to hang their heads into the aisle to check out what is going on and I love being able to chuck hay flakes over the walls!
Here are a couple of pics of our stall fronts.
We made our portable stalls as what is called “fairground stalls”, with horizontal bars, not vertical grills, so we can feed right thru the bars, a horse that gets a leg thru can pull it back and they can’t get their heads thru.
There is plenty of ventilation also:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a298/Robintoo/Horses2-20-071650.jpg?t=1292778048
I would warn that around the mid 1970’s, when those cattle and pig welded panels first came to market, many horse operations around here used them, but eventually all quit, as those wires are very easy to bend, dislodge and the ends are very dangerous for horses.
A breeding farm had them for three years and finally their vets told them to change the fencing, they did and didn’t have not one injury again for several years, when before they had some all the time from that wire.
We used it in some cattle pens and that stuff is just not strong enough and being so stiff, when it bends or breaks loose, it is stiff and dangerous for all.
We have replaced all but one 100’ stretch in the cattle pens, where nothing crowds and so is still ok.
If you use that around horses, be very, very sure to double the wood on the ends, so they are not exposed anywhere, or if welding, don’t weld the ends, but try to have the ends sandwiched between metal.
As long as that welded wire panel is not bent and the ends are covered, it is ok.
If it ever comes loose, take it down immediately, before someone gets hurt on it.
I think that regular mesh woven wire, the small kind that bends easily and is wrapped, not welded to each other, safer, if you are going to use wire around horses.
One local vet has one barn where all the stalls in it are made out of 6’ heavy duty chain link panels, the fronts of the stalls all one big, long gate.
In many year, he has never had an injury there, even with trashing horses.
I would love (!) to have the half wall stalls----I DID insist on half wall solid and grilled top half, both on the inside walls and on the exterior front…for horses to settle and view each other . But, I need the grill tops. my ‘fronts’ have both: a swing feeder door that can open, as well as a dutch door top (that has grills in it if closed) that can open.
So, I CAN open the fronts up very well ----but when I leave the barn, and no one is ‘there’…I can close them up and rest assured no one is going to panic and ‘pop over’. I have a ‘stressful’ boy, who, if we are EVER (!) on showgrounds with half doors, I have to jerry rig a stall guard/etc…across the top to be able to leave him and head to the hotel/wherever to sleep at night! While not all horses are like that (!) what he taught me, is: plan for that security, but with the ‘open it up’ availability when wanted, and you won’t be sorry.
[IMG]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y56/spacytracy05/P1180477.jpg)
I have never had any problems but I also have docile horses - one’s a mini. My other pony likes to pull his halter off and throw it on the floor, but other than that, he is fine.
One friend built his portable stalls out of 12’ by 6’ solid precast concrete sides, the front are standard 12’ pipe gates.
It is easy to feed right thru those gates or over them or hang buckets or hay feeders off them, or open the gate into the inside, against the wall and have the whole front open to strip the stall out with a bobcat.
He can lift one wall between stalls with the tractor and make a 12’x 24’ stall out of any of them.
Works great for him and his horses, has not had not one horse hurt there, horses seem to like his barn very well, are happy and relaxed in there.
There are all kinds of barns out there, are they.
Thanks everyone for the input.
I don’t think I’m going to go with the half walls without grills. I plan to board other peoples’ horses and I can understand why a future boarder may not be interested in a place they felt wasn’t as safe. I don’t see a real risk of either of my horses jumping over half walls, even if they were only 3’6" or something, but obivously some boarders would see it as a huge risk. It would also be inconvenient if I ever did decide to board a horse that was agressive or I needed to keep a horse by itself for whatever reason.
Thanks everyone so much for your pictures and advice! Everyone has beautiful barns and I’m very jealous!
[QUOTE=Sundance_Solo;5294305]
Thanks everyone for the input.
I don’t think I’m going to go with the half walls without grills. I plan to board other peoples’ horses and I can understand why a future boarder may not be interested in a place they felt wasn’t as safe. I don’t see a real risk of either of my horses jumping over half walls, even if they were only 3’6" or something, but obivously some boarders would see it as a huge risk. It would also be inconvenient if I ever did decide to board a horse that was agressive or I needed to keep a horse by itself for whatever reason.
Thanks everyone so much for your pictures and advice! Everyone has beautiful barns and I’m very jealous![/QUOTE]You can also do the grills, but leave the doors as half doors. I think when there’s less of an expanse that’s open, they’re not as likely to see it as an invitation to sail over! They even have sliders with drop down grills on the stalls. I would not want to board my horse in a “grilled up box” now that I have half walls! Just my input though… do what’s best for you!
I don’t like half stalls…as horses can jump out…there was a horse in a neighbouring town whos horse(stallion) tried to jump out and ended up straddling the door for the entire night and ended up terribly swollen…no body was sure if he would recover to breed again…but he did.
My mare was being teased and was behind a wall…it was shaped like a “T” …mare on one side stallion on the other and me holding my mare at the top of the “T”…well my mare got scared and leapt over a 5’ wall and ended up getting her back end hung up…we had to call for emergency help and two men ended up pushing the wall down as she hung from it…she walked away with only a bit of bruising…but boy was that scarey.
I want to know my horses are safely behind a stall wall/door.
Dalemma
I have half-walls on the fronts at 4 1/2 foot tall, and the stall doors are the same, in my barn. Horses do like to put their heads out. Yes, they do sometimes get into snits with each other around the corners. We try to not put enemies next to each other. We cannot use blanket bars on the fronts of the stalls because the horses will take the blankets off. If they can reach the horse on the x-ties they will try biting; if they can’t they will play with the x-ties and annoy the horse tied there. It is easier feeding and watering, though. I only once in many years and dozens and dozens of horses had one try to jump out…we wound up grilling that stall. I would prefer to have all the stalls grilled, with a dutch door type grill over the stall door so that I could leave it open if I chose…but what I have has worked fine for many years.
