Blogs

Planning horse stalls for your barn? Discover our curated collection of blog posts covering design tips, cost factors, maintenance, and more to guide your project.

Choosing the right yoke for your horse stalls can enhance comfort, ventilation, and socialization. From open yokes to hinged and removable designs, explore the best options to create a welcoming and functional barn environment.

It's the second week of October and we're finally seeing falling leaves and change in their beautiful colors. These changes signal the shift from Summer to Fall to Winter. Before we know it, winter will soon be knocking on our barn doors.

This time of the year (mid-to-late Fall) is the perfect time to prepare the barn for winter. After all, it's of utmost importance to ensure a safe, comfortable, and functional environment for our four-legged friends. Before the temperatures drop further and snow piles on, here are six things that will make sure your barn is ready for the Winter months.

#1 – Deep Clean Your Horse Stalls

Just like your home or your car, it's easy for our barn cleaning routine to fall behind during the colder Winter months. For this reason, we recommend to get a head start in deep cleaning your horse stalls. We recommend to remove the any bedding and manure from Fall months. This helps us do a thorough deep clean and stall disinfection. [Read our article on how to disinfect a horse stall here]. After disinfection and a deep clean, you can then use stall dry products to dry up any wet spots in your stall. As cold weather ramps up, we can add layers of clean dry straw to make for comfortable bedding.

We have a thorough guide on how to disinfect your horse stalls.

#2 – Organize Blankets

As we transition to colder weather, identify and clean your horse’s lightweight sheet. As temperatures drop through October, we recommend to be mindful about your horses’ blanketing needs. There might be some nights where your horses may require light blanketing. As we get further into November, it is important to ensure that your heavy blankets are cleaned and ready to go. This way, winter will not sneak up on you.

Lastly, one of the best ways to organize your blankets in the barn are through high-quality blanket bars. A well made blanket bar will have enough space between the horse stall and the blanket bar. This space will allow space for your lightweight blankets and heavy blankets to dry.

Lastly, make sure that each of the blankets still properly fit your horses. Athletes, new borns, seniors, and laid up horses may have gained or lost weight over the Summer and early Fall. For this reason, we recommend to check that their blankets fit snug around them.

#3 – Inspect Electrical Components and the HVAC

No matter the age of your horse barn, we recommend to schedule inspections on your wiring and electrical outlets. A thorough inspection includes the clearing of dust, debris, and cobwebs.

In the long daylight hours of summertime and early Fall, we might notice (or care) that certain indoor or outdoor lights have gone out. This all changes, of course, once the evenings grow shorter and we find ourselves changing a bulk in the evening. Make sure all your work areas will be well lit when you need them to be. Replace any blown bulbs and check wires for fraying.

We also recommend to have your HVAC system inspected if your barn has a system. Lastly, also recommend to outfit your barn with battery-powered (or solar powered) flashlights to provide safe access to your barn during power outages. Please note that all outlets or frayed wiring should be immediately repaired by a licensed professional.

#4 – Inspect & Clean Your Barn’s Feed Room & Plan Ahead

Chilly fall evenings are often a cue for rodents to look for extra food. Before you know, a horse barn’s feed room can be an ideal outlet for rodents. For this reason, we recommend to clean up your feed room to help reduce the risk of rodents and insects. Sweep up spilled feed that will attract your unwanted guest.

Inspect your storage containers to make sure the lids seal tight. We recommend metal trash cans or metal bins instead of plastic bins that can be chewed through by rodents. Lastly, if you store hay in your feed room, use pallets that allow for better air circulation.

Once you have inspected the condition of the feed room, we recommend to plan ahead your feed. Be sure to check supplements on hand and their expiration dates. It’s always also a good idea to have extra quantities of any necessities to hedge delivery difficulties caused by winter storms. We recommend a rule of thumb to buy about 10 percent more than you think you’ll need.

#5 – Inspect for Drafts & Superior Ventilation

Although it might be contrary to popular opinion, our horses don’t mind the cold the same way humans do. We speak with new horse barn builders all the time and communicate that you don’t need to close up your barn to prevent heat from escaping like a private residence. After all, ventilation is essential for a horse’s overall health and specifically lung health.

That being said, we recommend being mindful about the amount of ventilation. Too little ventilation can mean that dust can accumulate quickly within the barn. However, too much airflow can mean bone-chilling drafts which can be dangerous for temperature regulation. For older barns, we recommend that your barn structure. This means to check Barn End Doors and Barn Windows to cover any holes that let in too much air. Replace any broken Barn Doors, Barn Windows, Dutch Doors, or faulty door latches.

