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Your Complete Guide to

Horse Stalls

Horse stall

TRENDSstyles & new ideas

Eco-Friendly Horse StallsSelecting an architect

Everything you need to know about

crosshatch meshPowder Coating vs. Galvanizing Hardwood Choices Today Ergonomics in Your Horse Barn Dream Barns on a Budget

PLUS...

Design your custom horse stall at

www.LucasEquine.com

CONTENTSDesign SelectinganArchitect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 DreamBarnsonaBudget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 HorseStallStyles,TrendsandNewIdeas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 WhatMakesaEuroStallso . . .EURO? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 WhichHorseStallDesignisRightforMe? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Eco-FriendlyHorseStalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Materials & Finishes TrendsinCoatings:PowderCoating,Galvanizing,WetPaint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Hot-DipGalvanizingvs .Pre-Galvanizing:KnowWhatYou’reGetting . . . . . . . . . . 12 HardwoodChoicesToday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Crosshatch Mesh & Ventilation EverythingYouNeedtoKnowaboutCrosshatchMesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Safety MakingBarnSafetyaPriority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 SafetyFirst:Latches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 ErgonomicsinYourHorseBarn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Performance EasyStepstoImproveHorseStallPerformance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Selecting an Architect

Therearesomanyquestionstoaskyourselfwhenconsideringanewhorsebarn .And,whetherit’safour-stallbarnor20-stallbarn,anarchitectordesignermaybeabletohelpyougetthelookandfunctionalityyouwant .

However,selectinganarchitectordesignerforyournewbarncanbeoverwhelming .Intheend,it’satotallypersonaldecision,buttherearesomestandardquestionsyoushouldconsiderbeforeyoudecideonyournextarchitect .

1. Do I really need an architect or designer?Itdepends!Goodbarnarchitectsanddesignerscanoftensaveclientsmoney .Becausetheprofessionalswhospecializeinhorsebarnsdesignthemtobebuiltasefficientlyaspossible,choosingtherightonecanoftenhelpyougetthelookyouwantwithoutoverspending .Experiencedbarnarchitectsanddesignersalsounderstandhowtodesignabarntogiveyourhorsesasafeandpleasantenvironment .

2. Who designed some of my favorite barns?Askaround .Seekoutyourfavoritebarns .Askfriendsandothersintheindustry .You’lllikelyhearhonestfeedbackabouteacharchitectordesigner,aswellasthebarnfeaturestheylikeanddislike .You’llgetfirst-handinformationbeforemakingadecision .

SelectinganArchitect1

3. Can I see your work?Architectsanddesignerswilloftensendyoualetterofinterest,brochures,photosoftheirwork,andfactsheets .Don’tbedazzledbytoomuchglitzymarketing .Instead,usetheseitemstohelpdeterminetheprofessionalismandstyleoftheparticulararchitectordesigner .Andmostimportantly,besuretoaskforreferences .

4. Does this architect or designer understand my needs?Doesthisarchitectordesignerunderstandhorsesandtheequineindustry?Doesheorsheaskyouenoughquestionstogetagoodideaofyourneeds?Willheorshelistentoyourconcerns,anddoyoulikehisorherpersonality?Chemistryiscrucialinselectingyourarchitectordesigner .

5. How do you charge for a project?Thiscansometimesbeconfusing,butitisimportanttoreallyunderstandthisinformationupfront .Doesthisarchitectordesignerchargebythehourorbythesquarefoot,asapercentageoftheconstructioncostoratafixedfee?

Architectsanddesignerswhospecializeinhorsebarnscanaddtremendousvaluetoyourproject,but-dependingonyourneeds-mayormaynotbenecessary .Architectsanddesignerscanoftenhelpturnyourideasandstyleintoabeautifulandfunctionalspace .

AtLucasEquine,weworkcloselywitharchitectsanddesignersallovertheworldtocreatecustomhorsestallsthatfitseamlesslywiththeoverallvision .We’rehappytohelpyoufindanarchitectordesignerthatfitsyourstyleorgeographiclocation .Or,youcanvisitourwebsiteatwww.LucasEquine.comtoforalistofequestrianarchitectsanddesignerstohelpyoustartyourproject .

2DreamBarnsonaBudget

Plan B:Dream Barns on a Budget

Weallhaveadreambarnpicturedinourheads,right?Youknowtheone:beautiful,withallthebellsandwhistles .Therearemanywaystogiveyourbarnorhorsestallsafacelift,withoutahugeinvestmentintimeormoney .Ifyou’redreamingofamakeoverforyourbarn,checkoutsomeoftheeasyopportunitieslistedbelow .

Brass or stainless steel nameplates .Polishedandlacqueredsolidbrassorstainlesssteelnameplatescanbeinstalledinjustafewminutesandtrulypersonalizeyourstallfront .Usethesenameplatestobringinthewarmbrasstonesinyourbarnortheprofessionallookofstainlesssteel .

High quality door pulls .Upgradingyourdoorpullscanmakeasignificantdifferenceinthelookofyourbarn .Doorpullsareasimportanttoyourbarnasshoesaretoyouroutfit .Lookfordoorpullswithconcealedmountingforaseamlessstyle .Selectafinishsuchassolidbrass,oil-rubbedbronzeorstainlesssteelthatmatchesthestyleofyour“dreambarn .”

Custom arches or finials .Customadd-onssuchasarchesoverstalldoorsorbrassballfinialscanbedesignedtoattachtoyourcurrentequipment .However,ifyou’reworkingwithpre-existingequipment,makesureyouconsultastalldesignexpertwithexperiencecreatingcustomadd-ons .Otherwise,youcanendupwithill-fittingelementsthatlackaseamlesslook .

