Trotting Down the Trail: Phase Two: All the Little Tasks

Inside my barn, looking at both stalls. I intend to leave this whole area open to them, but it's not really designed to be used that way. So, I'm trying to make it safe.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow's the day that Red and Rhio come home. I'm pretty sure my weekend plans consist of watching the horses out the windows, and going out to see them/feed them/brush them/give them my apple cores every hour or so. I think I'm all ready for them.

I've been waiting for the FedEx guy all day, and he finally came! In 20 minutes, I had the last 15 feet of poly tape up and had walked the whole fenceline, checking and tightening. The top and middle line are connected to the fencer, and when I plug it in, it clicks! Hopefully that means it's all nice and hot. So, the major component of the horses-at-home project is complete - I have an enclosed pasture.

Gate!

The whole fence is complete.

Over the past week, I've been doing a bunch of little things to make the barn and pasture ready. I bought a pipe gate, and although it could use a little adjusting, it'll work for now. I cleaned all the junk out of the stalls, and looked over every surface for protruding nails or screws (found a few). With the help of a bunch of salt and a bunch of upper body strength, my hubby got both the big sliding barn door and the person door chopped out and opening/closing as they should. I bought 6 trial bales of hay and have them stacked in my hay shed. The hay guy can deliver in loads of 100 bales, if I (and the horses) like the hay, so hopefully I'll be calling him early next week to set up a delivery. Thanks to my hubby's simple and cost efficient solution, I found a way to cover the sliding stall door hardware so I feel that I'll be able to leave the barn and stalls open for the horses to have free access.

On the left, the metal plate that the stall door latches hook onto. This sticks out into the area I want open for them at least 6 inches. Hubby's great idea: tennis balls! I cut a slit in them with a hacksaw, and popped them over the ends. Now, as long as the horses (ahem, I mean "Rhio") don't think they're toys, I'll be all set!

The bottom plate which holds the stall doors when they're closed.

And, I've found them a friend. Daria, a retired broodmare Miniature Horse is going to be joining my herd soon. Her only real job will be to keep Red company, so I can take Rhio away for an hour, a day, or a weekend. She is from a friend of a friend, and I'll be going to pick her up sometime in the next several weeks. I'm guessing she'll also be popular with nieces, nephews, and kids of friends - so come visit us!

I still need to get their water set up, and sweep all the cobwebs and spiders (eww!) out of the nooks, crannies, and corners of the barn. And, of course, my list of things to get for the barn grows and grows! Mostly, though, I just can't wait for tomorrow!!!

Sliding door to my little room. It's not really a feed room - I'll be keeping their feed in the house, because there's no water at the barn and I make them soaked beet pulp every day. And it's not really a tack room - too small for my stuff, and I'll mostly be riding away from home, so I'm going to leave my tack in my trailer. But, it'll hold halters, grooming stuff, blankets, treats, fly spray, etc.