Wash & Grooming Stalls

[clanter]

@iJump

I’m about 10 years late building my own place so it’s getting all the bells and whistles. Trying to avoid all the problems that create more upkeep in the future… heat solves a lot of the problems. And materials and coverings that allow yearly pressure washing!

how are you ventilating the heated barn? … a big problem with heating a livestock barn may increase respiratory diseases because of high ammonia content and bacterial growth in stalls

“Closing up a barn to maintain heat may increase respiratory diseases because of high ammonia content and bacterial growth in stalls,” said Dave Freeman, PhD, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension equine specialist.

Closed barns usually have increased humidity. High humidity combined with warm temperature can cause enough nitrogen smell or bacteria growth to irritate the horse’s respiratory system. These frequently result in chronic minor respiratory problems that interfere with animal performance.

https://thehorse.com/120535/heated-barns-and-horses-special-considerations-needed/

[iJump]

@clanter

how are you ventilating the heated barn? … a big problem with heating a livestock barn may increase respiratory diseases because of high ammonia content and bacterial growth in stalls

I think I’m going to do in floor heating. I’ve been in one heated this way and they were able to leave windows open a crack also.

I think stalls that are well bedded, and cleaned more than once per day pose less threat of emitting so much ammonia.

[sascha]

My horse’s current residence has 2 side by side grooming stalls with a half wall between them that is handy for putting stuff on while working in them. The next stall over is the wash stall. There is a full wall between the grooming stalls and the wash stall. Tack rooms are across from the grooming and wash stalls. All 3 areas have windows which are a blessing in the summer. The heater, not a solarium, sadly, is in the grooming stalls. The on demand water heater lives on the wall in the tack room directly across from the wash stall and piped in overhead and through the concrete block wall between the wash stall and adjacent grooming stall.

This entire area is perpendicular to the horse stalls and it’s marvellous. Horses quickly become very comfortable hanging out in the “spa” zone. It’s solid and comfortable like their stalls and the heck away from regular barn activity.

Construction is concrete block so no worries about any leakage. Do remember to place your crossties far enough back to keep those that “need” to be on them are kept within the stall and not standing halfway into the aisle. The rude, halfway into the aisle horses cause a little oversplash into the hallway when given a vigorous full bath. No biggie, but if it were my barn, there would be new anchors for the crossties placed farther back and the old anchors permanently removed. Caveat - boarding barn so not all horses are necessarily as well-mannered as others. The well-mannered ones who stand where you put them don’t cause any oversplash.

Personally I am not fussy about drain location, but prefer back of the wash stall if there’s a choice.

Electrical outlets either side in the half wall between the grooming stalls are lovely for vacuuming or clipping.

[mvp]

@iJump

I’m about 10 years late building my own place so it’s getting all the bells and whistles. Trying to avoid all the problems that create more upkeep in the future… heat solves a lot of the problems. And materials and coverings that allow yearly pressure washing!

Me, too, OP. I got you. I’m building stuff like what you want. If you PM me an email addy, I’ll send you lots of pictures and some drawings.

The highlights:

Wash stall will be 10’ wide, and 12’ deep with tie rings set 2’ back so that water doesn’t get into the aisle.

Groom stall will be 12’ x 12’ and across the aisle, partly because I want it to be expandable into a stall later, if needed. It will have stone dust and mats rather than concrete and mats. Before it’s a stall, it will be easier on everyone’s legs. That larger groom stall/stall will have room for shelves, a vacuum and muck bucket in the corner. I wanted the grooming stall to be separate from the wash rack because I wanted a place for a farrier to work (though there will be others), a place to clip and that could handle the kind of detritus that I didn’t want in a drain. Also, it’s nice to have two horses who can see each other if they are waiting. In my current plan, those are almost across from each other. And both are near a “hang out area” where I can be cleaning tack or petting the barn cats and generally supervising (or creating a police presence that might limit pawing).

I do have a picture of a wash rack with a rail separating it from a galley-like work area with sink, cupboards and stacked W/D in a closet in the back corner. I will bet a tad of water gets over there, but not much. I have briefly rode at a barn with a wash stall next to groom stalls, just separated by a rail/shelves this way and I don’t think horses in the next bay got sprayed too often. But I’d lose my mind if someone sprayed my expensive Frenchie saddle; I’ll ask the pro who worked there longer about her experience.