high yoke stall fronts vs. the "gauntlet" aisle -- updated!

[Simkie]

@Feathered_Feet

If by “high-yoke doors” you mean those that are high enough that a horse can only peek his head over and not his neck, definitely go for those.

I had this set up in my Minnesota barn–stall gates with small yoke set high enough that horses could just get their head over–and it really didn’t work for my horses. They were just constantly knocking themselves pulling their heads back in, and had to kind of reach to get their heads over. Maybe they were hung just too high, but everyone took a huge sigh of relief when I rehung the gates about a foot lower and they could stand there with their head and neck out over the gate. They were still higher than the base of the neck–the large C&P gates, so figure that top bar is about 64" off the floor (not including the yoke)–horses still had a LOT more access than before.

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[S1969]

@Bluey

If stalls have openings to a run, aisle doors should not need windows into the aisle.
With such a super narrow aisle especially, I would not go there at all.

It’s not for the horses, it’s for the people. Don’t you want to be able to look in from the aisle to see if the horse is done eating, needs water, cast in the stall? If you have to go outside to see what the horses are doing it is inefficient and you might miss important issues.

[BeeHoney]

Definitely full length doors, either full screen or half screen/bars with the bottom part solid. No yokes or dutch doors. IME, some boarders love the idea of their horse being able to look out into the aisle. However, horses that can look out into the aisle can threaten/harass or bite passersby, they also can grab at things within reach such as blankets or rake their teeth against the stall front. Heads hanging out into the aisle encourages boarders or visitors to handle and feed treats to other people’s horses (which in plenty of cases might not be appropriate). If you board, you really can’t predict the behavior of the horses that may come to you to board, and many clients are unrealistic about their horse’s manners. You never know when you will get a horse in that has nippy moments or that gets rude around feeding time. Also, many horses do NOT like interacting with other horses that they don’t know. Your aisle will be a much more peaceful place for the horses if they don’t feel like they need to keep an eye on other horses that are looking at them.

I also know of a couple of drastic situations where horses stalled with yoke doors (including in one instance a very heavy duty yoke door on a sliding track) were able to put their heads through the yoke and exert enough force on the door with their shoulders to remove the doors. A full length door is the safest and most practical option.

Nothing wrong with putting in 1-2 oversized stalls that you either can charge extra for or use for a mare/foal or a layup. I would not use larger stalls for everyday use without charging extra. IME larger stalls use up a LOT more bedding and are a more work to clean, unless you have a rare corner pooper.

[frisky]

I will vote for the yoke- horses having access to hang their head out. The one qualifier is that there is the option to have a full door if needed. I boarded in barns with this set up for years in large barns without problems and horses were happy. My favorite was when horses had yokes in the aisle, small barred windows to their neighbor and then runs off the stall. It made an amazing difference in the mental health of everyone.

[S1969]

@Bluey

Not sure how that reads?
I don’t think anyone is saying to have completely enclosed stall fronts so no one can see into them?

All some are pointing out is that having an opening thru the bars or mesh or whatever you have that permits you to see the horses, so a horse can also stick out in the aisle, especially narrow aisles, is asking for a horse to be in the way when walking by or walking a horse by.

Anyway, here is another internet picture with those higher yokes some are talking about, I think:

I think this is just out of context then. Two posts before yours were two others asking whether the “solid door” had grill tops or windows.

[COLOR=#252C2F] [COLOR=#252C2F][I] [COLOR=#252C2F] [COLOR=#252C2F]Originally posted by 2DogsFarm View Post
I am assumng your full doors will have at least half-length grilles?

[/I][/COLOR]
[/COLOR]
This - I can’t imagine solid doors with no window/grill facing the aisle, even with Dutch doors on the other side. I have both (solid bottom/grill top) and Dutch doors and I like them a lot.[/COLOR]
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And then you responded

Originally posted by Bluey View Post

If stalls have openings to a run, aisle doors should not need windows into the aisle.

[HR][/HR]

I took your meaning to be in response to grills or windows facing the aisle.

[Bluey]

@S1969

I think this is just out of context then. Two posts before yours were two others asking whether the “solid door” had grill tops or windows.

And then you responded

[HR][/HR]

I took your meaning to be in response to grills or windows facing the aisle.

“Windows” in the context we are talking here.
Those openings that drop down or out of the way or just plain without a way to close them.
Hope that makes more sense.

Our old race horse training barn, as so many then, had completely enclosed stalls, the only door the dutch door.
Horses were shut in there at night, the top door opened in the morning and stayed open all day, so they did stick way out if they wanted.
If one was bothering anyone going by, we had expanded mesh screens we put on the top part, that stayed open so we could see in there.
Night watchman had to open top door to see horse was ok, bothering horses that were napping.
Terrible barn design, stalls too small and closed in, was a real fire trap too.
Glad the termites ate it clear to the rafters and we finally tore it down.

We have come a long way in how we design barns, thankfully.