DreamBarnsonaBudget3

Stylestrends

andnewideasforhorsestalls

Theequineindustryismuchlikethefashionindustry,right?Okay,thereareaFEWdifferences,butmanysimilarities,too .Forinstance,horsepeoplelovetohavethelateststylesinthebarn,willneverpassupahotaccessory,andspendlotsoftimewalkingtherunway . . .um,Imeanaisleway .

Todaywe’resharingsomeofthelatesttrends,stylesandnewideasthatwe’reseeing(andbuilding)ontheequine“runway”inbarnsthroughouttheworld .

1. All-mesh is all-right.

Weallknowthatwellventilatedstallsarepracticalbothfortheirhealthbenefitsandtheirversatilitywithfoals,largebreeds,minis,traininghorses,andothers .But,nowmorethanever,smartconsumersareselectingall-crosshatchmeshstallsthataredurableenoughtowithstandyearsofabuseANDaccentuatingthemwithstylishfeatureslikeextra-widecenterrails,insetbeddingguardsandbeautifulwoodaccents .

Belowarephotosofstallswithcrosshatchmeshfronts .Thesecustomershavechosenaccentsthatcomplimenttheaestheticoftheirstallsandaddstyletothisveryfunctionalstalldesign .

4Styles,TrendsandNewIdeasforHorseStalls

2. Built-in features for safety and time-savings.

Featuressuchasbuilt-inelectric,built-inwater,swivelfeedersandfeeddoorsareextremelypopularinalltypesofbarns,notonlybecausetheysavetimewhenitcomestohandlingbarnchores,butalsofortheextrasafetytheycanprovide .

Incorporatingthesebuilt-infeaturesintothedesignofthestallcanhelpkeepsomeeverydayhazardsfarfromthereachofmischievousanimals .ThedesignexpertsatLucasEquinecanhelpintegratethesefeaturesandothersintothedesignofyourstalls .Seeafewofourmostpopularfeaturesbelow .

Swivel feeders makefeedingtimequickerandeasier . . .anddecidedlylessmessy .

Built-in electric systemskeepwiresinaccessiblebyhorsesandhideunsightlyconduit .

Built-in water systemsareaccessiblefromhandlesontheoutsideofthestall .Waterpoursintobucketsonthestallinterior .

3. Being smart about upgrades.

Intoday’seconomy,everyoneisshoppingalittlemoreintelligently .Stalldesignisnodifferent .However,itisimportanttomakesureyougetthemoststyleanddurabilityforyourmoney .That’swhywe’reincreasinglyansweringcustomers’requeststogetthelookofahigh-end-stylestallwithoutblowingthebudget . . .andwithoutsacrificingquality .

Thisiswherecustomdesigncanreallymakethedifferenceingettingthemostforyourmoney .Ourdesignersarehelpingowners,buildersandarchitectsstreamlinetheirstallsandotherequipmenttoincludejusttheelementsthatmakethemostvisualandlong-lastingimpact .

Onthispage,you’llseeabarnthatreallyexemplifiesthiscurrenttrend .LucasEquinedesignerscreatedaverystraight-forwardstalldesignfeaturingagrilltop

andwoodbottom,withasimpledecorativearchovereachdoor .

Becausethestalldooristhemostfunctionalpartofthestallandtakesthemostwearandtear,thisaffordableLucasEquinedesignstillincludedhighqualitystainlesssteelhinges,springboltlatches

andsteeltubeframingtocreateadurabledoorthatiseasytooperate .

Toaccommodateabudget,thestallfrontfeaturedsimple,yetstrongU-channelstoacceptwoodplanks,asturdygrilltopandsteelchewguardstocoverandprotecttheedgesofthewood .

Thefarmowner,awoodworkerbytrade,designedandbuiltthedecorativewoodpostshimselftoincorporateanotherstyleelementatanaffordableprice .

Byseamlesslyincludingthescallopedmetalplateatthetopandbottomofthelowerstalldoorandusingbrassacornnutsasaccents,theLucasEquinedesignretainsthestyleelementsthatmakethemostvisualimpactasyouenterthebarn .

A swivel feeder in action.

Built-in electric system

Built-in water system

Styles, Trends and News Ideas 5

4. Panelized stall front systems.

Apanelizedstallfrontsystemisaself-containedstallfront .Thestalldoorandfrontwallsnotonlyhavethesamelook,styleandmaterials,butarealsofreestandinginabarnormountedtosupportposts .Thisisdifferentfromabuilt-install,whereactualwalls(frequentlyofmasonryorwood)arebuiltintothebarn,andthendoorsandwindowsareaddedseparately .

Stallfrontpanelsystemshavebecomemorepopularrecentlyduetotheirversatility,cohesivestyleandeasyinstallation .

Thesesystemscanbeusedinclearspanbarnsanddon’trequirethatbuilderscreateaspecialstructureforstalls .Instead,

thepanelsystemsarrivefromLucasEquinereadytoinstall .Inmanysystems,thetrackisalreadymounted,installationholesarealreadydrilled,andaccessforanyfuturewoodreplacementisalreadybuilt-in .

Inadditiontotheversatilityandeaseofinstallation,youcan’tbeatthelookofapanelsystemwhenitcomestoconsistency .Apanelsystemmatchesthestallfrontwallstothelookofthedoorexactly .Thisworksforstallswithwoodinserts,aswellashighlyventilatedstallswithanall-crosshatchmeshdesign .

5. Dutch doors and exterior exits.

DutchdoorshavebeenastapleinKentuckybarnsfordecades .Butnow,thesefunctionalandattractiveexteriorexitsarefoundinbarnsallovertheworld .

