Outdoor Shade Structure

Cost: $110 – $135 per structure

Need:
◆ Shade tarp
◆ Four 10-foot-long 4″x4″ pressure-treated posts
◆ Four bags of quick concrete
◆ Concrete-mixing receptacle like a wheelbarrow
◆ Posthole digger or posthole-digging shovel
◆ Heavy-duty zip ties

Providing shade to animals during the sunny summer months is important, and if trees and run-in sheds aren’t available, building a very simple shade structure is another option. Luckily, it doesn’t have to break the bank.

Harbor Freight sells mesh tarps ranging in size from 8’x10′ to 12’x 20′. These tarps have a close-knit weave that blocks approximately 60 percent of light, and can be doubled up if needed. The tarps cost $33 to $55.

Purchase four pressure-treated wood 4″x4″ posts with a minimum height of 10 feet from a hardware store, and dig four 2-foot-deep post holes in the appropriate configuration for the tarp. These posts cost approximately $17 each.

Drill ½-inch holes through the beams within 4 inches of the top for fastening the tarps with heavy-duty zip ties.

Mix quick concrete to slightly drier than package instructions, and cement the posts into the holes, checking for plum lines and even spacing.

Allow the concrete to set for 24 hours before using a ladder to secure the mesh tarp to the tops of the posts with heavy-duty zip ties. Be sure to watch the shade structure for any wear and tear, including holes in the tarp or failing zip ties.

Five-Gallon Bucket Safety

Cost: $5

Need:
◆ Electrical tape

Five-gallon buckets are used for all sorts of things around the barn, including storage, step-stools and their intended purpose—watering horses. Their universal nature is appreciated, but when used as water or feed buckets, the small hooks attaching the handle to the bucket can pose a hazard to a horse.

Itchy horses can rub their faces on the small hooks and damage a nostril, eyelid or catch long hair in the tight space. To remedy this, buy some electrical tape from a local hardware store and wrap the electrical tape tightly around each of the two hooks on a five-gallon bucket. The tape will make the hook less accessible, and the stretchy nature of electrical tape means it will grip more tightly as it is applied.

As a safety bonus, make sure all double-ended snaps are facing toward the wall when the bucket is hung. This means there is less opportunity for scratching horses to snag anything on the clip.

Safer Grain Storage

Cost: $50-100

Need:
◆ Deep freezer or heavy-duty bin
◆ Clear tape to hang feed tags

Storing grain in a consistent environment can be difficult, especially if the feed room is more rustic. No matter the location, keeping pests and mold out of the grain bin is critical for your horse’s health.

A classic grain storage hack for your barn is using an unplugged deep freezer to store the feed. Freezers are insulated, durable and seal to keep animals out. Plus, they don’t have to freeze things to keep grain safe. They’re frequently available on local sites such as Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for less than $100. Any other type of other tight-sealing, heavy-duty storage boxes that you already own or can find for second-hand purchase will work, too.

As a bonus hack for your barn, save all feed tags and tape them to the grain bin for reference while feeding that bag. The white tags located on the bottom of grain bags list the lot number of grain and sometimes “best by” dates.

Should something go wrong with the grain, knowing which lot the grain came from is vital for feed companies.

Metered Fly Spray

Cost: $25 each

Need:
◆ Automatic bathroom scent sprayer
◆ Batteries
◆ Canister of metered fly spray

Flies are a constant hassle of horse ownership, and controlling them can feel like a never-ending task. Employing fly boots and misting horses daily with the bottle is nice, but automatic fly-spray systems in barns take fly control to the next level.

Although metered fly-spray devices are available at feed stores for around $50 each, you can save by making them from battery-powered bathroom scent sprayers. You’ll need to make sure the device matches with the brand of metered fly spray you purchase. With some leg work, an automatic and adjustable fly spray system perfect for your barn and run-in sheds is within reach.

Muddy Spot Remedy

Cost: $0-50

Need:
◆ Shovel
◆ Organic material to fill

A muddy spot at a gate or barn door is not only irritating; it can also pose a danger to horses. Mud can be slippery and promote thrush-causing bacteria growth. Try this hack for a muddy barn area.

The first step to helping a muddy spot is to see if a small ditch can be dug to direct any pooling water away from the area. The width and depth of the ditch will vary with the size of the issue, but should measure at least 6 inches wide and several inches deep. Using some elbow grease and a digging shovel, dig a channel away from the muddy spot.

