Wash area/box recommendations

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Liane

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I am looking for recommendations for planning a wash down area, am thinking of tie up area, are cross ties best or not really necessary? What about hot water, I am presuming that is essential? Also what are people's thoughts on those overhead metal arms that hold the hose, useful or waste of time? Any other 'essentials' that people have?

I had posted in tackroom but thought I might get more responses in here as people who compete may use wash facilities more often?
 
I just had a new yard built and had a covered area for washing etc. Mine is 18x14' so a bit wide for x ties but I can tie two up next to each other. I have 5 tie rings so plenty of options to tie up. I have a hot horse shower run off a gas bottle as I didn't have electricity to start with.
I have good lighting, a drain across the middle and all along one side, if laying new concrete ensure there is enough fall so the water doesn't pool anywhere. I don't have a hose boom as one of mine would freak.
I have a storage rack for shampoos etc, fold down saddle racks and rounded hooks for bridles as safer than normal bridle hooks and I have a couple of poles on strings to hang exercise boots on to dry.
I would like some heat lamps but having just built the yard and arena the added luxuries will have to wait.
 
Thank you, extra storage is an excellent idea, I did wonder about the hose booms and if they would make them freak out! I have seen the hot shower powered by the gas bottle, do you find it works well? That is the sort I am interested in.
 
I would suggest that the booms are a great idea so you are not constantly getting tangled up in the hose - I know LynH's circmstances are different but it is worth getting the horse used to them. We've had several new horses come onto the yard recently and they all get there in the end.
Great advice on storage from Lyn too, but we find cross ties useful as it gives you a neutral safe place for clipping. trimming etc too. Again they soon get used to the idea that this is where you stand still and behave!
Lakeland etc do some great hanging shelves that would be ideal just outside the wash area to store dry towels etc - nothing worse than towels falling in the floor!
 
i agree with cross ties it makes it much easier i find. on yard i was at had converted the last stable (lodden internal boxes) in the barn into the wash box so was 12x12 and you could shut the door so if teh young/naughty ones tried to pull back they couldnt get onto the yard and cause havock!

Hot water is deffinatly a must if you can as are the solariums if funds allow!

the beams are good and most horses get used to them so that wouldnt worry me but we just bought a hose from one of the shoopping channels and its the 'x hose' and perfect for around the yard stores in a compresed state then triples in length when hose is onimpossible to kink and doesnt break/split when horse treds on it and water still comes out even when they are stood on it! never thought i'd get excited about a hose but its fab!

http://www.officialxhose.co.uk/
 
Liane said:
Thank you, extra storage is an excellent idea, I did wonder about the hose booms and if they would make them freak out! I have seen the hot shower powered by the gas bottle, do you find it works well? That is the sort I am interested in.
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I've had mine for well over a year and really pleased with it. Just attach the shower unit to the gas bottle and a hose from the tap running cold water in and a shorter hose for washing. Warm water comes through immediately. You do have to take it indoors when it freezes outside as that can damage it. I did think about replacing it with a shower unit run off the electric but I'd still have the problem of water freezing in it and the gas one is so easy to take indoors.

I did see a good idea for storage, screwing a wooden CD rack to the wall on its side so you can stand shampoo bottles in the squares.
 
Having a coloured horse, my wash box is my favourite area on my yard! I have cross ties so they can face back out on to the yard and it does make a good space for washing, clipping, trimming, plaiting and pulling. I have a hot horse shower which I think is amazing, no idea how I coped before. I also have equine sunswitch solarium lamps which are wonderful. Last winter I recall washing my clipped coloured horse in the cosy wash area watching the snow fall outside! I have put some old stable mats on the floor, but not sure if there maybe a better flooring idea? I have used those plastic garage shelving at the back for all the wash stuff. I like the idea of the hose boom, but I probably don't have the space for it, my wash area is about 9 foot by 12 foot.
 
I have an area on my yard near the gate which has the walls of indoor school on one side. I brought a horse shower / boom from robinsons and small containers , 1 for each livery to store shampoo - sponges in. No planning needed, washing down etc all drains in the right direction, and keeps clearing up to a small area.

Also found one of the hose lock attachments brilliant in offering different types of sprays and enabling 2 types of pressure within these sprays.http://www.screwfix.com/p/hozelock-...racking url &gclid=CJ_Y2uaRgrsCFTMftAodz1cAug its the best one and the red button on the top changes the strength of each type so u can have harder or softer, I had a perspex sign made up as all washing bathing in this area. We have not done cross tying but have done the rest

I /WE prefer this area than a box as the light is good for hosing high up cuts on horses
 
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