Barn Equipment

Introduction to Basic Barn Equipment

Whether you're boarding at a large facility, keeping your horse on your own property or going to a show, there are several tools that are considered "must haves" in horse keeping. These run in two categories; tools you need for the facility, and tools you'll need for your horse. Keep in mind that depending on your budget, you can go from the very plain to very fancy but always bear in mind that you get what you pay for.

For the Barn:

Basic tools you'll need at the barn or take your horse on the road to a show or clinic include the following:

Manure fork - From the plain wooden ones to the newer metal, ergonomically correct ones, you need a manure fork that will last.
Five gallon buckets - available in a variety of colors and styles, you'll need to have at least two on hand for water.
Two gallon buckets - The smaller version of the water bucket, these buckets can be used to for carrying your grooming brushes, etc, for feed, for first aid and also giving baths. Have at least three on hand just to be on the safe side and if at all possible, label them so the first aid bucket isn't used to feed your horse, for instance. There's also a rectangular feed bucket with a built in handle that hangs over the stall door, if you're looking for something a bit fancier.
Sturdy wheelbarrow - At home or away, a wheelbarrow is a handy thing to have to transport hay, feed or even tack.
Muck bucket - A round, 40-quart bucket with rope handles to put manure and dirty bedding. It can also be used as a water bucket in a pinch.
Muck bucket cart - This wheeled frame for the muck bucket is an invaluable tool if you have space for it. Just slightly larger than the bucket itself with a tall handle, it makes it so much easier to haul manure or even hay than having to carry the bucket by the handles.
Baling twine - It's free (comes on every bale of hay), it's strong and handy to have around in case you have to hang up buckets, tack holders, or safely tie a spooky horse to a trailer or cross ties.
Knife and/or scissors - Another one of those tools, especially if you're at a show or clinic, that you never know when you'll need it.
Spoon - It sounds crazy, but nothing beats a good, heavy wooden spoon for mixing medications into feed or stirring a variety of feeds together in the feed bucket.
Mortar & pestle or coffee grinder - If your horse needs medication like bute or aspirin, the easiest option is to grind it up and put the powder in their feed. Some horses may prove too picky for this to work, but these are good tools to have around just in case.
First Aid kit - You'll want to keep some basic first aid supplies on hand for humans and horses alike. You should cover the gambit from simple aspirin and vet wrap to syringes
Flashlight - Does this really need explanation?
Tool kit - Be sure to have the basics like a hammer, screwdriver, and wrench as well as an assortment of screws, nails and hardware you might need to hang buckets. Extra double-ended clasps, for instance, are always useful.
Fire extinguisher - Ditto flashlight. Wooden barn + hay + cigarette butt or faulty electrical wiring = disaster.
Cross ties - Either at home or at shows, it's easier to groom or tack your horse if they are standing in cross ties. Cross ties are simply two lead ropes, light chains, or bungee-like ropes that connect to a fixed object at one end (barn wall, a post, etc.) and to each side of the horse's halter at the other, preferably with quick-release snap in case of emergency.
Saddle stand - If you're going to a show or have limited space at home, it's good to have a portable saddle stand (some even come on wheels) to put your saddle on while you are getting ready to tack. It's also a great place to clean your saddle before or after your ride.
Bridle rack - There are a number of portable bridle racks for use away from home or in a barn with very limited space. Ones that hang over the door are handy; they can be hung over a stall or even tied with baling twin to a grooming area. There are also bell shaped portable ones that can easily be hung up, just be careful not to hang it where your horse could run into it with his head. These racks are useful when getting ready to tack or for cleaning tack before or after a ride.
Broom - A sturdy broom is always a necessity when trying to keep crossties, a tack room or a trailer neat and clean.
Stud Chains - Normally these chains are used on a horse's halter connected to their lead rope but they are also an excellent way to hang buckets or secure gates.
Duct Tape - As always, this falls under the category of miracle fix in any situation. From a lost shoe to a broken hose, you never have enough duct tape.
Garden Hose - While most facilities supply them, it's always a good idea to have your own hose for water just in case.
Power Sprayer - Any kind of garden nozzle that allows you to adjust the spray is a plus when giving a bath, cold-hosing a swollen leg or just filling up water buckets.
Phone List - It's always wise to have an updated phone list with emergency contact numbers like your vet or insurance company, as well as the phone numbers for owners of your neighboring horses just in case. When you're facing an emergency or on a dark winter evening is not the time to be scrambling for a phone book.
Towels - You can never have enough clean towels on hand for tack cleaning, wound care, or drying off a wet rider in case of rain!
Tack cleaning kit - It's best to keep a wide assortment of sponges and a bucket on hand to clean your tack. Try to use a sponge on one product only, for instance glycerin soap, and not several like oil, soap and conditioner.
Mounting block - Unless you're riding and Icelandic Pony, it's a good idea to have a mounting block to help you get up on your horse. It saves the tree of your saddle, it saves your horse's back and is a darned sight easier than mounting from the ground.
Step stool - You may want to consider buying an inexpensive step stool, particularly if you are thinking of showing. It's the safest, easiest way to braid your horse's mane, for starters, and can be used for countless other barn chores.