The above is far from a comprehensive list of steps you could take to make sure your equestrian facility is ready for the Winter. However, the above list is a great starting point to in making sure your horses are safe, healthy, comfortable through the winter season. During these months, we also understand that many clients beginning their projects for Spring and Summer. Our team is here for you every step of the way – whether it is a new barn build or simply a renovation. You can schedule a consultation by filling out our Contact Us Form – we thank you in advance!

Have you ever stood in the aisles of a barn, pondering over the perfect gift for a horse enthusiast in your life? Each holiday season, we inevitably scratch our heads and ask, "what do I even get them?" We know the feeling.

Last year, we put together a list of four gifts to consider for any equestrian in your life. You can view that list here.

To ease your holiday gift hunting, we're back with our handpicked list of practical barn essentials. These are not just gifts; they're thoughtful solutions that every equestrian will cherish.

Gift Idea 1 – The Bedding Blocker:

Picture this: A pristine barn aisle suddenly invaded by stray shavings from the horse stalls. It's a scene that is all too familiar, right? Enter our Bedding Blocker – a true barn lifesaver. Its low-profile design means it fits seamlessly into your horse stall, keeping shavings where they belong. Here's why it's a must-have:

The Bedding Blocker is a shavings guard system that is exclusively designed for both interior and exterior horse stall doors. It is installed at the base of a door opening to keeping the shavings inside your horse stall. Our Bedding Blocker is guaranteed to save you valuable time cleaning and money on wasted shavings. Some of its benefits include:

1. Effortless Fit: It is especially designed to fit into common horse stall door openings.
2. Engineered Durability: The brush bristles are engineered with the most durable materials and design to offer durability.
3. Easy Installation: Seamless installation with pre-installed PVC brackets and included hardware. Below is an example of our Bedding Blocker installed seamlessly into one of our clients' European Stall Fronts' door opening. 

Here's what one recent client said about their Bedding Blocker: "It is so much ncier not to walk into a shavings filled barn aisle every morning! Even my 27 year old gelding quickly learned he could brush the bristles to enter and exit the stall. This product definitely works!"

Gift Ideas 2 & 3 – Blanket Bars & Bridle Hooks

The Winter months are finally here! This means that tack and other supplies magically appear in larger quantities within the barn. Whether it is an increase in blankets, bridles, and everything in-between. We've all been in barns where it seems that there the tack may not be organized properly.

As winter sets in, so does the challenge of organizing extra tack. Our Blanket Bars and Bridle Hooks are the perfect solution. They're not just hooks and blanket bars; they're the key to an organized, efficient barn space.

Our Bridle Hooks and Blanket Bars are mindfully designed to install seamlessly into your horse stalls. Each piece is built using the finest, heavy-duty materials. Our Blanket Bars are made using 1.3" or 1.9" round tubing. Our Bridle Hooks are machined in-house from the finest brass material. Our tack hardware allow the equestrian in your life to easily store and access necessary tack.

Here's why our clients love them: "These bridle hooks nad blanket bars have transformed our tack room. Everything is so accessible and organized! Not only that, they are so much sturdier and more solid than other hooks and blanket bars I've used in the past. We get so many compliments from friends!"

Gift Idea 4 – Pin Lock Latch

Although a small detail, your choice in latches can make the world of difference in your barn experience. Ask any equestrian that has been through an old barn with faulty latches. These are not only a safety risk, but they also waste your time with their inability to latch.

In contrast, our Pin Lock Latch is a state-of-the-art latching system built for sliding horse stall doors. They are machined from solid stainless steel to ensure strength in the daily rigors of a horse barn. Their stainless steel material also ensures longevity and rust protection. Most importantly though, our Pin Lock Latch is designed by horse people for horse people. This means that your latch will safely enclose your horses in their horse stalls.

Another great benefit is that you have the ability to visually confirm whether a stall is locked or not from any part of the barn. Simply stand in the aisle and determine whether the latch is angled or straight. If angled, you have visual confirmation that your horse stall door latch is secured in place.

Are you still looking for ideas on what to get that difficult-to-shop-for equestrian? Be sure to check out our Equestrian Gift Idea list from last year here. Our American Stalls team wishes you luck and wishes you a very Happy Holidays!

From watermelon to bananas, here’s your guide to which human foods your horse can safely enjoy—and which to avoid at all costs.

At American Stalls, we believe that no horse stall front is complete without thoughtfully engineered hardware. In this guide, we explore the most reliable and safe latch options for sliding stall doors, hinged stall fronts, and stall gates—designed to offer durability, safety, and ease of use for everyday barn life.

