Problem with stable door
- Thread starter Birker2020
- Start date
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Sorry I got called away and when I came back to type what I wanted I had been locked out by the administrator!!!
Basically I am on a large livery yard and we have stables which i believe were built and installed by someone with a very similar design to the photo in the link above - it could well be the same people. For the past six years my horse has been stabled in the same stable which is on the end of a row of stables in an indoor barn. Somehow over the last two years on numerous occasions my horse manages to pull the sliding door of his stable off its runner at the bottom of the door. There is a gap between the two runners that hang from the metal framework at the top of the door and my father inserted two spacers which encased these runners that hang from the framework thus reducing the gap to zero to try to prevent the door from coming off the runner at the bottom. We guessed and that the horse was rubbing his neck on the door thus pushing the door upwards into this gap which was in turn causing the two metal runners welded to the bottom of the door to come off the fixing which is bolted into the concrete floor and allows the door to rest on top of. One of these two runners that are attached to the bottom of the stable door and run parallel with each other have somehow snapped off and on Monday the handyman appointed by the yard took the door off and welded the missing strip thus attaching a new strip to replace what had been lost in an effort to remedy the situation. Since then the door has come off its runners a further three times.
I am at my wits end with regards to this door. The door has been lowered on numerous occasions to try to eleviate the problem of it coming off its runners at the bottom but still the door comes off and hangs suspended from the framework at the top like a cat flap. The obvious problem is that my horse can and no doubt will get his foot caught between the door and the door frame when the door comes off its runners, this will obviously lead to a disasterous outcome for the horse when it tries to free its foot and finds it cannot and panics.
My dad believes that the rounded metal part that is fixed by a bolt into the floor to the left of the stable door (as you look at it) is lower than the fixing the other side of the door (due to the floor sloping away towards the washbox area).
Can anyone suggest anything that could be done to help my Father try to remedy the problem? Has anyone had a similar thing happen to their stable door and what did you do to remedy the situation?
Please can someone help? I can't sleep at night through worrying about losing my horse. The only stable which is available (that has another sliding door) has had the same thing happen to it as has happened to mine as have two or three other stable doors. I wish I had a normal stable door with a bolt and kick bolt.
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Box_Of_Frogs
Well-Known Member
Can't you take the sliding door off completely and just fix a normal opening one with bolt and kick bolt? Failing that, get your dad to fix a strong and solid wooden bar (think floor board size) across the inside of the sliding door, held in place by two slots either side of the door. Even if the sliding door came off, the solid wooden rail would prevent the horse getting out. You could even fit one of the webbing door guards inside the sliding door.
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Hi BOF. The framework wouldn't allow the hinges for the door to be fixed as they are metal. The horse couldn't escape as the door doesn't come off it will only open up like a cat flap swinging from the top. That is not my concern. My concern is the very real and immediate danger of him getting a foot stuck between door and frame, pulling back and breaking a leg a bit like a horse would get a leg stuck between door and frame if a kick bolt was not done up at the bottom of a stable door.
This happened to someones horse a couple of years ago, it was written in horse and hound magazine and I have never forgotten the utter horror of it. That is why I can't get a minutes peace as I am so concerned about my boy.
FairyLights
Well-Known Member
I'd be asking the YO for different stable,if one isnt available then move to another yard.Sorry, not much help, I know. Other than that, get YO to remove the door,the metl frame,or even the whole front of the box, and put in a more usual arrangement of swinging stble door.
Maesfen
Extremely Old Nag!
Echo this or variations on it although TBF, your YO should be doing it for you or pursuing the company to correct it no matter how old the stables are; I'm sure they wouldn't like to be liable if anything were to happen.
You could also fix up an inner half door which would take away the problem of him getting stuck at the bottom; it wouldn't matter if it opened in towards the stable either, you'd just need to keep bedding away from that corner.
If it's too much to make a half door then two rails as BOF described; one at ground level on the inside of the door, another on the outside of the door at the bottom so the door is wedged between them, it can't swing. Cheaper still, if you have an old rug, fasten it to the bottom of the bars so that it covers and comes well out so he can't physically get his legs in contact with the bottom of the door as he'll be standing on the rug.
