Filed under: May 2021 | Tags: barn design, Barn renovation, draft foal, native hardwood, Suffolk Punch Horse
May 15, 2021
My work on our horse barn continues. The new hay mow doors are on and finally weather tight! The large door is made that way on purpose to allow for putting big round bales in there. A labor saving job, that requires only our skid steer and one other guy.
The renovation work is almost complete. The steel work for window guards and doors should be installed in the coming days.
Each new box stall will have its own window for light and air movement. Native hardwood planks ensure safety and durability for the stalls.
Stall doors with a width of four feet, will accommodate our wide bodied horses as well as a wheelbarrow. I look forward to the ease of use this new renovation will allow.
Spring work is getting started again after some wet, cold rainy weather. It has been good to have this job to work on while we waited. I am ready for the spring field days and our planting season. Farm life stays busy, but the rewards are wonderful.
Our new filly is growing fast. She is fun to watch. Soon, her mom will return to the workforce, but for now they are enjoying the fresh grass and the warm sun.
We really like these two!
Filed under: April 2021 | Tags: barn design, Barn renovation, Horse stalls, planning
April 21, 2021
Our busy spring continues to roll on. The barn renovation project too is going well. The old overhang has gotten a facelift. The overhang will be divided into thirds. Each third will become a large box stall. The stalls will be safe, warm and well lit.
Each stall will have a door that opens into the main part of the existing barn aisleway. The new arrangement will allow for great air flow, very important to horses. It will also give me the advantage to see each horse at a glance. The entire herd will be able to see and interact with each other. Feeding, cleaning, harnessing and any daily chore will be made easier by these new changes.
The box stalls will be a size of about 16 by 10 feet. There is a lot remaining to do, but we are well started on this new project. There are lots of behind the scenes things going on. These little things help to keep the project moving along well. Things like ordering special trim, figuring how to best utilize our native lumber during the high cost of conventional lumber prices and keeping the work area cleaned up ready for the next part of the project. This attention to detail, keeps the project moving along even when the job looks idle.
This project has to take a backseat to daily chores, fence line cleaning, and the ever present firewood job that maple syrup making demands. We are also waiting, somewhat patiently, for our new Suffolk foal who is due any day. Stay tuned for updates.
RicelandMeadows 