I brought the horses home! Yay! My stalls are beautiful! Yay! My idiot horse WON’T GO IN THEM because he can’t see non idiot horse 
I need some way to add a window between 2 of my solid stalls. It doesn’t need to be a huge window, just something so idiot horse can see non idiot horse. Ideally something that will not require dismantling of the stalls I just paid $$$ to have constructed but something where someone can cut a little hole and pop in a grill. Simple is better than complicated-- just something so the horses can see each other and touch noses. sigh
Oh, the joys of idiot horses. Fun, huh?
What are you working with? Metal, wood? Prefab, built in place?
Not sure if it will apply in your situation, but we bought cattle (or goat?) panels at Tractor Supply and cut them down to fit in window space between stalls. They are plenty strong enough and small enough squares there is no risk of feet getting stuck if someone kicks up their heels in their stall. Cheap and easy.
Classic equine stalls with metal frames and solid wood partitions. I’ll try to get a photo tomorrow. They were pre-built, taken down from another barn, and re-assembled in my barn.
Yep, we had to do the same, solid metal wall between stalls, one new horse would not go in there, stood out in the run, so he could see the horses on the other side of the wall.
What do you have between stalls, wood planks?
If so, maybe you could cut some and add a grill out of that 2" square welded wire mesh, or take the top 3’ off and order a whole length grill for that space?
There was a study in France where horses stabled without anything over 4 1/2’, where they could rub noses and scratch each other, were the happiest from all, compared with those with solid divisions and partial divisions.
Could be something you may consider?
Here are some pictures with ideas for openings between stalls, first two are just a small window type opening, others wire mesh or horizontal bars:
Can you just take out a few of the top boards (to horse eye level) and then replace them but put short spacers in between so there’s a gap between each board from say 5ft up? Essentially make the top 1/3 of the wall a slatted wall.
Would that work?
Do the boards run horizontally or vertically?
If vertical, could you just remove 2 or 3 all together?
I once had a custom framed partition created by a welder. Using the (metal rods like used in the foundation of pour concrete) inexpensive, strong & available @ menards or home depot. The rods were welded in a row on a strip of metal (one on top/one on bottum) that was then bolted to the stall boards.
OR
A friend of mine removed her top boards & created a her partition by using skinny (1 -2 inch round) PVC pipes. I was skeptical but it worked for her 35 stall barn full of boarded horses. They removed stall boards to a four foot level. The remaining top board had holes drilled to the size of pipes used, holes placed every (3-4inches). They took one of the boards that had originally been pulled out of wall, drilled the same hole configurations & put that board on top of the wall fitting all the pipes into the drilled holes. Hardly any pipes ever broke, plus never needed painting 
I hope I described this well.
I’ve also seen lots of people used those galvanized metal panels w/ square welded mesh wires. I think its original use is for fencing of farm animals. Its not chicken wire as its heavy duty. Strong enough for cows or horses. I’ve seen it used in commercial stalls, but also sold in individual panels @ feed/tractor/farm stores.
I like the slotted wall style mentioned by SAJE. I had that in my stall before. It also creates for some airflow if done from 2 feet up.
[QUOTE=saje;7887992]
Can you just take out a few of the top boards (to horse eye level) and then replace them but put short spacers in between so there’s a gap between each board from say 5ft up? Essentially make the top 1/3 of the wall a slatted wall.
Would that work?[/QUOTE]
This would be my suggestion too.
Framing in a window will be a hassle. Just give your horse the ability to see thru a few small gaps like Saje described.
[QUOTE=Simkie;7888013]
Do the boards run horizontally or vertically?
If vertical, could you just remove 2 or 3 all together?[/QUOTE]
If horizontal, that would work…
I would have never thought of some of your ideas. Here are the photos…
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/vxf111/media/Fox%20Chapel%20Farm/photo1-3.jpg.html
Stalls
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/vxf111/media/Fox%20Chapel%20Farm/photo12-1.jpg.html
That is idiot horse in the stall. He will run in, snatch a bite of food, and then run out to see non-idiot horse in HIS stall
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/vxf111/media/Fox%20Chapel%20Farm/photo5-2.jpg.html
Idiot horse checking non idiot horse
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/vxf111/media/Fox%20Chapel%20Farm/photo3-5.jpg.html
Partition wall close up
Of the suggested options, what would be easiest? I wasn’t the one who installed this, can I personally lift up the slats and put spacers in? I wonder if spacers would be enough for idiot horse. Idiot horse is really slow. He might not realize he can see his brother through a little space, he might need full frontal to recognize what he’s seeing.