It is easily fixable you just need to think outside the box (excuse the pun!)
Bryndu
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Gosh what a worry.
Suggestion: email what you have just said to every manufacturer of similar stables with sliding doors and see what advice they offer, then you can tackle YO with info.
Bryndu
Gosh what a worry.
Suggestion: email what you have just said to every manufacturer of similar stables with sliding doors and see what advice they offer, then you can tackle YO with info.
Bryndu
kiritiger
Well-Known Member
Could you put a piece of wood across the bottom of the door so there is no gap when it is in the 'cat flap' state if you know what I mean?
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Doubt it as there is nothing to fix it on to. The framework can't be divided up either as the whole row is one framework, so its a continous 'block' of about nine stables.
I just don't know what to do. I can't move yards as I am out of work in Feb 2011 when the funding for my job ceases (Local Authority post). i work some afternoons at the yard in return for getting rent knocked off my bill. I can hardly move yards when I know I am not going to be able to fund the £40- £50 a week it costs to DIY my horse come beginning of Feb. I really need some kind of kick bolt but as my stable is the last in the row there is nothing to fasten the kick bolt to other than fresh air.
In such a quandry. Am hoping the manufacturer gives me a reply. Even if I have to pay for someone from their firm to come out and remedy the situation once and for all I am happy to do that for peace of mind.
Thanks for all your suggestions guys
Maesfen
Extremely Old Nag!
If all else fails, get either two breeze blocks or railway sleepers and put one either side of the bottom of the door so he can't push the bottom of the door out and it can't be pulled back in. It won't affect you opening the sliding door at all and should hold the door in place. Would certainly suffice as a quick fix until it can be sorted.
(Desperation is the Mother of invention!)
(Desperation is the Mother of invention!)
Rainbowrider
Well-Known Member
I know it would be a right pain, but you could put a piece of ply wood on it's side, on the inside of the door. If you made two holes on the ply, you could tie it to the bars on the stable. Only do it in a bow, as you need to be able to get the horse out fast just in case there was a fire.
You could maybe use this type of arrangement with the door completely taken off too?
You could maybe use this type of arrangement with the door completely taken off too?
FairyLights
Well-Known Member
any update? did you manage to get this problem fixed OP?
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
No not as yet. I have emailed Loddon as I think its a Loddon stable and I am waiting for a reply which if I don't get by midweek will phone them. Unfortunately my Dad has had an operation recently which means he is out of action for the next two or three weeks so I can't ask him to help me. He feels that the plug arrangement bolted onto the concrete floor needs taking off and raising a few millimetres as the floor is lower on the one side of the door than the other, which has GOT to be the reason why its coming off the runners being as everything else has been eliminated now. I am sick to death of the whole thing. Its been okay since last Tuesday and not come off the runner again but this is how it is, it can go days or sometimes weeks and be fine and then come off again. Fixing any problem takes a certain amount of time and you have to go through a process of elimination first before you resolve the problem. But I agree it needs to be as a matter of urgency.
I am wondering how feasible it would be to weld stable hinges onto the framework of the stable and fix an opening door instead of a sliding door. But a) not sure if we have a spare door I could swap b) whether the YO would allow me to start carving up my stable c) whether it would be feasible anyway.
NELSON11
Well-Known Member
Why don't you move into Florians stable now on my side of the yard? That has a door which swings open and a kick bolt
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
NELSON11
Well-Known Member
Tom has already moved in otherwise I would have moved like a shot
I know, you told me in your email. Shame you never moved into Little Baileys old one eh.
Hopefully it will get resolved
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Oh yes, but it had definetely been fixed up after Dad put the spacers on. But then Lil took the door off to weld the bit on the bottom and its all out of shape and sync again.
I do hope it will get resolved quickly. Waiting for manufacturer to revert back to me re: email I sent them but may start pestering them today for an answer. If I have to pay myself to get them to take a look at it then so be it.