By Nikki Alvin-Smith
No matter how beautifully built or delightfully designed your new horse barn is, it’s going to take some effort to maintain its health.
If you’ve made smart decisions in the initial construction such as selecting a low maintenance siding option or choosing top quality hardware then you have made an excellent start to minimize the maintenance workload. But even a ding on the siding from an errant horse kick or a frost-heaved entrance door footer can cause future trouble.
Horse barns are expensive, so protecting their longevity is a good business decision. Daily routines and seasonal maintenance practices can make the world of difference to how the structure both looks and operates. Here are a few tips on what tasks to incorporate in your barn care protocols.
Daily Barn Chores
The cleaning of the stalls that involves removing horse manure and urine from bedding should be done at least a few times a day if the horse has access to the stable area or is resident in the stall for much of the day. The longer you leave things sit, the more bedding it will ultimately use and the harder the job is to complete.
Without some form of flooring laid over a dirt floor, whether that is a layer of compacted stonedust or a stall mattress or stall mat overlaid on concrete, the ground surface will rapidly become uneven. Some form or floor management and maintenance will be necessary on a seasonal basis regardless of the type of flooring and its finish. Installing floors without flaws in the first place can save much time and expense later.
A daily sweep or preferably vacuum of aisleways and porch/overhang areas will help keep the detritus at bay.
Seasonal Work
Laying in stall bedding usually involves spreading a measure of dust onto window sills. The presence of birds, flies, spiders and other insect life during the year will all enjoy house building in the barn, with the windows being a prime spot. By the end of warm summer months in colder regions the frost season begins and much of the buzzing insect population dies off making it the perfect time to break out the window cleaning products and get busy. In warmer climates window cleaning will be needed more frequently. Again the more regularly the task is completed the easier it is to do.
All window screens should be checked for damage and repaired as necessary before hot weather arrives.
Barn lights have a habit of attracting plenty of attention from flying insects and spiders love to set up webs to catch them on high, so cleaning off cobwebs and wiping over surfaces is not just a good way to maximize their illumination when utilized. Keeping lights clean also mitigates the risk of them becoming a fire hazard.
Stalls should all be deep cleaned periodically. How often depends on their use and the barn’s inhabitants. For example, a breeding barn might power wash and disinfect stalls much more often than a small backyard barn operation.
Floor surfaces throughout the barn should be checked for level. Upturned mat seams are trip hazards and stall mats or mattresses that have come adrift or are curling may need reseating or replacing.
Passive and mechanical ventilation will accumulate dust and detritus and to keep the air as clean as possible regular vacuuming of these areas is a good idea.
Pre-winter preparations for barns located in cold regions of the country are also important so don’t overlook the Fall clean-up. You don’t want to cause more damage to the building during freezing weather just because you didn’t do a thorough check up of what was in need of repair or renovation. Pay particular attention to worn insulation on wires; door tracks and stoppers; footer heights and levelness of doors especially entrance doors; drainage channels and gutters.
Paint/stain touch ups or complete repaint/restain of the siding may be necessary over the years and again this is best done before it shows heavy signs of wear such as chalking, fading or peeling. Be certain to prepare the surface as per the paint/stain manufacturer’s instructions and use fresh product. Apply new product when the weather is dry and temperature is appropriate for best results.
Storage areas should be regularly cleaned out. Dry forage and feed storage areas will always attract vermin and snakes. The best way to ensure all critters have been removed is to clear out everything from the storage space to expose areas behind feed bins, under pallets or behind bales of bedding or hay is the best way to ensure all critters have been removed.
Good quality hay stored on top of last year’s hay that may have soaked up moisture from the ground is a great way to lose the benefit of your initial investment in buying excellent forage. So make sure you broom sweep all hay storage areas. Here is some professional advice on best ways to keep your hay in tip-top condition.
Horsey Housework Management
Treat your horse barn the same way a hotel inspector checks rooms between guest visits. When you see something broken or in need of cleaning get after it. Doing a bit of extra horsey housework every day saves it from building up into a monumental amount of work at the end of each season.
For larger horse barn facilities a staff rota with defined jobs for each staff member should include a few extra cleaning tasks at least once a week. How you train your team to clean will make a huge difference in how often major maintenance tasks are needed. Some examples: staff should be trained to always clean a hay storage area out before bringing in more supplies and to bolt shut all stall doors when not in use to save on warpage and damage from strong winds.
Ensure that you also have the right equipment for the job at hand as this makes it much more likely that the task will be completed and also importantly saves labor and time.
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About Horizon Structures: One horse or twenty, there’s one thing all horse owners have in common…the need to provide safe and secure shelter for their equine partners. At Horizon Structures, we combine expert craftsmanship, top-of-the-line materials and smart ‘horse-friendly’ design to create a full line of sheds and barns that any horse owner can feel confident is the right choice for their horses’ stabling needs.
All wood. Amish Made. Most of our buildings are shipped 100% pre-built and ready for same-day use. Larger barns are a modular construction and can be ready for your horses in about a week. All our barn packages include everything you need to move your horses right in. Horizon Structures also sells chicken coops, equine hay feeders, greenhouses, dog kennels. You can also find garages, sheds and outdoor living sets available at Horizon’s sister company Stoltzfus Structures.
Headquartered in South-Central Pennsylvania, Horizon Structures, LLC was founded by Dave Zook. Dave was raised in the Amish tradition and grew up working in the family-owned shed business. He started Horizon Structures in 2001 in response to an ever-increasing customer demand for high quality, affordable horse barns. Over the years, the company has grown and now has several build shops located throughout the US enabling them to service customers nationwide.
For additional information about the company or their product line, please visit their website at https://www.horizonstructures.com
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