Time/Labour saving tips needed please!

[clairev]

In the next few weeks we will be constructing two stables behind our property with a small sandyard attached. Any labour saving tips and ideas that we could incorporate at the build stage (they will be of timber construction) would be much appreciated.

[Roz Morris]

Automatic waterers save you carrying water buckets hither and thither all the time, although you can't tell how much the horse has drunk, or indeed if he has drunk anything.
Rubber matting gives extra cushioning so you can cut down on bedding and some kinds can be used in place of bedding altogether. However I think that looks a bit cheerless and it may not be as cosy.

[Wally]

If you need to measure how much a horse is drinking if you use self filling troughs, just tie up the ball ****.

Don't worry about stable looking less cosy with rubber matting. Horses are not nest builders, humans are, pigs are but a horse won't care if he hasn't got 12 inches of bedding to lie in.

[Maci]

I don't have a stable and I don't know if this is cost efficient, but you could try using peat moss as the 'under' bedding, and wood shavings as the 'top' bedding.

My instructor uses peat moss and wood shavings, and she put's in a new bag of wood shavings once a week, in each stall.

Good Luck!
Maci :)

[Mossy]

Build in hooks for haynets etc at the planning stage. Much easier than adding them afterwards. Don't forget to decide where to site the muck heap

[clairev]

Many thanks everyone for all your replies! I'll bear all of the advice in mind.

[Wally]

It seems my perfectly innocent reference to plumbing has been censored, Perhaps if I miss out the space and spell ballcock as one word I will not offend!