[RC] barn recommendation/thoughts - Sheila_LarsenI have a tongue and groove barn (wood). I put wood stain/sealant on the outside and have had to have it done twice in 9 years and it gets hot sun. Right now only the lower boards that get water splashed in the winter need to be done again. I like wood because my barn would be an oven in the summer if metal. I also don't like the cold of metal barns in the winter. Definitely personal preference. I do have a raised part of the roof (can't remember what it is called) that allows the hot air to escape in the summer. If you have a main aisle then I strongly recommend a 12 foot aisle for trucks (15 feet would be even better). My barn is 36 x 32 so the 2 stalls are 12 x 16 (which I love) because on those ocassions where they are locked inside they have room to move and they don't stomp their manure to smitherns so they are easy to clean, I also have rubber mats with lots and lots of bedding.. I have dutch doors from the stalls to the paddocks. On the other side of the stalls I have my hay storage which can hold 3 tons(?) of hay. Yes I know a safety hazard having hay in the same barn but I don't have alternatives. I have a sliding door on the hay side as well as sliding doors on both sides of the aisle. I recommend having gutters. If I had to do it over, the stall doors going to the aisle would have a way to open up rather than metal poles which means the horses can't put their heads into the aisle way. They can see out all along the front of their stalls but can't get their heads out. I would also do the corner feeders on the ground rather than hay racks. The original barn had a solid divider between the horses which I had partially removed and metal poles put in. I have a 10 x10 tack room. If I was to do that again I would have a window put in. I sited the barn so it catches the breeze in the summer. Thanks, Sheila 916.414.6685 Horses lend us the wings we lack. Author Unknown =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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