New stables, talk grilles?

ElleSkywalkingintheair

ElleSkywalkingintheair

As excited as Kitty about to be a bridesmaid
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Afternoon,

We are having our stables replaced very soon and am just going through the options for new ones, one of the options is talk grilles. The company am going with do quite large ones the middle of the partition walls so if the horses at stood in stable rather than at door they can see each other.

I know the psychology behind being able to see each other and the idea does appeal BUT my horses are all very food proud so am wondering if the talk grilles might be more upsetting than good?

So does anyone have talk grilles? Do they cause fights? Do you spot your horses chatting nicely to each other thro them?

Tea for all

Elle
 
We have a mixture of full grill and partial, with a solid wall for the first 2 feet at the front where the mangers are located.

TBH, I haven't really noticed any difference in the fighting/kicking/ singing or lack of between the two types of box.

I'm happy, however, that my two ponies can see each other the full length of their stables.
 
We put some talk grilles in ours, they are fairly small and we put them towards the door, so that feed, hay etc can be put at the far end and they can eat without feeling bothered/over looked by their neighbours. It works really well for ours, as they can have security or privacy depending on their mood. X
 
At a previously livery yard I was at with my mare they had the grills. I thought she would like them for socialising however she did get grumpy when being fed with the others horses looking in. And aloy of them ended up being boarded up due to kicking at the walls. So if it was me personally I wouldn't have them but that's from the experience I have had.
Exciting stuff new stables :)
 
Our stables are in a big barn with a 25ft high roof, so the air is free flowing all the time.

This is an old phot, but it gives you an idea of what our boxes are like

Blitznewboxes2.jpg
 
Ooo thanks for the pics, mine would be most like Terns but stables are wood. Casey very posh!

Flow did they look messy boarded up? Am thinking we can't put them in at a later date but if they don't work for my horses can always cover them over.

Highlands it started off so that my Shetland can see someone as she hates being alone :( but then I thought the others might like one too. I will have one stable that doesn't have any at all as it's the foaling box so I want any mare in it to know they are safe with their baby :)
 
ElleSkywalker said:
Ooo thanks for the pics, mine would be most like Terns but stables are wood. Casey very posh!

Flow did they look messy boarded up? Am thinking we can't put them in at a later date but if they don't work for my horses can always cover them over.

Highlands it started off so that my Shetland can see someone as she hates being alone :( but then I thought the others might like one too. I will have one stable that doesn't have any at all as it's the foaling box so I want any mare in it to know they are safe with their baby :)
Click to expand...

I am very excited to use mine for first time this winter! :D I plan to cover mine up with ply board if needed.. mare may be evil.
 
My stables have a small windows in the walls between, they all love them and say to each other quite a lot and two of them through their feed bowls to each other every night through their windows!
 
I had stables built 2 years ago and have solid walls between them. I have a few who hate being stared at, and kicking at walls because of this was what damaged the old stables beyond repair!
 
Mine would be more likely to climb through the windows to steal each others food :rolleyes3: Am always impressed when people post pics of their horses sharing feed or even hay.......mine would be so busy killing each the feed/hay would blow awaaaaaaay :biggrin3:
 
Ha! Ha! Yes I have a photo of two of them sharing hay through their windows! They can be annoying though as sometimes rugs get posted through the windows if I am not careful!
 
We have them at my yard. My horse is a bit needy and likes to see his neighbour. Some of the others are less keen and have theirs boarded over. Depends on your horses really. Ultimately, mine would survive without a grill but some of the others on the yard would not be safe with a grill. So if in doubt, maybe don't bother?
 
I've got partial talk grilles at the front of my stables. My 3 all appreciate this, they can chat if they want, or feed or sleep in peace. Pics taken in middle stable.