If digging an escape route for water isn’t possible, adding product to a muddy spot can help too. Some of the common options are woodchips, gravel and sand. Local tree-care businesses often have woodchips from jobs for free, as long as you pick them up yourself.

Gravel and sand are also widely available at local landscaping shops. Or buy by the yard, and not by the bag, at a hardware store.

Whatever material used, add to the problem area when it is dry and get a nice, sloped base draining toward the lowest point. When it becomes muddy, add material as needed until the mud is subdued. Eventually, the place will be built up with fill material and less water will be able to pool there.

DIY Corner Feeder

Cost: $30 each

Need:
◆ One 55-gallon plastic barrel
◆ Drill with ¼-inch drill bit
◆ Jigsaw
◆ Coarse sandpaper
◆ Cleaning supplies
◆ Heavy-duty zip ties
◆ Wall eyelets

Feeding horses with their heads in a downward position is the most natural and has been proven to put less strain on their bodies. There are several large, plastic corner feeders on the market, but they start at $100 and climb in price from there.

Make a budget-friendly corner feeder for grain and hay using a 55-gallon plastic barrel. These can be purchased second-hand on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or from local businesses (make sure they only ever held food-grade materials) for approximately $20 each.

Once the barrel is home, measure and mark where it will be cut. Cutting one in half will yield two corner feeders, although the top portion will not be as suitable for feeding grain due to the grooves from the lid.

After measuring, drill a hole into the line of division and use a jigsaw to cut around the barrel as it lays on its side. Jigsaws can be purchased for about $30 or rented for about $15.

Once cut, thoroughly wash the barrel with hot water, dish soap and diluted bleach. Sand the rough plastic edge with a coarse sandpaper. Drill at least two small holes in the barrel near the top to secure it to the wall.

Using eyelets screwed into the wall, secure the feeder to the corner with heavy-duty zip ties and trim them short.

Making life easier around the barn is a constant journey, but one horses deserve and owners will be thankful for. These hacks should improve life around the barn for your horse, so give them a try.

This article about DIY barn hacks appeared in the September 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post DIY Barn Hacks appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Whether you’ve owned horses for a long time or you’re planning to buy your first horse (or first horse in a long time), one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is: Where will my horse live?

There are essentially two answers: board your horse at a nearby equestrian facility or bring him home to live on your own property. Your choice will depend on multiple factors, including cost, zoning, and the question of how much control you prefer to have over your horse’s care.

Let’s check out some of the benefits and drawbacks of keeping your horse at home versus keeping him at a stable nearby.

Boarding

You’ve seen the local horse barn advertising and driven by a few times. Would it be a good place to house your horse? It could be.

Benefits:

◆ Reduced workload. Individual rules may vary from facility to facility, but in general, you can count on enjoying less of a workload when boarding your horse. Depending on the type of boarding plan you agree to, you may not be required to perform daily feedings. You may be able to skip out on the veterinarian and farrier appointments if you want. Stall cleaning, hay hauling, aisle sweeping—you may be free to do as much or as little of that as you care to. Broken fence? Not your problem. ATV won’t start? You’re not on call.

◆ Knowledgeable help. Maybe you’re new to the horse world and could really benefit from some help early on. Boarding can be a perfect solution, as you’ll be surrounded by experienced horse enthusiasts who can help walk you through certain aspects of horse care and training.

◆ Social contacts. You’ll probably meet a lot of horse friends at the barn and enjoy the company of a like-minded group who wants to go trail-riding, take lessons, and attend shows as much as you do.

◆ Flexible scheduling. When your horse boards, you have the option of not going to the barn every day, which may be helpful if you have a lot of other commitments to family or work. If you travel frequently, boarding may be the only sensible option for owning a horse.

Drawbacks:

Boarding isn’t perfect, and you can expect a few downsides.

◆ Expense. This is probably the most significant downside for many people. Boarding a horse (or two!) can be a very expensive proposition. Prices will vary depending on the region, and possibly by how rural your area is, but expect a monthly bill that may run several hundred dollars and up—sometimes way up. You’ll pay less if you agree to perform daily care, but that isn’t as easy to do when you’re not living on the premises.