Thesetypesofdoorswereoriginallydesignedforuseinhomeshundredsofyearsagotoletlightandairin,whilekeepingthefarmanimalsout .InEurope,you’llfrequentlyhearthistypeofdoorcalleda“stabledoor .”

Today,dutchdoorsarecommonlyusedasanexteriorstalldoor .Wheninstalledwithapre-hungstallscreen,itservesthreekeypurposes:

1 .Byopeningthetopportionofthedutchdoor,horsescansticktheirheadsoutforfreshair,sunlightandviewsofthesurroundinglandscape .

2 .Byopeningeitherjustthetopportionorbothportionsofthedutchdoor,andkeepingthescreenclosed,airispulledfromthecenteraislethroughthestallandouttheopendutchdoor .Thisisanexcellentwaytocreateventilation .

3 .Addingeasilyaccessiblestallexits-suchasthosecreatedwithdutchdoors-allowsforaccesstoremovehorsesincasesofemergency,suchasbarnfires .

Inadditiontothebenefitslistedabove,theclassicstylingofahighqualitywoodorsteeldutchdoorcanaddadramaticvisualimpacttoahorsebarn’sexterior .Seesomeofourfavoriteexamplesonournewdutchdoorphotogalleryonourwebsite .

6. Focus on horse safety over aesthetics.

Thisis,obviously,thetrendthatwearemostexcitedabout!Today,serioushorsemen,farmmanagers,amateurriders,architects,andbarnbuilders

everywherearemakinghorsesafetytheirnumberonetopprioritywhenitcomestostalls .

Thistrendisshowingitselfthroughmanypopularfeatures:

*Safergrillspacing*Selectionofstrongandsturdymaterials*Additionofexteriorstallexits*Attentiontoproperventilation*Positivelatches(onesthatcaneitherbesecurelyengagedorcompletelydisengaged,butnotpartiallysecured .ExamplesincludepinlocklatchesandLucasEquinespringbolts .)*Wideaisleways

Gonearethedayswhensomebarnswerecreatedtobeasairtightasourhomes .Thesebarnsdidn’tofferenoughventilationforgoodequinehealth .Likewise,barnsarenowbeingcreatedwithopenceilingsandhighheaders .

Consumersarethinkingmorecriticallyabouttheirdecisionsonlatchesanddooroperation .They’recheckingoutthedesignsinpersonandtalkingtopeoplewhohavesimilarequipment .They’reaskinggreatquestionsaboutconstructionandmaterialselection .

Plus,designersatLucasEquine,atarchitecturefirms,andonconstructionsitesareconstantlycomingupwithwaystomakeourbarnsandequipmentevensafer .

Horsepeopleareinformedconsumers,andthatfactbenefitsthehorsesmostofall .

Styles,TrendsandNewIdeasforHorseStalls7

WhatmakesaEurostallso . . .

EURO?Let’sgetonethingstraight:IlovethelookofaEuro-stylestall .And,that’sagoodthing,becauseIspenddayafterdayhelpingcustomerscreatetheirvisionofaEurostall .

Thismakesmydaysveryinteresting,becausearealEurostallissimplyastyletype . . .adesigntheme . . .alookorfeel . . .notastallfunctionorevenapre-determinedsetofcomponents .

Generallyspeaking,however,thereareseveralcharacteristicsthatarecommonlyusedindesigningEuro-stylestalls .

1. Emphasis on Social Interaction: ManyEurostallsaredesignedinawaytoallowhorsestosticktheirheadsoutintotheaisleway .Toachievethis,Eurostallsoftenhave“openfronts,”whichcanmeantheyhaveayokecut-outorfeaturelowswoopingfrontdesigns .Thisdesignelementisusefulwhenyouhaveabarnofanimalswhothriveonsocialinteraction .It’snotasbeneficialwhenyouhaveabarnthatexperiencesmuchturnoverinanimals .

2. Swoops: ToachievethesocialinteractionImentionedabove,therearevarioustypesofswoopscommonlyseeninthedoorsofEurostalls .Below,youcanseethreeswoopingdesignsthat wefrequentlybuild:Z-Rail,Gentle Roll(alsoknownasvariableradiustubebending)andLow Swoop .Eachoffersadifferentaesthetic,aswellasdifferentpricepointsandlevels ofsecurityforyourhorse .

Z-Rail frontscanbehighorlow .The“Z”isdifferentfromthegentlerollinthattherailisalmostbentatanangle .

Frontswithagentle rolldesignfeaturearcsthatswoopmoregradually .Thiscanalsobecalledvariableradiustubebending .

Frontswithalow swoopfeatureasinglecontinuousarctocreateaseamlesslook .

8WhatMakesaEuroStallso . . .EURO?

3. Decorative Accents: AdeadgiveawayofaEurostallisthepresenceofdecorativeaccents .Brassballfinials,arches,horizontalaccentrails,decorativeplates,andcollarsontheendsorcentersofbarsarecommonaccentsonEurostalls .Theseaccentsgenerallyservenofunctionalpurpose,butgreatlyaddtothestyleofthebarn .

4. Hinged Doors: DuetotheswoopingnatureofmostEurostallfronts,theyareusuallydesignedwithahingedopening,ratherthanaslidingdoor .Slidingdoorsrequireoverheadtracksandcarriersthatdon’teasilyattachtomanylow-frontEuro-doors .

5. Exotic Hardwoods: Withapenchantforstyleandflair,Euro-stylestallsarefrequentlybuiltwithattractiveexotichardwoodstoaddtotherichlookofthedesign .Downloadourhardwoodselectionguidetolearnmoreaboutdifferenttypesofhardwoodsforhorsestalls .

