Your wooden horse stalls are a highlight of your barn, but if they’re not cared for properly, they may need replacing sooner than you’d anticipated. Here are some tips to prolong the life of your wooden stalls.

Start With Quality Wood

Using quality wood to build your stalls is the first step to prolonging the wood’s life. Classic Equine Equipment offers great wood fill options in premium imported Brazilian hardwood and Southern Yellow Pine. Not only are these woods beautiful, they are of a higher quality than what you will find at a typical lumber store, so you’ll be starting your project off on the right foot.

Use a Chewing Deterrent

If your stalls will be housing horses that like to chew wood, be sure to stock up on a wood chewing deterrent. These deterrents are available in paint-on and spray forms, and can be effective in stopping horses from chewing the wood of your stalls.

Make Repairs Promptly

If any of your stalls sustain damage, make repairs promptly before they can get worse. Replace or repair broken boards, and re-nail boards that have come loose before they are further damaged. Horses can be hard on stalls, so staying on top of repairs can help to keep the damage at a minimum.

Use Stall Mats to Protect Walls From Kicks

Horses who kick can do a number on stall walls. To protect the walls of a kicker’s stall, consider fastening thick rubber stall mats to the walls as a buffer. This practice can help to prevent broken boards while also softening the impact on the kicker’s joints, possibly preventing serious injury.

If you’re not wild about fastening stall mats to the walls, consider installing an anti-kick system. More expensive than the stall mat alternative, installing an anti-kick system can potentially help to stop the kicking entirely.

Ensure There’s Good Drainage

If you live in an area which receives heavy precipitation, make sure your barn has an excellent drainage system in place. If water pools around the barn’s exterior, it can saturate the bottom boards of the stalls. Left untreated, this frequent soaking can cause the boards to rot.

Re-Paint and Re-Stain When Necessary

If your stall wood was painted or stained, make sure you keep up with regular painting and staining. A coat of paint or stain can help to protect the wood from weathering and from significantly wearing. Make it a point to repaint or stain your stall wood every few years.

With proper maintenance and care, you can prolong the life of the wood in your horse stalls.

Original Source: How to Prolong the Life of Your Wooden Stalls