Basic Tack Room Equipment

If you are fortunate enough to have a tack room available to you, that is a separate shed, room or converted stall to store you saddle, bridle, etc. in, there is some additional equipment you'll want to keep in mind.

Saddle racks
Bridle racks
Shelves or drawers to store miscellaneous items like your first aid kit, etc.
Tack trunks - a separate trunk for every horse or owner to store their extra equipment, such as blankets, spare bits or bridles is ideal.
A refrigerator to store medications, ice for wounds, etc. is also ideal but not always practical.

For the Horse:

Here's where the real fun begins. A horse owner will spend a lifetime acquiring tack and equipment they can't live without, but here are some basics to get you started:

Halter & lead rope - Halters come in a variety of styles and materials. A good everyday halter can be nylon, nylon with a leather "break away" crown piece in case of emergencies, or even rope. The style all depends on you, just be sure to get on that fits your horse properly.
Shipping Halter - For safety's sake, it's best to ship your horse in a leather halter or a nylon halter with a break away piece. In case of an emergency, you want the halter to break rather than have the horse get in even worse trouble because they are trapped and nylon halters won't break.
Grooming kit - A basic grooming kit consists of a stiff brush (a "dandy"), a softer brush ("body brush") and a hoof pick. Beyond that, you can always use a mane & tail brush and curry comb.
Grooming tote - A rectangular box with a handle used to carry and store your grooming supplies. You can also use just a plain bucket, but a tote keeps things a little neater and is bigger.
Lunge line - Also spelled longe line. It's a longer version of a lead rope, usually around thirty feet long. It allows you to lunge (or longe) your horse in a circle a set distance from the handler. Lunging can be used to train young horses, to burn off extra energy particularly before a show, or to teach lessons that focus on the rider's position.
Lunge whip - A whip with a long handle, up to five feet tall, and a lash that's even longer. The whip is used when lunging a horse but it never touches the horse; the trainer uses the whip to make a popping sound that encourages the horse to move forward.
Stud chain - A length of light chain that is attached to the lead rope and then threaded through the halter. It's used primarily if a horse is too rambunctious to be led without the slight pressure that a stud chain applies.
Standing wrap - Also called a stable wrap. It consists of two pieces, a quilt wrap and a stretchy wrap. The quilts come in heights, ranging from 12" to 18", depending on the size of your horse. You will need two quilts for the front legs, and two quilts approximately two inches taller than the front for the back legs. For instance, a typical horse wears twelve-inch quilts on the front and fourteen inch quilts on the back. The quilts are carefully wrapped along the lower legs, then overlaid with stretchy wraps approximately 5" wide and 14 - 18 feet long. Extra care should be taken to apply this wraps correctly; if you aren't sure, ask a knowledgeable person to show you how. These wraps are used in case of injury, chronic conditions or for shipping.
Polo wraps/boots - It's a good idea to have either a set of polo wraps or a set of boots to protect his legs while riding. The type of boots depends on the sport you are riding and your horse's conformation. Consult with your trainer, instructor or knowledgeable equestrian if you aren't sure what boots are right for you.
Clippers - There are two basic types of clippers. Body clippers are larger, more expensive, and used for the heavy-duty job of clipping hair off the entire horse. This is usually done in the wintertime, when horse's coats naturally grow very long and thick. Owners often choose to clip horses who are working and in stalls over the wintertime to keep them from getting too sweaty. This is a difficult task and should not be undertaken without expert help. The other type of clipper is lighter weight, quieter and smaller. It's used to clip hair from the horse's muzzle, ears, bridle path and other small areas. Most people only own the lighter weight ones due to the expense of body clippers.
Blankets/sheets - Depending on the area of the country you live in, you will most likely have to buy your horse a sheet, a stable blanket or a turnout blanket. You also will want to consider buying a rain sheet, to be worn over your tack in case of rain, as well as a quarter sheet to keep your horse's hindquarters warm as you begin work in cold weather. A flysheet may prove useful in the summer time. A cooler is also a good idea to help your horse cool off slowly after heavy work or after a bath in cold weather.
Tack - Saddles, pads, bridles and other pieces of tack are important pieces of barn equipment for your horse. It's important you buy tack that fits, is good quality and is well maintained. Cleaning and oiling your tack on a regular basis will prevent you from having to replace it.

Take your time buying your equipment, doing plenty of research on what you and your horse need. Horse people are typically very generous with loaning their equipment out to those in need. Just be sure you take good care of it and return it in the same condition or better.

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