What sort of power tools do you have on hand?
You should be able to lift up a single board, yes
Those are beautiful stalls!
[QUOTE=Simkie;7888918]
What sort of power tools do you have on hand?
You should be able to lift up a single board, yes
Those are beautiful stalls![/QUOTE]
WHICH IS WHY I AM WONDERING IF I SHOULD PUT A HOLE IN IDIOT HORSE RATHER THAN THE STALLS
Thank you.
This is not a “me doing it” job. This is a “can the local handyman not horse guy but knows his way around tools and wood” do it job. So I want to make it easy enough for him but still look good and work. I am worried that just creating space will not reassure Shane sufficiently that yes, his pony is STILL IN THERE.
That is a beautiful stall wall, sad to have to cut into that, but it is what it is.
Yes, a handy man could easily, between those metal strips, hopefully there is another one on the other side, cut the boards above where you want, 4’ to 4 1/2’ or so and add a grill you can have custom made, out of whatever you want, bars to match the fronts probably would look best.
I wonder, how long has he been at this?
May he eventually settle?
Is that extra exercise hurting the watch-pot horse any?
If not, let him have at it, unless you are seeing some OCD tendency taking hold there, conductive eventually to stall or fence walking, something you don’t want.
We did remodel our partition because, with new horses, several did that and we didn’t want that to be a problem.
I expect ours would have quit once familiar with their new place.
How long has it been? I’m wondering if the tincture of time will cure this ill – he’ll calm down and get over it. Would just using a stall guard on the front door that would allow Idiot to put his head over and look through stall bars to the next door neighbor work? Or will Idiot just kill himself on that (that would be one of mine!)?
Those stalls are lovely, and congratulations on getting them home! I can understand both sides of your dilemma - not wanting to mess up the beautiful stalls but wanting horse to be happy. Welcome to horsekeeping at home!
Shane had WNV, was neurological, and has never been the same since. He’s probably, all joking aside, had a little brain damage. He does not react well to change. He is also madly herbound to Stoney.
They’ve been home since Sunday. If it was ANY other horse, I’d say “give it time” but he did this at my friend’s farmette where he lived for 5+ years. One day he just decided he could NOT be in a stall if he couldn’t see Stoney and he tried to tear the stall apart to get at Stoney. My friend switched Stoney to a different stall that had a grill between the partitions and then Shane was fine. I think this is one of Shane’s many quirks that I just have to accept. I was hoping the addition of dutch doors so he could stick his head out would make the difference at my place. Guess not.
Stoney doesn’t care. He’s like “yawn, Shane’s flipping out again-- whatever.” And goes back to eating.
I am afraid of what he would do to himself/the stall if I tried keeping him in sans Stoney-vision… and at some point I have to be able to shut these horses in! I also think he’d go right through a stall guard 
You might try a mirror. We had an exceptional idiot horse that went totally nuts when you took his neighbor out of the stall. Mirror did the trick! He’d run over and stare at it when his friend left. We got the Plexiglas kind at Home Depot.
That wall could easily have spaces between the boards added to it. In the end tracks it looks like only every few boards is actually attached, the center stabilizer has attachments at every board.
It might be easiest to invite your handyman person over and ask them for input on what they think will work best and be the easiest.
[QUOTE=vxf111;7888924]
This is not a “me doing it” job. This is a “can the local handyman not horse guy but knows his way around tools and wood” do it job. So I want to make it easy enough for him but still look good and work. I am worried that just creating space will not reassure Shane sufficiently that yes, his pony is STILL IN THERE.[/QUOTE]
Oh, totally. A handyman could knock this out in a couple hours, max. Hell, I don’t know nothin about nothin and I could get it done in an afternoon.
Just come up with a size/shape you want and if you want bars or not and call up your favorite Guy With Tools.
Or install CCTV for your horse? :lol:
I just did this in my two barns for my scaredy cat horse. He also had dutch doors on the front but that wasn’t enough cause he hadn’t been stalled for several years and now despises stalls.
A good handyman can cut out a good size window and insert cattle panel and trim over the sharp edges. Voila, happy horse.