6. Panelized, Seamless Front: Tomaintaintheseamlesslinesandcreateacohesive

style,Eurostallsarefrequentlybuiltasapanelsystem,ratherthanindividualdoorsandseparatebuilt-inwalls .

Euro Stalls Evolve: Hybrids

Ofcourse,muchlikeinarchitecturalstyles,Euro-stylestallsareeachuniqueandcanhavejustoneorallthecharacteristicsI’vementioned .

Plus,intoday’smeltingpotworld,we’refrequentlydesigninghybridstylesthatincorporatefeaturesofmanytypesofstalls,includingEurostyles,toproducetheidealstallsystemforcustomers,combiningformandfunction .Seesomehybridstallsystemsatthetopofthispage .ThesedesignscombinethedecorativeorsocialaspectsofEurostallswiththestrengthandventilation-friendlyaspectsofcrosshatchmeshstalls .

FormoreinformationonEurostalldesignsorforpricinginformationonyourfavoriteEurostallsystem,visitwww.LucasEquine.com.

WhatMakesaEuroStallso . . .EURO?9

Which stall design is right for

me?Justlastweek,wereceivedacallfromaladywhohadbeenclickingthroughourwebsiteforhours,lookingatallthelovelyphotos .Shewascallingwithoneresoundingquestions:“HowdoIknowwhichstyletopick?”

It’strue,withallthetalkofEuro-styles,crosshatchmesh,hot-dippedgalvanizingvs .powdercoating,yokeoptions . . .itcanalmostmakeyourheadspin .Herearesomesurefirewaystohelpmakesureyouselectthedesignandoptionsthatarerightforyou:

Find a stall manufacturer who asks lots of questions. Heorsheshouldaskabouthowyouuseyourbarn,whattheweatherislikeinyourarea,ifyou’redoingtheworkyourselforhaveacontractor,andabout20otherquestionsbeforetheyrecommendadesign .

Start with your needs first,thenthinkaboutstylesecondly .Sure,it’seasytolookatbeautifulbarnphotosandsay,“Iwantstall#12,”or“I’dliketheXYZSeriesstalls .”But,you(andyourhorses)willbehappiestifyoustartbyselectingadesignthatcanstanduptoyourmostcurioushorse,oronethatoffersthemostventilationinyourarea’ssuperhotsummers .Then,youcanaddaccentsandstyleoptionstoachievethelookyouwant .Feelfreetocreate“hybrid”styles

thatincorporatethebestfunctionsofvariousdesigns .

Don’t choose any options you don’t understand .It’seasytogetdazzledbywordslike“pre-galvanized”or“mesh,”butwhenitcomestomakingfinalselectionsonyourstalls,it’syourturntoask20questions .Makesureyouunderstandwhatyou’rereallygetting .

Be honest with yourself about your budget .It’struethatyougetwhatyoupayfor .That’swhy-nomatterthesizeofyourbudget-it’svitalnottoskimpontheimportantthings:strength,durabilityandeaseofuse .Brassballfinialslookgreat,butmakesureanappropriateproportionofyourbudgetgoestothefunctionalpartsofyourstalls;you’llbegladyoudid .

Inaddition,dospendlotsoftimeonlinelookingatyourfavoritehorsestallphotos .Dovisityourfriends’barnsandaskyourneighborswhattheylikeabouttheirstalls .Dochooseanexpertyoutrusttohelpdesignandbuildyourstalls .

Theanswertothequestion,“whichdesignisrightforme,”isapersonalone,butaskingtherightquestionsanddoingyourresearchmaketheanswersomucheasier .

10WhichStallDesignisRightforMe?

Eco-Friendly Stalls3 important considerations in green stall design

Ourloveofhorsesnaturallykeepseachofusintunewithmothernature .Afterall,whencaringforhorses,wehavealwaysreliedonmothernaturetoprovidebeautifuldaysforridingandgreenpasturesforgrazing .We’realllearningtobemoregreenbyrecycling,usingenergyefficientlightingandbeingmindfulofourcarbonfootprint .But,howdoesthiseco-friendlymovementapplytoouractionswithinthehorsebarn?

Thereareseveralthingsyoucandotohaveamoreenvironmentallyfriendlyhorsebarn .Someareeasy .Othersrequireamoresignificantinvestmentintimeormoney .Eitherway,thetime,energyanddollarsweallinvestinenvironmentallyfriendlyactionswillpaydividendsforus,ouranimalsandfuturegenerations .

1. Use proper ventilation. Thisisprobablythemostimportantaspectofgreenstalldesign .Properventilationcaneliminatetheneedforenergy-hoggingfans,reducetheneedforfly-controlmeasuresorchemicals,helpcontrolammoniabuild-upandprovideahealthierenvironmentforyouranimals .

Theenddoorsonyourbarnand,sometimes,thehairlinegapsbetweentheexteriorplankscanbringairventilationintothebarn .But,isenoughofthisairflowing

into(andoutof)yourstalls?Thesecretstostallventilationare:

Exteriorstallwindows/dooropeningsthatpullbreezesfromaislewayintostalls .

Stallpartitionsthathavesturdysteelcrosshatchorbargrillswhenpossible .

Venteddoorsaccessaislewaybreezes .Alsoconsiderhavingstallsopenuptotherooftoallowthehotairtoriseoutofthestallarea .

2. Select materials wisely.Selectingbuildingmaterialsthatareenvironmentallyfriendlyisanimportantpartofcreatinganeco-friendlybarnandstalls .LookforwoodcertifiedbytheForestryStewardshipCouncil,reclaimedlumberorwood

alternativesmadefromrecycledmaterials .

Likewise,painttypescaninfluenceyourenvironmentalimpact .Forinstance,theprocessofpowdercoatingis,today,anextremelyeco-friendlymethodofcoatingsteels,versussomewetpaintsthatcancontaintoxins .