It would be easy enough to block them off with plyboard if necessary, if inhabitants needed more privacy.

image.jpg1_zps2kp5k0jn.jpg



image.jpg2_zpswm9cqeh3.jpg
 
Thanks Tiddlypom, that's the size they would be but they tend to put them in the middle. Am going to be really sad and draw the plan of stables with what I plan on putting where (hay nets/bars, water windows etc ) and see how the grilles would fit in and where they would be best placed :)
 
I've just got a gap no grille between my mares. I had permission to remove a panel from the stables few years back as my youngster wasn't coping. Made an instant and massive change to her. behaviour. My old girl who can be very space protective was fine, she just grumps the youngster back into her own space when she wants, but happily lets her stick her head through when she needs to feel safer.

plus oldie often sticks her head the other way when she wants to. I often come up to find one or other with their heads resting into the others box
 
I've had a grill put in so that my mini can see her friend at night. She's currently on box rest so seeing a friend at all times has helped her.
 
Casey76 said:
Our stables are in a big barn with a 25ft high roof, so the air is free flowing all the time.

This is an old phot, but it gives you an idea of what our boxes are like

Blitznewboxes2.jpg
Click to expand...

My stables (IAE) are very similar to this albeit in a smaller building. I have actually been wondering whether I can get some of the grills converted to being removable so my lot can groom over the partitions, so I guess a step further than you are thinking. I have no problems with them only being separated by grills when it comes to feeding. Don't forget you can feed so buckets/hay are at opposite sides of the stables so not that near to each other.
 
We have just had new boxes built and have chat grills in the centre of each box. My three all graze together and although there is clearly a hierarchy they never strop through the bars. I adlib forage and rarely close the stable doors so they often saunter in and out of each other's stables anyway. I think the size of the box maybe makes a difference so they can move about in the box whenever we close doors. Ours are 12x 14 for the pony and 12 x 16 for the horses.
 
debsflo said:
I've had a grill put in so that my mini can see her friend at night. She's currently on box rest so seeing a friend at all times has helped her.
Click to expand...

Its mainly for my Shetland to be able to see the horse next to her, as she hates being on her own, but the grille will be about the height of a normal stable door so wondering if she'll be able to see the horse next to her even with one as she is so tiny?!
 
Have decided to go for 4ft long grilles in the middle of the partition walls as 8ft ones will definitely cause riots :biggrin3: sadly there is a 6 weeks lead time at the min for stables so it's going to be a while before the ponies can enjoy their posh new beds :(
 
*Update * thought I'd do an update as if anyone ever searches the topic then at least they will know my experiences.

I went for 4 foot grilles in the end and the ponies LOVE them. Lots of happy sniffing thro the bars and when I sneak a look out two of them in particular always seem to be angled in their stables so they can see each other thro the bars.

As yet I have only fed them hay in the stables and I expect a small strop when they start getting fed in there but all in all am very pleased I went for them.

I also had windows in the back opposite corner from the doors and have also spotted the ponies looking out of their windows at next doors posh ponies :biggrin3:

A couple of pics

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lcir3p04bp3vaxb/2015-06-17 18.10.15.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n9siokp0gxx603j/2015-06-17 17.58.25.jpg?dl=0
 
Thanks Shoei, they have worked out really well. I'm afraid I was a bit of a fussy brat about them and so asked for the roof to be lined with ply, which has ment instead of dark roofs they are really really light inside :biggrin3: I also got a little over excited about the lights so have LED strip lights that are so bright you could get at tan. Great for when you need good light for getting ready for comps, less great the rest of the time as shows how mucky the ponies are :biggrin3:
 
Lol... interestingly we were just talking about putting LED strips in the other day! We have wooden stables but quite a decent overhang so don't get much light in and I hate not being able to see well when mucking out and grooming!
 
Lovely stables and glad it worked out. I was a livery for years with a similar setup and the vast majority of horses liked it. There were, however, some who took a real dislike and had to be moved into conventional boxes so it was a good idea to ensure that you do have both options.
 
Am v pleased with them having had normal fluorescent lights before. They weren't cheap but we live opposite the transformer thingy for the electrics to our hamlet so normal bulbs blow all the time and we thought it might be better.

The chap that did them was awesome, if you want his details PM me as I think you are quite close to me :)
 
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