Security and Comfort for Horses
Preparing the perfect home for your horse is one of the most important aspects of horse ownership. While some owners will choose to board their horses, others will want to purchase stalls to put in place at home. If you are building your own barn, you will need to look at the different key features of these stalls, including stall fronts. There is a wide range of options on the market today for these stall doors or fronts, ranging from wooden to metal door options. Size, materials, and features are all different aspects to think about, once you have a budget in mind. To get started, it's helpful to write a list of features that you are looking for.
Swinging and sliding doors are two of the most commonly seen stall fronts. These may be divided into two panels, partially cover half of the opening, or cover the full length of the doorway. With metal doors, it's most common for the doors to only cover a partial layer of the opening, so that the horse can see over the barrier, which most breeds seem to prefer. If you choose swing fronts, be sure that they open up into the aisle instead of into the stall. You can latch these so that they don't interfere with the amount of workspace that you have in your aisle.
Sliding doors are another popular option for stall fronts, because they are smooth to operate and convenient for horses. However, they require more hardware than the swing doors do. You will need to make sure that you have floor-level guides put into place, so that the horse is unable to paw or kick at the doors. If you choose to put full-length doors into place, be sure that these have fewer than one and a half inches of clearance under them, so that the horse's hooves or legs don't get stuck under the door, causing potentially serious injuries.
Some horses may try to jump over the stall fronts, so if you think this might be a concern, it's better to choose a full height door or one with metal bars in place. These allow the horse to still see out of the stall, but they will be unable to undo any latches or jump over the top of the barrier, for added security and convenience. Looking at all options ahead of time will help you find the best fit.
Swinging and sliding doors are two of the most commonly seen stall fronts. These may be divided into two panels, partially cover half of the opening, or cover the full length of the doorway. With metal doors, it's most common for the doors to only cover a partial layer of the opening, so that the horse can see over the barrier, which most breeds seem to prefer. If you choose swing fronts, be sure that they open up into the aisle instead of into the stall. You can latch these so that they don't interfere with the amount of workspace that you have in your aisle.
Sliding doors are another popular option for stall fronts, because they are smooth to operate and convenient for horses. However, they require more hardware than the swing doors do. You will need to make sure that you have floor-level guides put into place, so that the horse is unable to paw or kick at the doors. If you choose to put full-length doors into place, be sure that these have fewer than one and a half inches of clearance under them, so that the horse's hooves or legs don't get stuck under the door, causing potentially serious injuries.
Some horses may try to jump over the stall fronts, so if you think this might be a concern, it's better to choose a full height door or one with metal bars in place. These allow the horse to still see out of the stall, but they will be unable to undo any latches or jump over the top of the barrier, for added security and convenience. Looking at all options ahead of time will help you find the best fit.