3. Consider sustainable design. Severalequinearchitectsanddesignersspecializeindesigningeco-friendlybarns .Forexample,BlackburnArchitectsrecentlylaunchedBlackburngreenbarns

� .Thesebarnscanoffer

suchinnovativefeaturesassolarpanels,greywatersystemsandverticalventilation .

AtLucasEquineEquipment,weworkwithmanyequestrianarchitectsanddesignerswhoincorporatesustainabledesignpractices,andwe’rehappytohelpyoufindthesetypesofdesignprofessionals .

Thebesthorsestallscreateahealthy,pleasantandsafeenvironmentforbothyourhorsesandmothernature .

Considerimplementingthesethreepoints,aswellasenvironmentallyconsciousmanurecomposting,stallbeddingandwaterconsiderations,inyourbarn .

WhichStallDesignisRightforMe?11

Powder CoatingPowdercoatingwillgiveyouthesmoothest,mostuniformfinishofalltypesofcoatings .AtLucasEquineEquipment,weuseblemish-freesteelandgrindtheweldseamssmoothtoensureaflawlesspowdercoatedfinish .Then,thepowdercoatingformsasmoothprotective“skin”overthesteel .

Whenproperlycaredfor,mosthighqualitypowdercoatedfinishescanlastseveralyears .PowdercoatedfinishesfromLucasEquineEquipmentareappliedinatwo-stepprocess .

First,azinc-rich primerisappliedtocreateaprotectivebasecoat .Thisstepensuresgoodadhesion .Secondly,acoatofSuper Durable Powder Coat paint isappliedandbakedtoahardfinish .TheSuperDurablePowderCoatpaintusedbyLucasEquineEquipmentisaspeciallyformulatedpowdercoatingdesignedforsuperiorglossandcolorretention .Italsoprovidesexcellentoutdoorweatheringcapabilities .

LucasEquineEquipmentoffersninestandardcolors,andatotalof190specialtycolors,aswellascustomcolorformulations .

Hot Dip GalvanizingHotdipgalvanizing,ontheotherhand,providesoutstandingprotectionfromrust,creatingathick,scratch-resistantandvirtuallyrust-proofcoating,evenincoastalareasthatreceiveregularsaltexposure .

Toproperlygalvanizesteelequineequipment,thestall,doororgateisfirstcompletelyconstructed,weldedandcleaned .Then,theentireproductisdippedintoabathofmoltenzinc .Atthispoint,thezincbondstothesteel,creatingseverallayersofadurablezinc-ironalloy .

LucasEquineEquipmentproductsarebuiltinawaytoallowthezinccoatingtoruninsidethesteelcomponents,protectingboththeinsideandoutsideofthesteel .

Hotdipgalvanizedproductscanusuallybeidentifiedbythecrystallizationpatternthatcoversthesurface .

Wet PaintPriortothewideacceptanceofpowdercoatpaint,wetpaintwasthemostcommontypeofpaintingforequineequipment .Wetpaintisstillanoptiontoday;equipmentcanbebuilt,cleanedandprimedbymanufacturerslikeLucasEquineEquipment .Then,thebuilderorfarmownercanapplywetpaintoncetheproductisinstalled .

Thismayprovidesomeadvantages,suchastheabilitytousethesamepaintandexactcolorusedelsewhereontheproperty .However,italsorequiresincreasedlaborcostsforpainting,thepotentialfordrips,runsandbrushmarks,andafinishthatislessresistanttofading,chipsorscratches .

Whetheryoualreadyhavestallsanddoorsinplace,oryou’rethinkingofinstallingsomeinthefuture,getthemostforyourmoneybyunderstandingtheprosandconsofeveryviableoptionforpaintsandothercoatings .Below,you’llreadaboutthedifferencesinPowder Coating,Hot Dip GalvanizingandWet Paint .Selectiondependsonthreethings:

1. Your environment.Doyouhaveexcessiveamountsofsaltormoistureinyourarea?

2. Appearance. Howimportantisasmooth,seamlessappearancefortheaestheticofyourfacility?

3. Maintenance. Areyouwillingtoperformoccasionalmaintenanceonyourequipment?

Hot Dip Galvanizing vs. Pre-GalvanizingNot all galvanizing is created equal.

Therearetwotypesofgalvanizing:pre-galvanizingandhotdipgalvanizing .Pre-galvanizedmaterialreceivesathincoatofgalvanizingmaterialpriortoproductassembly .Theprotectivegalvanizedcoatingis-however-burnedoffwhenthematerialisweldedtogether,eliminatingtheinitialrustprotectionofthepre-galvanizingprocess .

Trends in Coatings

Selecting a Coating for Your Horse Stalls: Know the Pros and Cons

12TrendsinCoatings

Hardwood Choices Today

Theold-worldstylingoftraditionalwoodstallsisdefinitelyappealing .But,asweallstrivetobegoodeco-citizens,it’simportanttounderstandtheoptionswhenitcomestoselectinghardwoodforyourbarn .

Sustainable Hardwoods. TrulysustainablehardwoodsareFSC-certified .TheFSCistheForestryStewardshipCouncil,anon-profitgroupresponsibleforcertifyingsustainablyharvestedwood .Thestringentrequirementsplacedontheloggersandforestrymanagementorganizationshelpensurethatforestsaremanagedtomeetthe“social,economic,ecological,culturalandspiritualneedsofpresentandfuturegenerations .”FSC-certifiedwoodsmaybemoreexpensive,butofferthepeaceofmindthattheharvestingofthewoodwasresponsiblymanaged .