◆ Less control. When you agree to board your horse at a facility, you do agree to give up some amount of control over his care. You may or may not be able to choose what to feed your horse, particularly when it comes to forage. Your horse may not enjoy as much pasture turnout time as you’d prefer. You’ll have to share certain aspects of the facility—riding arenas, round pens, feed rooms, wash stalls, even the barn aisles—with other boarders.

◆ Less convenient. There will be busy days where you just can’t make it to the barn—and therefore don’t get to see your horse. There might be other times when you have a stray hour (or half an hour) where you could go the barn but choose not to because the commute is too inconvenient for such a short visit. By boarding a horse, you forfeit some of the one-on-one time that you might have if you kept him at your home.

Building

You might realize that boarding is fine for some people, but perhaps you’ve always had a dream of keeping horses on your own property.

Benefits:

◆ A room with a view. There’s nothing quite like looking out the windows of your home and seeing a pasture with your very own horses grazing happily. It’s hard to beat! You’ll experience the pleasure of having horses integrated into your everyday life. For many people, having a horse say hello to you each morning and feeding him hay right before bed just makes life better; it’s something you can’t put a price tag on.

◆ Handy horses. If you have a spontaneous whim to take a ride, you can do it! If you have a free hour, you can easily spend it with your horse—all you have to do is put on your boots and walk to the barn. It’s easier to fit horses into your schedule because they’re so easily accessible.

◆ No sharing. At your own place, there’s nobody waiting in line for the round pen or blocking the aisle with their hose in cross-ties. With the luxury of your own barn, you won’t have to wait on anyone.

◆ You make the decisions. Home horse ownership puts you fully in the captain’s seat, able to run your barn the way you want. While this may be a big responsibility for newbies, more capable horse owners will likely enjoy the freedom and the option of making all of the care choices.

◆ Stable design. If you’re building from scratch, you get to decide what your barn will look like and how it functions.

◆ Cost savings. There may be a significant initial investment in your infrastructure (see below), but assuming you already own the land and have some of the vitals in place (a water source, electricity, et cetera), keeping your horses at home can represent a significant monthly savings over boarding.

Drawbacks:

With all of these advantages come some potential downsides. Specifically, you are the one responsible!

◆ Building can be a big job. Maybe you’re starting out with an ideal horse property with stables, pastures, water, fencing, and arenas already installed. But for many folks, bringing their horse home means constructing some or all of this from scratch, which can be a major task. Transforming vacant acreage into a horsey paradise might involve removing trees, bringing in gravel, and constructing driveways. Not to mention the cost of electrical and water hookup, stables and fencing. However, some of these features may already be present on your property, and the cost of building a stable for one or two horses is significantly less than one designed for many animals.

◆ Daily care. For many horse people, the daily feeding, grooming, turnout, and exercising of their horses isn’t a downside at all. But there are logistics to consider. Will this fit in with your job or family life? Caring for your horse only “when you want to” is not an option the way it is at a boarding facility. Even if the weather is bad, or you’d like to sleep in, or something important comes up, your horses are still depending solely on you for care, so it’s a big commitment. And you may need to arrange for backup care options if something happens to you, whereas at a boarding barn, boarders have been known to pitch in when others need help.

◆ You’ll make important decisions. Feed choices; finding, purchasing, and storing hay; keeping water thawed during the winter; deworming schedules; farrier appointments—managing your own barn comes with a lot of decisions and responsibilities. Again, this may not be a downside to some people, but it’s worth taking a careful look.

◆ Vacations are more complicated. If you’re used to traveling a lot or enjoy spontaneous “let’s hit the road for a long weekend” excursions, keeping horses at home may not be ideal for you. Horses are heavily routine-driven animals, that usually prefer everything done in the same way at the same time of day. Whenever you leave home, you’ll need a responsible, horse-savvy farm sitter to step in for you.

◆ You may need more than one horse. This could also be considered a benefit, depending on who you ask! Horses are social animals that need the company of their own species, so it’s probably wise to own at least two horses if you’re keeping them at home. Many people add a third to keep the one that’s not being ridden or trailered out to shows company.

Ultimately, only you can make the choice of whether to build or to board, and there may in fact not be a wrong choice. In either case, you’ll be able to enjoy life with horses in a satisfying and pleasant atmosphere, whether that’s a busy barn full of horse enthusiasts or a quiet corner of your own property with just you and your favorite equine buddy.

This article about deciding whether to board your horse or build a barn originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Board or Build: Finding the Best Option for your Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.