outdoor crossties?

[Samigator]

Has anyone built/used an outdoor crosstie area? Instead of a hitching post, I am considering building an outdoor cross tie area, like a wash rack, for grooming/tacking, etc. And being outside it would have the ability to be used for washing too. Wondering about pros/cons to this idea as well as specifics on measurements for it. Eventually we would have an indoor cross tie area too, but need to wait until the barn gets finished out (might be a while). would love your suggestions!

this is the general concept, except I’d put 2 side by side, sharing a side rail.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiY35Gx7vXOAhVFNiYKHdVSCaEQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.swancreekstables.net%2Faround_the_barn&psig=AFQjCNE1MFJuNuI7sJN2vi61lDwQJNYQEg&ust=1473083633452279

Sorry for the link thing. can’t figure out how to get it to link properly just to the photo with this stinkin’ Windows 10! :mad:
Thanks!

[SugarCubes]

There is a barn in my area with what you describe. They have a concrete slab behind the barn with 6 bays made out of pipe fencing each with their own crossties. They frequently host shows so it’s convenient for bathing multiple horses at once. The bays are pretty narrow, it’s easier to back the horse into them, I would guess they are 8x10.

One big pro to an outdoor washrack is drainage…you won’t necessarily need to install a drain system especially if you use a gravel base for your washrack.

[clanter]

we have four just off the pat![](o as our daughter had converted the living room of the house into her tack room… farrier is here this morning using the cross ties

worked very well for us when we had horses who need round the clock observation as let them watch TV while confined in the cross ties

[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/clanter/May2008140.jpg)

[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/clanter/May2008181.jpg)

[NoSuchPerson]

I have an outdoor cross-tie set up. If you do build one, I suggest using 6x6 posts rather than 4x4s. I used 4x4s and wish I had used 6x6s instead.

[Samigator]

haha Clanter that’s awesome.

great suggestion for 6x6 posts too NoSuchPerson.

what has everybody liked for width/depth (if you fenced around the sides and backs) and height of the front tie posts?

for the base, it’s already on a slight slope, and we would probably have a gravel/ag lime base installed as well.

[Ambitious_Kate]

Personally I would want pleanty of room to maneuver around the horse, so I would personally go for 12 x 12 at least. I would put in a cement pad, because it would be a nice place also for outdoors for the vet and for the farrier, and I wouldn’t want the horse to step off the side or halfway step off the side, so larger would be better in my estimation. I had an old dog kennel, which, when the kennel was taken down, made a perfect cement slab for outdoor crossties. Loved it.

[digihorse]

12 x 12 is way too big. 8’ is a perfect size for width, and about 10’ for length. Any longer, and you get more options for them to pull back and any wider, and they can get themselves turned around backwards. (yes… have had one do that) And were it me… I wouldn’t do away with straight ties completely. I prefer them to cross ties.

[csaper58]

[QUOTE=digihorse;8829655]
12 x 12 is way too big. 8’ is a perfect size for width, and about 10’ for length. Any longer, and you get more options for them to pull back and any wider, and they can get themselves turned around backwards. (yes… have had one do that) And were it me… I wouldn’t do away with straight ties completely. I prefer them to cross ties.[/QUOTE]

Depends on the size of the horse, for a Draft X or other big horse 8X10 is tiny.

If the cross tie is on a slab, the horse might step off the edge and scrape up a leg.

Here thunder storms blow up quickly, I would want an outdoor cross tie well away from anything attractive to lightning.

[clanter]

[QUOTE=Sa![](igator;8829597]
haha Clanter that’s awesome.

.[/QUOTE]

daughter’s doings… she was 14 headed toward 15 and wanted to earn some money but couldn’t find a job so she started an equestrian camp … wasn’t real hard to find students since we are in the middle of 1.5 million people. She developed the complete program, hired a few friends then had a job

[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/clanter/MVC-003S.jpg)

[mroades]

Whatever you do, make sure your slab or whatever material you choose extends at least two feet beyond the posts you will hang the crossties from, or you will forever have a wet mud hole that the horses much prefer standing while at the same time refusing to cross to enter

[2tempe]

the farm where I board has three outdoor washracks. Slabs are separate, with gravel in between and level to the top of the slab. I would guess the slabs are 6-8 feet wide and more like 12 feet long. Mats on the concrete. They can be entered from both sides and each area has two sets of cross ties so horse can face north or south.