Reclaimed Wood. Woodsalvagedfromoldbarns,buildingsandotherlocationscancreatearichandbeautifullook,whilestillrelyingontheprincipleof“reduce,reuse,recycle .”Barns,doorsandstallscanbebuiltwithreclaimedwoodfromyourpropertyorpurchasedthroughLucasEquineEquipment .

Exotic Hardwoods.Therearesomeexotichardwoodsthatexhibitpropertiesthatmakethemparticularlylong-lasting .ManyoftheseoptionscanbeselectedinFSC-certifiedoptions .Forexample,arecentlypopularwoodipe(pronouncede-pay)isanextremelydensedarkreddish-brownlumber,offeringthesamefireratingasconcreteandsteel!ThisdurablehardwoodisalsoratedbytheU .S .DepartmentofAgricultureandForestryas“veryresistanttoattack

bydecay,fungiandtermites .”Otherinterestingexoticwoodsincludesapele(anAfricanmahogany)andBraziliancherry .

Domestic Hardwoods.Domestichardwoodsusuallyofferthemostcost-effectiveoptionwhenitcomestolumber .ManydomestichardwoodscanalsobefoundinFSC-certifiedversions .Thesehardwoodscanincludeoak,douglasfir,cherryandmahogany .

Softwoods. Softwoodsaregenerallynotrecommendedforuseinsidehorsestalls .Duetotheroughandtoughnatureoftheenvironmentinsideahorsestall,yellowpineistheonlyviableoptioninthesoftwoodcategory .Whileyellowpinesacrificessomeofthestrengthfoundinotherhardwoods,itoffersalow-costalternativetohardwoods .

Wood Alternatives. Thereareseveralhighqualitywoodalternativesonthemarkettoday .Oneofthemostinterestingproductsisacompositethatisenvironmentallyfriendly,long-lasting,fire-resistantandresistscribbing .Thisnon-hazardouscompositeisneitherawoodnoraplastic,butrathermadeofamineralfillercreatedwithpolyurethaneandflyash(recoveredfromtheelectricpowergenerationindustry) .Thiscomposite,marketedunderthenameLifeTimeLumber,isoneofseveralwoodalternatives .

HardwoodChoicesToday13

Ventilationandsafetyaretwomajorconcernsforeveryhorsestall .Althoughit'snotoneofthemostexcitingpartsofahorsestall,gridworkoptionsplayakeyfactorinbothventilationandsafety .

Infact,whenPennStateUniversitypublishedarecommendationonhorsestableventilation,theystatedthenumberonethingyoucoulddotoimprovehorsestallventilationisuseopengrillworkorgridsonfrontandsidestallpartitionswhenpossible .

Likewise,ifyou'veeverhadahorsethatlovestofind

awaytocausetrouble,youknoworhaveheardofthedamagethatcanbedone(toyourstallsoryouranimal)ifthewrongtypeofgridischosen .

Thisarticlewillfocusonthetypesofventilateddesignsthatfeatureintersectingbarsorwire .Thistypeofmaterialcomesinthefollowingforms:

*Weldedcrosshatch*Electricallyweldedwiremesh*Wovenwiremesh*Expandedmetal .

EverythingYouNeedtoKnowAboutCrosshatchMesh

14EverythingYouNeedtoKnowAboutCrosshatchMesh

Inourindustry,thesetermsareoftenusedinterchangeablytodescribedrasticallydifferentproducts .It'simportanttoknowwhattypeofgridworkisappropriateforyouranimalsandyourapplication .Youalsohavetoasktherightquestionstomakesuretheproductyou'regettingincludesthetruematerialyouwant .

Welded crosshatch.We’llstartwiththistypebecauseit'sthemostdurable,strongestandsafest .And,it'sthedesignthatLucasEquineEquipmentrecommendsforthemajorityofapplications .LucasEquine

Equipmentcrosshatchisbuiltwith5/16-inchsolidsteelrods .Theserodsarenotwoven .Instead,theyare

solidlywelded(usingarcweldingprocesses)ateverysinglejoint .

Then,thegridisalsosolidlyweldedtotheframeateverypoint .Apropercrosshatchdesignwillkeeptheverticalrodsturnedtowardtheinsideofthestall .Thiscreatesaconsistentandcatch-freedesign,sohorsesthatpawandscrapedon'tgetbeat-upkneesorhoovesfromrakingdownthedoor .

Note:Somelower-enddesignsmayinclude"skipwelds"wheretheintersectingrodsareonlyweldedateveryfewjunctions .Thisdesigndoesnotofferthesamelevelofstrengthandsafetyastrueweldedcrosshatch .

Electrically welded mesh.Inanyweldedproduct,boththe

strengthofthematerialandthestrengthofthewelddeterminetheoveralldurabilityofweldedsteel .Electricallywelded(alsoknownas"electricresistancewelding")wiremeshisacommonproductusedbyseveralstallmanufacturers .Thewireusedinthistypeofmeshisusually1/4-inchsteel .

Electricweldsarecreatedbypassingelectriccurrentbetweentwoormoremetalsurfaces .Whiletheprocessofelectricweldingisefficientandcheap,itdoesnotprovidethesamelevelofstrengthastraditionalarcwelding .

Woven mesh.Thisgridworkgenerallyfeatures1/4-inchwire,wovenoverandundertocreateagrid/mesh .Thistypeofmeshusesonlytheweavingdesigntoprovideanystabilityfortheintersections,ratherthanweldingthejunctions .

Whilewovenmeshcanbelessexpensivethanweldedcrosshatch,thelackofsolidlyweldedjointsallowsmovement,separationandrattlingofthegridwork .Inaddition,theprocessofbendingthemetalwiretocreatethemeshcancreatepointsofweakness,aswellasraisededgesthathorsescanscrapeagainst .

