Grids between stables

[Groom Mum]

Has anyone ever made or added a grid between two adjoining stables? Mine are already built but I'm thinking of knocking some slats out and putting a grid in between. This is because one of my boys stresses like crazy if the other one is put in the stable and he is still outside. Also they are both not used to being in a stable for any length of time and I thought if they could see each other it might help them settle inside easier.

 

[webble]

Do you mean grid as in drainage grid or like the bars they have in American barn type stables

 

[Groom Mum]

Not drainage grids. Like a window but with grids. So that my two can see each other and not get all stressy.

 

[Groom Mum]

Not on the doors either. I mean cut out a square in the adjoining wall between the two stables.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I've got talk grilles between my stables. Not sure how easy they would be to add as an after fit option. I've got weldmesh as additional protection on the window on the right, maybe you could use a sturdy grade of weldmesh to protect the gap in the slats?

 

[Groom Mum]

That's exactly what I want. Would I also need the mesh too ?

 

[dibbin]

The stables at our house have bars from the wall (which stops about chest height) to the ceiling. Will be ideal up here in the winter as it means we can shut the top doors and they'll still be able to see each other!

I'll try and take photos tomorrow.

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

Yes, have done this got one of our friends to do it, he does metal work so made the grid and then fitted it into our wooden stables, mares def like it. I realise when I went away and they had stables next to each with just bars between how happy they were, so this was the comprise when home. I'm useless at uploading pics onto here, but if you mess me your email can send a photo over if you like? Also makes the stables that much more airy and light, love being able to see nigh horses from one stable. They have often are 'kissing' each other through the grid. It does mean can get a bit more upset when other leaves, but I figure the rest of the time they are lots happier.

 

[Tiddlypom]

That's exactly what I want. Would I also need the mesh too ?

You wouldn't need any additional mesh if you get a purpose made grille. There are various companies that supply them, here's one.

http://www.stubbsengland.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=0_63&product_id=142

 

[kassieg]

I only have half height walls. Mine love it! They can groom over the walls etc.

I once read an article that said that stabled horses got depressed mainly because they were starved of the interaction with other horses & tbh I think its probably true. I definitely noticed a difference in my eventer when she moved from livery to my yard

 

[neddy man]

Look carefully at the dividing walls, you should be able to see screw,or nailheads where the sheets are fixed to the upright and horizontal framing, tap with a hammer and you will get a different sound where the framing is.Draw a set of lines to be inside the framing area, drill a hole in the top left and bottom right corners, get a jigsaw cut the 2 edges from each hole,the board will then fall out ,do the same on the other stable and you have a gap.Either have a local fabrication shop make a grid (google is your friend) and sit within the frame , or buy some mesh as in the photos, fix with large staples and put laths over the edges to make horse friendly. Not as hard as you think. If doing with mesh find out mesh sizes first and cut holes to suit size, the bigger the better in my opinion.

 

[Groom Mum]

What great ideas. Will be looking into all options. Wish I had as much advice on my mud post. Lol.

 

[Tnavas]

They are a great idea for horses that stress - just make sure you don't put them near where the manger is or the haynet is hung as that can cause problems if you have a food aggressive horse.

Only con for them is that you cannot isolate anything and if one gets a cold it gets passed on down the line. One place I worked in though had a sliding panel which they could slide across the grille to block off the next door stable.

 

[TGM]

We put some in our existing stables and the horses love them. We used the method described above, removing the boarding between the wooden struts.

 

[Doublethyme]

I just too the wood panel down between my stables so was left with a window opening with an upright strut in the middle. Big enough for my girls to put head through to each other. I didn't bother filling it with a grill, they share a field and my 7 year old has been with my 20 year old since she was 17months.

It instantly solved a huge stabling issue I was having with my younger mare. She was 4/5 at the time and had a bad experience in the stable leaving her so traumatised I thought she would have to live out for life. The window was a god send.

M old girl can be a baggage and bite through it, but this seems to not bother the young mare even though it's by her door. She mostly ignores it and it kind of reassures her in a weird way as she's grown up with Mrs Bossy Boots. Plus she has a foaling size box so can easily get out the way.

Old mare only has standard size box and can be very territorial but equally has surprised me and seems to like the window too.

Definitely worth doing and in my opinion should be standard feature in all stables.

Mine is easily put back to how it was too which is important as I'm on livery.

 

[Goldenstar]

It's easy to do but some horses hate them .
I won't have them

 

[Tiddlypom]

It's easy to do but some horses hate them .
I won't have them

The partial grilles are easy to cover up if a horse dislikes them, and they also allow a good deal of privacy for eating and sleeping. All of the horses that have used my stables have liked the sociability that the grilles allow, so I've not needed to cover them up.

I don't like internal stables with full width grilles on both side and front walls though, it must be like living in a goldfish bowl.

 

[dibbin]

I don't like internal stables with full width grilles on both side and front walls though, it must be like living in a goldfish bowl.

Ours are currently in stables like that - their beds get demolished because they're constantly wandering around to look at things (they don't box walk, they just toddle around the stables to watch what's going on outside them!) I think our bedding bill will half when we get them up to the house where it's outdoor stables with old school half doors, but there's a full width grille between the boxes so they can talk to each other through that.

 

[MagicMelon]

I never really understand why most places have grills in between stables anyway, why can't horses touch? I think it would be far nicer for them to be able to mess with each other (assuming they get on, obviously if one is constantly bearing its teeth over the divide then it wouldn't work. I've got wood panels between my stables which I don't like, I'm going to rip out half of them so half the width of the stable will be open which means they can easily see / touch each other. Mine don't come in, the stables doors are just left open into the field so they come and go but when I do put them in for the trimmer they do like to see each other.

 

[Luci07]

I never really understand why most places have grills in between stables anyway, why can't horses touch? I think it would be far nicer for them to be able to mess with each other (assuming they get on, obviously if one is constantly bearing its teeth over the divide then it wouldn't work. I've got wood panels between my stables which I don't like, I'm going to rip out half of them so half the width of the stable will be open which means they can easily see / touch each other. Mine don't come in, the stables doors are just left open into the field so they come and go but when I do put them in for the trimmer they do like to see each other.

Because not every horse is comfortable with this and the disadvantage is that it is not always grooming. My horse and his neighbour can get to each other and I am paying the price wth ripped rugs. (My horse gets his rugs ripped, not his neighbour) they go out in the field together and no rug damage is done then.