Also the three are separated by wood panels parallel to the length of the slab, so that they have side walls, though they don’t go all the way to the ground. It is on these walls the cross ties are mounted and bathing stuff kept in little bins.

We are in Florida so they are the only wash racks, most boarders tack up inside the barn, except for a couple trailer in people who tack up in the wash area.
https://www.facebook.com/windsongfarmsequestrian/photos/a.212593692146987.52158.209296325810057/876774985728851/?type=3&theater
Hopefully a picture!

[TresGauche]

Love them! Dreamscape Farm up in Langley, BC is right across the street from the Thunderbird Show park. They often will stall some of the overflow from the show. It is so so so nice to have those nice outdoor areas when it was in the 90s a few weeks ago to tack up (I had friends over there) and then cool off rather than inside where it was sweltering.

[Samigator]

thanks everyone! great suggestions. I’m trying to head off some of those “I wish I had done it another way” type things… so your suggestions are all very helpful.

our horses are 14-16hh range, light breeds, so I don’t anticipate needing anything huge. I think 8-10 ft width would probably be sufficient based on what I’ve been seeing.

[Velvet]

Looks like you’re in Minnesota. I would think they’d only be useful part of the year.

[Samigator]

yes, you are correct, Velvet. There would be a few months (or a lot of months depending on what kind of year we have, lol!) where they would not be as useful. But then again, I don’t do that much riding outside at that time of year either.

[WNT]

My last barn had a great little outdoor washrack/cross tie area. It was matted with 4-4’x6’ mats, 8’ wide by 12’ deep. The cross tie posts were 6"x6" and the back posts were 4"x4". It used the barn wall for one side and the other side and back were 2"x6" dropped into slots screwed into the posts (a la race barn breezeway gates). The mats were braced in place with stakes to keep them from shifting. The whole thing was set up on gravel and drained very well away from the barn.

[fordtraktor]

Late to this thread but I have some outdoor Xties/washrack I love. it is 9 feet wide and 12 feet long, but with the posts (6 by 6 all corners and here) you tie from at 10 feet. That way the horse doesn’t move off the mats/out of the Xtie area if it moves around when you are bathing it or something. I have mats on a stone dust base. I planned to concrete it but frankly decided it wasn’t worth it, this has been working great.

Here are a couple pics. I have put mats in since I took these. https://fordtraktor.shutterfly.com/pictures/191

https://fordtraktor.shutterfly.com/pictures/190

it is actually in my dry lot paddock, hence the stall chains there to keep wandering horses out. No one can get pinned in there (I usually have 2 turned out in that field.) But I find the chains really useful for young horses getting used to the wash rack too – they stand better with the chains up. I guess it feels like a real stall without an exit option.

It is made of treated pine but I stained it to be a prettier color. My dad helped me with it and I love the little details, like the liner boards have beveled edges on the end to protect horses. I am not competent enough with a saw to do that but he can build anything!

[CFFarm]

[QUOTE=clanter;8829455]
we have four just off the pat![](o as our daughter had converted the living room of the house into her tack room… farrier is here this morning using the cross ties

worked very well for us when we had horses who need round the clock observation as let them watch TV while confined in the cross ties

[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/clanter/May2008140.jpg)

[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/clanter/May2008181.jpg)[/QUOTE]

Mine are like this although I only have one set up. I have a pole barn (no center aisle) so it had to be outside. I have rubber mats. Love the ones from Wind Song and fordtraktor and if I had many horses or young horses would do a system like this.

I once boarded at a place that had a cement outside wash rack with a drain in the middle. Because it was sloped well and had a drainage pipe it seldom flooded.

[clanter]

[QUOTE=CFFarm;8833084]

I once boarded at a place that had a cement outside wash rack with a drain in the middle. Because it was sloped well and had a drainage pipe it seldom flooded.[/QUOTE]

if you look to the left between the cross ties and the barn in the rear there is a 26 by 26 concrete pad we use to wash the horses on … it is sloped toward the camera… put a French drain along the sloped edge

As note there is no cross ties on the wash rack… horse is told to stand and it does or it will once my daughter finishes working with it.

She had her eventing horse being check by a vet, the horse was ground tied… it started to move one front foot, the horse glanced a my daughter who gave it the evil eye, horse gently put foot back were it belonged… vet was very impressed

[Samigator]

wow fordtraktor- that is gorgeous!! do you like the “solid walls” on it? I was thinking just a board or two like a fence to provide a boundary, but this is really a lovely set up. thank you for sharing your photos and measurements!! much appreciated!