Barn Suggestions

[Wendy Milner <wmilner@verinet.com>]

>I am building a barn, 36x36 (5 stalls, tackroom), 8 Ft. overhang on one side.
>I am wondering if anyone has positive or negative opinions about, BarnMaster,
>Lester Buildings or Cleary. The other choice is a local barn builder or
>building it myself. (of course as a Rolfer the building would be perfectly
>balanced and lifted up by gravity!).

Jim, I'd suggest Barns by Gardner.  All he does is barns, and he know
all the
special needs of horses (like he doesn't leave nails laying around the
area).
He is out of Berthoud.

>The barn will be used for horses in for therapy, the overhang is for my
>horses. 
>What would you look for in a barn that your horse was being treated in?

I've got a 12' overhang for my horses.  It faces south and is warm in
the winter
yet shaded in the summer.  Four horses can fit in one 12X12 open stall
in the 
winter.  I know, they do it themselves.  There are 4 stalls in the
overhang,
all open to the corral.  This allows me to separate them during feeding,
or 
whenever I need to do something with them.

The stalls should be 12X12.  This is big enough for most horses.  The
horses 
have room to turn around in, lay down, or just hang out without feeling
too
confind.

In your treatment area, I'd like to see a concrete floor with a rubber
mat
where the horse will stand during treatment.  The horse should be able
to 
walk in, turn around easily, or walk out without having to turn around.

For horses in the stalls, let them see each other with being able to
sniff
noses.  With all the V.S. and other diseases around, you don't want to
spread
any germs amoung customers' horses.  

I'd also like the horses to have access to the outside directly.  Just
in case
of a freak fire, you can get the horses out quickly.  

Hot water in the barn is a wonderful thing.  Whether to wash your hands,
or to
prepare a mash, nothing beats hot water. Also, having a fridge in the
area is
really nice.  Not so much for keeping soda cold, but rather to keep
medicine
from freezing in the winter and getting hot in the summer. My fridge
isn't even
turned on.  The insulation does it all.

Wendy