The barn is a large red barn with a hayloft. As you walk in, there are 10 stalls on each side of the cement center aisle. At the end, your first choice is to go into the office. The office has a small metal filing desk, on top of which sit several items - a clock, a telephone, a mug full of pens, pencils and a pair of scissors, and a computer. The computer holds several files such as the due dates for the vet and farrier, training schedules, the upcoming shows and which horses are entered, and the horses’ point totals. It also contains breeding notices and the height and markings of the horses. A bookshelf stands against a wall, filled with binders of information (farm budgets, horse sales and purchases, and vet and farrier reports), horse training books, and various assorted items. The walls are full of pictures of horses.
Or, you can walk through the door next to the office into the large arena. You notice the large circle is divided into two halves with a collapsible fence. On one side, a jumping course is set up. Dressage and driving cones are stored on the side. On the other side, barrels are set up for Western speed. Around the entire arena, dressage letters are tacked up for practice. The ring is currently empty, but will soon be in use.
If you decide to go right at the turn, you find 8 stalls on each side of the wing. A door to leave is at the end. Just before the first stalls, a ladder to the hayloft comes down. If you go up, you will discover the spacious, if slightly cobwebbed loft, which is full of straw and a pitchfork. A trapdoor above each stall can be removed to pitch down straw for spreading.
If you go left, you discover the same 8 stalls on each side. However, only 6 stalls on the either side are normal horse stalls. To the left, one is the grooming stall, which contains braiding kits, hoof polish, and clippers for beauty treatments; the other is a wash stall. Rubber mats are on the floor, to discourage slipping. In here, a shelf holds sponges, shampoo, conditioner, and towels. A hose is connected to the sink, so warm or cold water can be used. Opposite these two stalls are the tack room and the feed room.
In the tack room, one wall is covered with pegs for the bridles, another with racks for saddles and saddle pads. The third wall contains rugs, blankets and sheets, while the fourth wall is lined with shelves. The shelves hold tack cleaning kits and each horse’s personal grooming kit. It also stores fly spray, a couple of first aid kits, leg wraps, and miscellaneous grooming equipment. There are a few seats for cleaning tack in the center. From the ceiling hang halter racks, on which the horses’ halters and lead ropes are hung.
The feed room contains sealed bins of commercial feed for the show horses and grain for the rest. Bales of hay fill a good portion of the room, atop a tarp. A sink is alongside one wall, along with soap. Above the grain barrels, feed cards are tacked on the wall.
The stalls themselves are box stalls. The top half of the door allows the horses to stick their heads out, and webbing can be put up if necessary. A water bucket hangs on the side of each stall, with a grain bin next to it on the front corner. Hay nets hang on opposite the water buckets. Above each door, a salt lick is available at all times. The bedding for each stall is straw. On the stalls on the left side of the barn, the back of the stall opens directly into the main pasture. I hope you enjoyed this portion of the tour. You may now return back to the main tour guide page ----> .