Help needed! Where do you groom your horse??

Belfastgirl

New Member
Feb 2, 2009
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We are at the planning stage for our new stables and we got our quote back from builder, it was around 15k more than we had budgeted for!!
In the original plans we had a covered area for grooming farrier etc. We have to make some compromises and I was wondering is this a necessary expense?

Where do you all groom etc? We will have 14ft by 14ft stalls and a large overhang, is that good enough or should we cut back else where??
 
That would be a luxury! i groom/bath/farrier tied up outside stable unless its raining, when i do it in the stable instead.
 
Have another couple of builders giving us quotes. I had thought with the credit crunch we keep hearing about that now would be a good time to build, but this guy doesn't seem to be any cheaper!! Architect had given us a rough idea but the quote was a lot more expensive than what he had told us!! Back to drawing board, maybe the power shower, under ground heating and flat screen tv are a bit much?! (kidding!!)
 
I'd deffo shop around for a few more quotes..
I groom outside the stable weather permitting...
The stables have a overhang so that farrier can work if it rains...
 
I agree with the others Belfastgirl - so long as you have a hard standing area outside that will be fine. It would be nice to have a covered grooming area, but it's certainly something you could live without. One thing that's not worth scrimping on is size of the arena though - it'd be o.k for the donkey, but if you're planning on getting a bigish horse I've found all but the well balanced beasties struggle in our small pony sized arena.
 
If your horse is covered in dry mud you would want to groom him right outside anyway so that the dust didnt get up either of your noses!

My farrier always does mine outside anyway, as long as you do have dry areas (i.e. a stable per horse for if they need it) anything else is a real luxury, but not essential I am sure!

I just had two adjoining stables errected for £1500, wooden of course but they are really high quality and very well made - company from cornwall who advertise on ebay. Was a bit dubious beforehand as so cheap, but very impressed and happy now they are up and survived the snow and the gales!!
 
I would tend to put it out to tender with stable suppliers rather than try to build to architects plans. I think you will get better value for money that way.

Around this area you are not actually allowed to build brick stables as then the planners think you are going to want to convert them to houses!!
 
I think I am very lucky as our stables are brick and we have a large shed that our rug room, feed room and all our hay and straw are in. There is also room to tie 3 horses up to groom, clip, farrier etc. Our farrier loves coming to ours as he never gets wet. He even backs his van up to the shed!:D

I would hate to have to do everything outside now. It really is a luxury. Thank god we live our own farm.
 
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