[fordtraktor]

Thanks everyone! No matter what the doors and front and some sides of stalls will have bars or mesh. Not solid wood all the way up! I like all the opinions, this is so helpful. I am just finalizing the outer structure now, so have a little time to shop for the interior stalls. I am leaning toward solid doors with a high yoke removable insert for those who want it and behave, and every other stall side solid v bars so they can see a neighbor but also have one private corner to eat. Then I will have a lot of options.

On my other barn I have grids I can add to the Dutch doors for potential jumpers. I have been very thankful for that when I have a new horse! They can get air without scaring me! Haha. I custom ordered them from C&P, highly recommend. So sturdy!

[SonnysMom]

They are gorgeous.

[Manni01]

@fordtraktor

Update: so despite your terrific advice and my own reservations which mostly went against yokes, I found a terrific deal on 5 lovely Euro-style stall fronts with yokes and purchased them. I think they will be gorgeous and I couldn’t pass them up. But I have already warned my waiting list that any horses that aren’t well-behaved with them will live in the old barn with full doors! I will have crossties in the stalls and also a grooming/wash stall for tacking so I don’t anticipate horses crosstying in the aisle at all with these.

They won’t be going in for a few months but I’ll attach a pic of the stalls in another barn. I’m excited as these are way fancier than I thought I’d be able to afford!

Glad you got that deal!! So much nicer for the horses!! They are gorgeous!!!

[Bluey]

@fordtraktor

Update: so despite your terrific advice and my own reservations which mostly went against yokes, I found a terrific deal on 5 lovely Euro-style stall fronts with yokes and purchased them. I think they will be gorgeous and I couldn’t pass them up. But I have already warned my waiting list that any horses that aren’t well-behaved with them will live in the old barn with full doors! I will have crossties in the stalls and also a grooming/wash stall for tacking so I don’t anticipate horses crosstying in the aisle at all with these.

They won’t be going in for a few months but I’ll attach a pic of the stalls in another barn. I’m excited as these are way fancier than I thought I’d be able to afford!

How wonderful is that!

You will love them, take many pictures.
The horses look so nice in there.

[fordtraktor]

Thanks all! I am picking them up tomorrow. Can’t wait to get everything in place! If anyone else is looking for stalls, PM me. I don’t want to make it public but there are more available I think.

[Ainsley688]

@mmeqcenter those arc fronts are what I’m hoping to put in my barn this summer! I LOVE them! I got all the info for the ones fordtraktor posted, but everybody else didn’t love the high yokes, so we didn’t chose those.

[Ainsley688]

@fordtraktor PS you better take pics of your stalls when you get them set up! I can’t wait until I get mine all decided on!

[pony_baloney]

@mmeqcenter

I LOVE the Euro stall fronts, lucky you getting a good deal! I’m more partial to these myself, but yours are a close second!

I boarded at a barn that had the entire front in a metal mesh with a sliding door (no opening for head). They were great; lots of ventilation and you can see into the entire stall. The ones I mean are in the middle picture on top:

http://www.toyboxfarm.com/gallery-barns/

[mmeqcenter]

@pony baloney

I boarded at a barn that had the entire front in a metal mesh with a sliding door (no opening for head). They were great; lots of ventilation and you can see into the entire stall. The ones I mean are in the middle picture on top:

http://www.toyboxfarm.com/gallery-barns/

To each their own; I’ve never liked those all-mesh solid fronts myself. I like swinging doors, yokes and “Euro” styles, and aesthetically I like the look of the bars on top with mesh on the bottom.

[Bluey]

@mmeqcenter

To each their own; I’ve never liked those all-mesh solid fronts myself. I like swinging doors, yokes and “Euro” styles, and aesthetically I like the look of the bars on top with mesh on the bottom.

I like the screen fronts, but they need to have a solid bottom at least 12", up to 24", to keep bedding in.
When horses move around or lay down or get up, they kick bedding against the sides and with those fronts, right into the aisle.

We have such strong winds and open doors at the back of the stalls, those let the wind blow bedding all over, so need the standard solid 4’ fronts.

We do prefer hinged doors as you mention.
Sliding doors are good for narrower aisled, but ergonomically bad for your arm and shoulder.
If you have to slide them many times a day and they are not kept in perfect easy to move condition, which most are not, it can give you back or shoulder pains .
If you have to fight with them, as short people do that the handles fit at chest or chin level, swinging doors are better, if the aisle is wide enough for that.

Then, when it comes to looks, if it pleases the one that owns the barn, the rest of us have noting to say, it is her barn to make those decisions.

I will say, those European style stall fronts are very classy looking.
Maybe not for a training stable with all kinds of horses.
Some that may try to jump out, some that may want to “reach out and touch someone”, some that may reach whatever is in reach and chew it up.

It would have been hard to pass a good deal on those stall fronts, they are magnificent.
Any disadvantages, well, they can be managed.