Not to worry, I'm getting a few equine reference books and have a very good
mentor who will be there for advice whenever I need it.
I'm thinking of getting electric tape for fencing. No way would I EVER
get
barbed wire! Wood with a top electric wire would be my second choice.
Floor mats are on my list of things to buy, along with buckets, grooming
supplies, medical supplies, etc. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I
get
the Jeffers catalog!
I also need to figure out what to get to keep him company. I'm debating
between goats, a mini, a rideable horse, or a retired horse. In the end,
I
suppose it will come down to which is the cheapest to maintain.
Thanks for all your good advice!
Bambi C.
"Alison Hiltabidle" <ahiltabidle@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:mn.9c337d72359c9fcb.63778@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Alison Hiltabidle expressed precisely :
>> Bambi C. wrote on 2/19/2007 :
>>> "Alison Hiltabidle" <ahiltabidle@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>>> news:mn.9a867d724d00d2ff.63778@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>>
>>>> I don't think so; the ceiling at my barn is about 10 feet. Your barn
>>>> should be just fine. are there stalls already, or do youhave to
build
>>>> some?
>>>>
>>> There's one large stall, approximately 16 x 16, that we used to use
for
>>> cows delivering their calves. We called it the maternity pen. It's
>>> located between the milking area of the barn and the back section of
the
>>> barn where the calves were raised. It has a walk-thru door to the
>>> outside, which I plan to change to a larger sliding door.
>>>
>>> I'll fence a small paddock area there, with access to the 5-acre field
>>> beside the barn. The field will also need to be fenced, so I'd also
>>> welcome any fencing suggestions.
>>>
>>> I get excited just thinking about it! This will be my first horse,
I've
>>> wanted one ever since I was a little girl. (I'm
forty-mumble-something
>>> now.)
>>>
>>> Bambi C.
>>
>> That's a decent sized stall - you might want to cut it down some
>> (cleaning a stall that size will be a MAJOR pain) but it should work
just
>> fine. I'd also put rubber mats down, if you haven't already. Cement
and
>> horse's legs to mix well, for several reasons; (1) hard on their feet
(2)
>> horse lays down and gets scraped by cement. If you can set up an area
>> that the horse can use as a run-in, that would not be a bad plan; gives
>> him the option to come or go, with the stall, you can bring him in when
>> needed. I've always been of the opinion that horses should know how to
>> be stalled, even if they are not stalled on a regular basis. Saves on
>> the stress factor. As far as fencing goes, I'd find some places in the
>> area and see what they use; barbed wire is out, but I've had decent
luck
>> with 5 strand high-tensile, with the first, third and fifth strands
hot.
>> I'd get a pro to do the installation (but only because I *really* don't
>> want to do the work). There are other fencing products out there that
>> are plastic, but I've never liked them; with hot wire, the horse will
>> touch it once, get bit by the shock, an leave it alone. With just one
>> horse you won't have the worry of another horse running him into the
>> fence (which I've seen happen). Of course, other folks will have
>> differing opinions on fencing. I'd ask the locals and see what they
use;
>> but I would NOT use barbed wire for all the tea in China. If you want
to
>> use board fence, I'd think about running a hotwire around the inside
top
>> board. Keeps Pony from chewing on wood. With enough grass, he
shouldn't
>> want to chew, anyway.
>>
>> Good luck with him.
>
> Not to post on myself, but, you might want to take a look at some of the
> books that Cherry Hill has out; keeping a horse on small acreage (or
> something like that) comes to mind. If you've not had a horse before,
> it's not a bad idea to do some reading. If you can help out at the barn
> where he is now, that would be good too ... just a thought.
>
>
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