Well once again we’ve started down this path.
I spent Saturday morning laying out and marking the field for our first pasture. After dropping Michael off at work I headed to Lowes and picked up some stakes, some marking paint and string. (You know that highly visible string that you can use once than it just gets itself in a knot?) I had some but, well, it was already in a knot.
On the way home I stopped by Halsey-Meyers Lumber and started the process of putting the Barn Kit together, or at least getting the quote. 24×30, 14″ tall, plain barn, no overhang or eves to save a little. Going with the wrap instead of insulation, we can always put a ceiling in it later.
For starters this will just be a run-in for the horses. We might do temporary stalls, we’ll see. Stalls will come later, or sooner depending upon the budget.
Marria helped me lay it out out the field and mark off the location of where we think we’ll put the barn. We’re in Butler Co., outside of City limits (yeah), this is aggricultrual so no stinkin permits will be needed.
We layed this out to get a number of the posts we’ll need to get a cost for the fencing. We’re talking standard wire/mesh “Horse” Fence something like: RedBrand KeepSafe HorseFence allthough we’ll put a sight board across the top.
Current issues are: (a) I don’t have a tractor really, so fence stretching isn’t going to be any fun. (b) I don’t have a tractor, which to add a post hole digger, so I’m going to have to beg, borrow, or rent something.
This is what we layed out. Rounded corners so the horses will feel safer and cant get trapped. Easy enough and doesn’t really cost anymore.
The 24×30 will give us room for (2) 12×10 stalls, though the horses wil be OUT most of the time, with room for a 3rd smaller stall (feed storage really) and a small tack room. A hallway to expand to another barn if need be later. Again we’re talking 2 horses here.
For those that know the property this is directly behind the house. For those that don’t, well you have no bearing what-so-ever. 😉
Maria was very helpful. We layed out the corner posts, or down one side, strung a line, then created a second line for marking with knots at 0′, 8-feet and 16 feet. She would start at 0 and I’d move and mark at 8 feet and 16 feet, then we’d slide down the line and she’d move to the next spot and we’d mark two more post locations.
It all went really well except for her getting marker paint on her new coat, but that’s what kids do. She’ll grow out of the coat.
We had fun. We Layed out the initial fence run, and then decided where we though we’d put the barn would really ruin the view, so we moved it.
I then created the visio (above).
Again we’re not sure how we’re going to pull this off yet, but it’s the current plan for this summers afairs.