Brigita's Blog: Searching For the Right Horse Property - From a Horse's Perspective - Part I

I'm sure you have read many posts on AR explaining to you what you should look for when searching for a home and for horse property.  Now, no one ever thought of asking a horse as to what the barn and property should be like to his satisfaction. 

Well, here it is!  I have been communicating with my Thoroughbred, Text Edition, better known as Eddie at the barn, and I found out from him what you should be looking for as far as horse property. 

I will do my best to explain to you what is an ideal horse property from a horse's perspective.  It will be divided into 3 parts.  (Otherwise, this post will end up as a book.)  This part will cover the barn, stalls and basically the buildings for the horses.  Part II will cover the pastures and turnout areas.  Part III will be about fencing.  Now remember, this is straight from the horse's mouth.

OK, here goes:

"When I go into a barn, I should be able to see neatness.  If there is clutter in the aisles, there is a possiblity I can get hurt.  All the tools, tack and feed should be in it's place.  OK, I admit, I'd love to have the grain and hay just laying out in front of me so I can munch any time I want to, but I know that is not healthy for me.  So, you need to make sure there is a place to store the hay and feed out of my reach, in a dry area, closed up so I'm not tempted to break into the feed for a midnight snack. 

"I like to have my stall big enough that I am not cramped, so that if I would like to take a nice roll in the bedding, I can do it without worry of getting stuck.  I'm a pretty big horse so a tiny stall would not do me any good. 

"My stall should also be safe for me to be in.  Make sure there are no pointy things sticking out of the walls that I can get hurt on.  Also, be sure that the boards are securely on because I do like to have some privacy at times.  Don't want to have my neighbor popping in when I'm eating or snoozing.  I do not enjoy sharing my meal with my neighbor. Oh, and yes, the boards should not have big spaces between them where I can get my hoof stuck.  I like to play and I may accidentally kick the wall and if there is a large enough space to put my foot through, chances are good that it will happen.  So, please no spaces between the boards. 

"The floors should have good footing and rather level.  Wouldn't want to slip and fall or end up with foot problems because of too hard of a floor.  A dirt floor or rubber mats on the floor are good. 

"The barn needs to be draft free, but not tightly sealed so that air can circulate.  I would hate to be in a drafty barn or a stuffy barn during the cold winter months.  I could end up sick and then you would have to call the vet.  I do not like the vet.  He tends to stick these pointy things into me and pokes around all over my body.  So, do make sure the barn is not drafty.  I think we all would be happier if it wasn't.

"Make sure there is access to water nearby.  I love to drink water quite often.  If there is no water nearby, I will be watching you bring bucketfuls from your house.  Whenever I see people lugging water for long distances, especially in the winter, they start yelling these weird words I've never heard.  It does tend to be amusing from my point of view.

"I get very bored standing in my stall for hours.  (I have to admit I get bored very easily.)  So make sure that I am able to see the goings on around my stall.  I am very curious and love to watch everyone and everything around me.  Sometimes it tends to get rather amusing."

This pretty much covers the barns according to Eddie.  Hope you learned something.  In my next post, part II, Eddie will talk about pastures and turnout.