Expanded metal.Whileexpandedmetalistypicallynotusedinsidehorsestalls,itcanbeusedinpaddockgatesandsomestallscreens .Thisgridworkisn'tmadeupofintersectinggrills,butratherasolidpieceofsheetsteelthathasbeenexpandedtocreateapatternofopeningsforventilation .

Expandedmetalistypicallytheleastexpensiveoptionoftheonesmentionedinthisarticle,aswell

asthelightestintermsofweight .Whenusedinpaddockgatesorstallscreens,itcanofferstrengthanddurabilityagainstwearandtearandacertainlevelofpressure .

Inaddition,installingpaddockgatesfilledwithexpandedmetal(versuspipegates)providesavisualblockadetoanimals,helpingtokeephorsesfromrunningintothegate .

Key points.Becausethisterminologyisusedsointerchangeably,it'svitaltoasktherightquestionswhenpurchasingnewventilatedstallsorreplacingyourcurrentones .

1. What is the thickness of the steel used to create the grid?LucasEquineEquipmentuses5/16-inchsteelrodsinourcrosshatch,;somemanufacturersmayuse1/4-inchsteelwire .

2. Is the grid welded? Ifso,isitweldedateveryjoint?

3. What is the method used for welding the grid joints? Arcweldingorelectricwelding?

4. Can I see a sample? Thisisthemostimportantquestion .Askyourbuilderorstallmanufacturerforasampleofthegridwork .

You'llbeabletoseeadifferencerightawayineachofthesedesigns .Choosethedesignandspecsthatarerightforthestrengthandtemperamentofyourhorse,aswellasonethatwillstanduptothewearandtearofaworkinghorsebarnformanyyearstocome .

EverythingYouNeedtoKnowAboutCrosshatchMesh15

MAKING BARN SAFETY A

PR IORITYtips for a barn safety audit10

Asyouwellknow,horsescanmakesafetyhazardsoutofsomeofthemostbenignconditions .That’swhygrillspacing,door/wallstrength,andthequalityofstallmaterialsaresoimportanttouswhenwedesignandbuildhorsestalls .Nowisagreattimetoconductasafetyauditofyourbarnandstalls .

Below,you’llfind10keytasksthatwillhelpyoumakeyourhorsestallsandbarnasaferplaceforyouandyourhorses .

Check the inside of your stalls,doorways,aislewaysandwashstallsforprotrudingnails,screwheadsorsharpedges .Thebeststalls

havesturdysteelmeshcrosshatch,grills,tongueandgroovewoodinserts,orscreensthatdonotusenailsatall .

Audit your

grill spacingand/orcrosshatchmesh .Tohelpkeephorsesfrominjuringthemselves,grillsshouldbespacednogreaterthan3-incheson-center .(Thismeansfromthecenterofonebartothecenterofthenextbar .)

Protect chewable surfaces. Chewguardsshouldcoveralledgesofanyexposedwood .Makesurethatthematerialsusedtocreateyourstallsand

guardsarethickenoughtowithstandseriousabuse .Horsescanquicklydestroyexposedwoodedges .Don’tforgettoincludechewguardsonyourstructuralpostsandwindowledges .

Enclose any exposed wiring .Doublecheckforanyelectricwires,outletsorswitchesthatmaybeaccessiblebyhorsesorchildren .Integratingelectricintothestructureofyourstallshelpsincreasesafetyandoffersabuilt-in,seamlesslookforyourbarn .

Make sure light bulbs are properly protected andlightfixturesarehighenoughthatararinghorsecouldn’treachthem .

Check those box fans.We’realwayspreachingabouttheimportanceofventilation .Insomebarns,boxfanscanhelpaccomplishthis . . .along

withgoodstalldesign .Ifyoudoinstallboxfans,make

1

2

3

56

4

16MakingBarnSafetyaPriority

suretheyareexterior-gradefans .Themoisturefoundinabarncanmakeinterior-gradefansafirehazard .

Installfireextinguishers,makingsuretheyarewell-markedandeasytofind .

Consultyourlocalfiredepartmentforrecommendationsonplacingandinspectingfireextinguishers .

Re-stockyourfirstaidsupplies .Makesurethisfirstaidkitiseasytofind!

Clearoutyouraisleways .Overthecourseofthewinter,it’seasytoletclutterfindahomein

yourbarn’saisleways .Usethissafetyauditasatimetomakesurethereis

plentyofeasyaislewayaccessincaseofanemergencyandtomakedailyoperationsmoreefficient .

Postemergencynumbersprominently .Arethetelephonenumbersfor

EMS,firedepartment,vet,farrierandyourselfpostedinyourbarn?Makesurethislistiseasytofindandup-to-date .Evenifyoudon’thaveboarders,youneverknowwhomayneedtocontactemergencypersonnelfromyourbarn .

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Weallknowthatequinesafetyisimportantinourbarns .But,didyoualsoknowthatthelatchesusedinyourbarnplayanimportantroleinbarnsafety?

Indeed,latchesareoftenchosenbasedontheiraestheticstylingortheirprice .However,certainlatchdesignsandconstructioncanofferyouoptimalsafetyforyourhorses .And,youdon’thavetosacrificestylewhenchoosingsafelatchesforyourbarn .

Herearesometipsforpickingoutyourstalllatches:

1. No Obstructions. Whenselectingalatch,besuretochooseonethatdoesn’thaveanyobstructionsorprojectionsthatcouldpotentiallyinjureahorseorpersoninthewrongcircumstances .

