I don’t like to clean stalls. So when we built our new barn, I did not include any stalls. But that was before I considered breeding a horse. I have set up an area in the barn as a run in shed for when the horses are in the fat lot. But now that Draper is there it seems like a good idea to set up a foaling stall. The fat lot is all down hill. I could just see her foaling out there and it rolling down hill and under the fence.
So today, I helped Joe with his idea of how to expand the run in shed into a foaling stall.
Draper checked out the expansion and didn’t seem too impressed one way or the other.
There are now two areas, one open to the outside and the other with the gate to make it a stall. The stall measures about 20 x 24 which should be plenty big.
The only time Draper has been stalled was when she was at the trainer a couple of years ago for a month and then at the breeder last year. Joe thinks I should start leaving her in the stall for a few hours a day and not wait until the last minute to shut her in. Seems like a good idea. I also need to get some shaving for bedding. I don’t think sand will be good to foal on.
1 comment:
That's a good sized stall, and I agree with Joe. One thing about bedding- for the actual foaling, straw is a safer option, as it gives less chance of contamination should the mare stand up with the foal partially out, and it drops back inside, taking shavings with it. After foaling, the straw can be mucked out and shavings put in. Another option is to put straw on top of the shavings for the foaling, but my preference is straight straw.
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