Foaling boxes.

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sare_bear

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Hi All.

Thought I would pick your brains. I am in the process of building a small barn of 4 foaling boxes. I was going with 16' x 16'. I was thinking of having them as a gated system so that the inner partitions were a gate, meshed? or solid? hung low enough so foals can not get their legs caught underneath etc. The idea being that the inner gates can swing back and clip in on the back wall to allow some flexibility. ie. Can end up with stable sizes of 16' x 32' if only 2 broodmares or mare and foal on box rest etc. Or potentially open up all the internal gates to have a 16' x 64' area. Would this be suitable to keep young stock in overnight? Say 2 foals and 2 yearlings? Or is it a bit narrow for that.

Also would mares be comfortable foaling side by side with no high solid partition? I was thinking for privacy, wind breaker blinds could come down from roof and clip onto the gates to stop mares fighting over the top if necessary, but still see other horses and allow maximum air flow. The back of the barn would be solid as in the prevailing wind and the sheltered side would be open, with an overhang. So again the front of the stables would be a gate. Sorry, probably not explaining it very well. Would this work?

Any suggestions would be great.
 
I think your sizing is good, both for the foaling and the youngsters sharing :)

However I would not be happy foaling down or having young foals in an area with a moveable partition. To ensure that the gate was low enough to the floor would essentially mean that it would not be able to swing anyway.

I would rather foal in the field tbh - apologies if I have not understood properly :)
 
Thanks LJR.

The gate partitions are essentially one 16' solid metal gate locked into a beam. So not removable as such, but when wanting to extend stable size at some point can swing 90 degreea and lock into the back wall. Does that make sense?

For me personally I would rather foal in where I have lights in case some thing goes wrong. Glad the sizes sound about right though.
 
I would always want a solid wall. Just for privacy. I watched a video once about a mare who foled in the kind of situation you are talking about and the horse in the stall next to the mare gave her so much grief she abandonned then attacked the foal out of stress. If you have the money you can build a solid partition in two sections so they can swing open, but it could be costly but can be done.
 
Thanks, that's the kind of information I need. Did wonder whether a wind breaker blind would be sufficient, think a solid high partition would be needed then. Will investigate that option.
 
I don't think a wind breaker is a good idea, if my mare's reaction to tents or umbrellas is anything to go by.
 
For those that have used the monarch removable partitions, do you know how easy they are to remove and what machinery you would require to do it. Thanks
 
With what you propose I would think about using these type of gates and hang one above the other so giving potentially 8ft 6in height http://www.iae.co.uk/agricultural/gates/sheeted_doors.htm If you call them they are very helpful and will manufacture whatever you want . Most of our cattle yarding is theirs and they also make internal stabling.

I suspect with what you are building you cannot afford the space but we build pens for the horses within flexible cattle buildings just using large straw bales stacked two deep.

I am afraid I am another for foaling outside where nature intended ,all my TB and sports horse mares all foal in paddocks maybe we are lucky but never had to bring one in yet ! We use foaling alarms and night vision binoculars to give the mares as little upset as possible
 
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Thanks Popsdosh.
Those are the gates I was thinking of. One hung above the other could very well serve the purpose. Lots of thinking to do. Always difficult trying to make sure what you design is right.

Will give some thought to foaling out, but being in Ireland with the amount of rain we get, still feel foaling in is better, certainly for the earlier foalings.

Thanks.
 
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