2. Full and Easy Opening. Also,lookforlatchesthatopeneasilyandfully .Makesuretheselatchesarenotaccessiblebythehorse .

3. At-a-Glance Security.Finally,thinkaboutsecurity .Thereareseveraltypesoflatchesthatmakeiteasytoseeiftheyaresecurelyandcompletelylatched .Choosingthistypeoflatch-suchasadroppinlatchorpinlocklatch-helpsyoudouble-checkataglancethesecurityofyouranimals .

ThedesignspecialistsatLucasEquineEquipmentcanhelpyouchooseorcreatetherightlatchesforyourparticularenvironment .

SAFETY FIRST:Consider your latches.

Making Barn Safety a Priority 17

ergonomicsinyourhorsebarn

Ergonomicsissuchabuzzwordtoday .But,whatdoesitreallymeanintermsofyourregularactivitiesinsideyourhorsebarn?AccordingtoWikipedia,ergonomicsisthescienceofdesigningthejob,equipmentandworkplacetofittheworker .Properergonomicdesignisnecessarytopreventrepetitivestraininjuries .

Thereareafewstepsyoucantaketoimprovetheergonomicconditionsofyourbarn .Theultimateresultwillbereducedinjuriesandstrains,andamoreefficientworkenvironment .

* Utilize single-hand latches. Thereareafewtypesoflatches(andotherhardware)thatarespecificallydesignedtobeoperatedwithonehand .Sinceyou

alwayshaveonehandbusywhenleadingahorseintoastall,chooselatches,suchasapinlockstyle,thatcanbeopenedorclosedwithonefreehand .

* Install easy-close doors. Selectstalldoorsandexteriordoorsthataredesignedforeasyopenandcloseoperationandconstructedtobewell-fitting .Whenselectingstalls,lookfordoorsthathavefull-lengthhingesdesignedtoholdthedoorlevelandallowittoswingeasily .

* Create task-specific areas. Whenarrangingyourbarn,thinkaboutthetasksyou’llbedoing .Byplacingflip-downsaddleracks(especiallyonesthatcanbeflippedupanddownwithonehand)neartheareawhereyoutackupyourhorse,you’llhelpmaximizeyourfunctionalspaceafterthistaskisdone .Outfit

washareaswithhooksforbrushes,tieringsandmaybeevenintegratedwatersystemstoeliminateunnecessarybackandforthorstrain .

18 Ergonomics in Your Horse Barn

Stallmaintenanceisalwaysahottopic .Afterall,yourstallequipmentisdefinitelyalong-terminvestment .That’swhyit’simportanttomakesureyouinstalldoorsandstallfrontsthataredesignedandconstructedtobedurableandlong-lasting .Youcanimprovethelong-termperformanceofanystallequipmentbyconsideringafewkeypoints .

Don’t skimp on tracks or rollers. Slidingstallandexteriordoorsarepopularanduseful .Theyeliminatethetrafficandsafetyissuesofdoorsthatswingintoaisleways .But,usinglowerqualitytracksystemsorrollerscanresultindoorsthataredifficulttoopenandcloseoreasilycomeofftheirtrack .Insistonheavy-dutytrackwithaself-cleaningdesign .Inaddition,Delrinrollerswillwithstandday-inandday-outuse .Don’tcontinuetostrugglewithdoorsthatdon’tfunctioneasily .Youcanupgradethetracksystemonyourcurrentdoorswithlittleeffort .

Install door glides and guides that help protect your finish.

SpeciallydesigneddoorglidesandguideswithDelrinorpolyethylenerollershelpmaintainaneasyglide,whilealsoreducingthewearorrubbingoftenassociatedwithmetaldoorguides .

Know the best ways to clean stall equipment. Tomaintainagoodfinish,it’simportanttoregularlycleanyourstallequipment .But,bemindfulofhowyoucleanyourstallequipmentandwhatcleanersyouuse .Neverpressure-washwoodenstalls .Theintensepressurecandegradethewood,leadingtoweakenedmaterials .When cleaning steel stalls, use water and a mild dishwashing liquid. Never use abrasive cleaners, ammonia or TSP. Clean with a soft cloth, and never with wire brushes or steel wool.

Youcanincorporatethehardwareandcleaningpracticesmentionedabovewithyourcurrentstallstohelpprotectyourstallequipmentinvestment,andkeepabeautifulbarnforyearstocome .

EasyStepstoImproveHorseStallPerformance

EasyStepstoImproveHorseStallPerformance19

Brains & beauty. Stalls designed for built-in water systems.

�seamless. flawless. timeless.horse stalls and barn equipment

When it comes to strength, usability and

style, the details in your barn make all the

difference. Details like exotic hardwoods,

brass accents and integrated water and

electric can be smart and beautiful.

At Lucas Equine Equipment, we’ve

been serving the equine industry for

almost 30 years, and our horse stalls

and equipment is in use in barns

throughout the world. Contact

us for your free quote and pre-

construction consultation.

888.577.6920 | LucasEquine.com

seamless. flawless. timeless.

horse stalls and barn equipment from lucas equine equipment

In pictures, much of the stall equipment on the market can look very

similar. However, when it comes to durability, style and usability, the

details make all the difference. Details like seamless construction,

integrated water systems and custom design have made Lucas Equine

Equipment the expert in the equine industry for almost 30 years. You

can find our equipment in use in barns throughout the world. Contact

us for your free quote and pre-construction consultation.

888.577.6920 | LucasEquine.com

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Download even more ideas, designs and photos atwww.LucasEquine.com

Lucas Equine Equipment, Inc.Toll-Free: 888-577-6920 859-234-6920 Fax: 859-234-4546

4161 US Highway 27 South P.O. Box 158Cynthiana, Kentucky, US 41031

www.LucasEquine.com info@LucasEquine.com