Woo Hoo! It's done...

[Marty]

That's a lot of hard work and quite a labor of love and just in time for winter too.

I think Miss Silly Filly will settle down and get used to her stall after a few more feedings in there. You might want to start adding some hay in there for them so she will get used to staying put longer and longer each day. The hay keeps them so busy and will help on the wood chewing. I had two fillies that really did not like to be locked in at first and the extra hay worked every time. Yes they got too fat but they quit eating my barn down. Plus you can also make up some sloppy beet pulp to keep them busy for a while too.

I'm not sure which small space you are talking about, but I'm sure there will still be a few minor modifications to go through before everyone is happy. If I add my more lumber, they'll be too heavy for their hinges, so may have to add mesh or something else to block the little spaces they can get into trouble with.

If you have any plywood scraps you can just solid the bottom half of the doors and that would take care of them sticking their feet in it and wouldn't be too heavy for your hinges that way. We use a lot of OSB and right now it's down to about $10.00 a sheet around here.

Now Angie from Graceland had a good idea too. For part of her stalls she used the white plastic coating shelving that you can get at Lowe's or Home Depot and I also think at Walmart in the houseware isles and she has had no problems with it and it's very light weight and cheap too and looks very nice.

I think they are really going to love it in there and be very happy and cozy this winter out of the elements.

 

[Bluerocket]

Hi - using your picture here to show what I meant - and really, your horses may not have a problem with it - mine stand at their stall doors and paw them and I could see my horses putting their hooves through the parallel slats in the front (e.g. the three boards that are horizontal to the ground on the stall door) --- someone had warned me about the gaps in my stall walls and doors when I posted photos of them -- I poo pooed it at the time I posted the pictures --- and by golly - THEY WERE RIGHT - I had a stallion catch his hoof in one - fortunately I was there and able to free him without his being injured - I have blocked those openings now with plywood.

Here is a photo of one of my stalls --- see the open spot where the hinge pins connect the gate to the post - that is the space my stallion put his foot in. I put a big copy of the picture in because it is hard to see that space on my door otherwise..

Here is your photo of your stall front with the area I was mentioning.

maybe I have the only doofus horses in the world --

:

JJay

 

[chandab]

Hi - your horses may not have a problem with it - mine stand at their stall doors and paw them and I could see my horses putting their hooves through the parallel slats in the front (e.g. the three boards that are horizontal to the ground on the stall door) --- someone had warned me about the gaps in my stall walls and doors when I posted photos of them -- I poo pooed it at the time I posted the pictures --- and by golly - THEY WERE RIGHT - I had a stallion catch his hoof in one - fortunately I was there and able to free him without his being injured - I have blocked those openings now with plywood.

JJay

I don't have to worry about the hinge area, there are no gaps there. And, I'll look into something light-weight for the rest of the gate (there are a couple of spots that could get tight). Mine are only in their stalls for meals, otherwise they are outside with access to a run-in.

 

[Bluerocket]

good point