Biosecurity should be a consideration in the design of every type of equine facility. Here are helpful tips from our friends at GH2 Equine Architects.

Our Stall Gates continue to be one of our most popular products for horse stall fronts. Our Stall Gates provide our clients with tremendous value. This includes a Stall Gate that is mindfully designed to promote ventilation, visibility, and elegance in any barn. Our Stall Gates can be used in a variety of horse barn settings.

In this blog post, we would like to discuss many frequently asked questions about our best-selling horse Stall Gates. We hope this post helps you make the best possible decision for your horse stalls project.

Question 1 – Are these Stall Gates in-stock or are they are custom manufactured?

Answer – We build our Stall Gates and keep a large quantity in-stock at any given moment to meet our clients' timelines. You can usually find lead-times and availability on our Stall Gates' individual pages here on our website. We are also able to custom manufacture Stall Gates for our clients if they have certain design changes or powder coat changes they need made.

Question 2 – How do these Stall Gates ship? Are they available for pick up if I live near your facility?

Answer – While we build tremendous products, we take equal pride in our ability to execute the logistics. It is equally important that we safely deliver your new horse stalls. If you are only purchasing our Stall Gates, we ship them via a reputable LTL (less-than-truckload) carrier. All of our Stall Gates are individually boxed and then placed on a pallet with ample packaging. This ensures that your Stall Gates order arrives safe and sound to your farm.

If you plan to purchase other stabling equipment with your Stall Gates (i.e. grillwork, barn end doors, Dutch doors, etc), we then ship your entire order together on a flatbed truck. This allows us to deliver the entire order safely to your barn. Lastly, we do offer pick up to our clients whom live in driving distance to our facilities. Please kindly contact your American Stalls Project Manager and they would be happy to arrange this option.

Question 3 – I have an overly playful horse. I want to make sure that the yoke is high enough to ensure he is safely in his still. For your Full-Sized Stall Gate, what is the height of the yoke?

Answer – Our Full-Sized Stall Gates are 65" tall. The yoke's bottom-most point (bottom center) begins at 48". Based on this measurement, the yoke is 17" tall from the bottom center to the top most frame. This yoke height is the same for our Half-Sized Stall Gates as well (17" deep yoke).

Question 4 – Do the Stall Gates include hardware or do I need to purchase that separately?

Answer – Each Stall Gate comes with all the mounting hardware – including hinges, wood screws, carriage bolts, and washers. Please kindly note that you might need different screws (i.e. tap cons) if you are installing the Stall Gates to a concrete block. You can view an installation process using our hinges here.

For latching, we provide a standard gate chain, carabiner clip, and screw eye. We provide this as a basic latching option since our Stall Gates are installed in a wide variety of barn applications. If you plan to mount your Stall Gate flush into your horse stall door opening, you can also separately purchase our Universal Gate Latch. This latch is made from 304 stainless steel and then finished in a black powder coat.

Question 5 – What's the main difference between the three different Stall Gate styles?

Answer – Our Stall Gates come in two main styles. The first being a traditional Stall Gate which includes a yoke opening on the top. The second style does not include a yoke opening, but it is low enough to allow your horse to hang their head out. Our Stall Gate options include:

1. Yoke Option – Full-Sized Stall Gate (65"H)
2. Yoke Option – Half-Sized Stall Gate (42"H)
3. No Yoke – Grilled Stall Gate (58"H)

All of our Stall Gates are 51" wide and feature our best-selling mesh bottom. This mesh allows for ample ventilation in your horse stalls – while also promoting visibility within the stall. Our Full-Sized Stall Gates are fantastic for most large horse breeds. In contrast, our Half-Sized Stall Gates are better suited for smaller breeds such as ponies, shetlands, miniatures, and other livestock. That being said, our clients often still choose to use our Half-Sized Stall Gates for their larger horse breeds. Lastly, our Grilled Stall Gates are perfect for both large and small horse breeds alike.

Question 6 – How high do you suggest to mount the Stall Gates from the ground?

Answer – If you have our Full-Sized Stall Gate or Grilled Stall Gate, it is likely that you are using it for a larger breed. In this case, we recommend to mount our horse stall gate about 1" off the floor. This ensures smooth door movement. If you are choosing to mount our Half-Sized Stall Gate, we suggest to measure your horse's chest height. We then recommend to mount it at a height where the yoke sits comfortably chest level.

Do you have any additional questions? Please reach out to our design team at (855) 957 8255 or email us at sales@americanstalls.com. Our team of expert consultants would love to sit down, understand your questions, and provide our 17+ years of experience.