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October 5th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Home horsekeeping woes....
Hello, everyone
We finally completed our move to the country! We have 17 acres and two ponds and I just can't wait to get our first equine companion! Or so I thought... I was very excited about home horsekeeping until I got started on the details. First, our land is not really designed to keep horses. It's mostly flood plain and heavily treed. It took two months to work out a plan to locate both the barn and the arena in dry areas. We have to be creative with pasture as well. Our land is very long and narrow - less than 250 feet wide, but about 3/4 of a mile long. Very challenging, but I think we've got at least a general idea of how to do things.
So, here's the problem... How do you go about hiring a barn builder? The big name companies are just too expensive and the little guys won't even show up for a bid! Two weekends in a row we've been stood up by multiple builders. So far, we've gotten ONE guy to come out and he's my trainer's boyfriend, so he kinda had to come. For those of you who have done this - HOW?!? How do you get someone to build a barn on your land? I am getting very frustrated! I've seen several nice horses for sale, but winter is coming and I need a place to keep them.
Thanks for letting me rant, even if no one has any advice.  | 
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October 5th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Sorry I can't help but I wish you good luck! | |
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October 5th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Sorry I can't help...when I was a teen and had ponies my Dad and I built our own small barn. I was a 15 yr old girl then...lol now at 50 I am past any barn building days.. I wish you luck I would love to have a horse again. | |
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October 5th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Thanks, guys. I'd buy a kit and do it myself (with Husband's help, of course), but I have no idea what I am doing and Husband barely has time to mow the lawn these days. I am just going nuts out here. I have almost nothing to do. I have no job, no friends and my gym is 200 miles away. I spend a few hours each day looking for work and unpacking boxes. Then I cook dinner. I am so bored and it's agonizing to be this close to having my dream come true and then be thwarted by logistics. On the plus side, I'm becoming quite an excellent cook. | |
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October 5th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| I'm afraid DIY isn't really an option. I couldn't build a birdhouse without getting it condemned. We have another guy lined up for tomorrow. Any bets on whether or not he shows? 
Barn houses are very cool. In fact, if I'd had my choice, we would have built one of
these - http://www.barnpros.com/products/apa...li_apt_60.html. Honestly, if I'd seen that before we bought our place, I would have been shopping for land only. I LOVE that setup! | |
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October 6th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| I guess it depends what kinda of a barn set up you want. I might be spoiled since I've never had show or competition horses, my area all ranch horses, but if you've got trees for shelter and a fence is the barn a huge priority? I mean you could start with the horse...? | |
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October 6th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Do you have any Amish in your area? They are excellent builders and very reasonable. They can build anything. | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Red1313  I guess it depends what kinda of a barn set up you want. I might be spoiled since I've never had show or competition horses, my area all ranch horses, but if you've got trees for shelter and a fence is the barn a huge priority? I mean you could start with the horse...? | A pasture with shelter is certainly more of a necessity than a barn, but we don't have fencing either. It's pretty much raw land. Quote:
Originally Posted by whisper Do you have any Amish in your area? They are excellent builders and very reasonable. They can build anything. | I'm not sure if we have Amish around here. I live in a town with a population of 1000 and most of them are related. It's not terribly diverse. | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| Have you contacted other farmers and horse keepers in you area? Go out for a long drive and who has something like you want......or done that?? | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Quote:
Originally Posted by TedsTank Have you contacted other farmers and horse keepers in you area? Go out for a long drive and who has something like you want......or done that?? | Yep. And it's their recommendations who keep standing me up! I have an appointment with one of them in fifteen minutes. If he doesn't show, it will be the fourth time he left me in the lurch. | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| In case if the person doesn't come and if they have a website you can always give them a bad comment or rep. I don't think its really professional for companies to set an appointment and not show up. | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| I agree with you in principle, eiginh, but this guy's family owns half the town. Everybody knows everybody around here and you have to be careful what you say. That's why I vent on here anonymously.
Ten minutes late and counting..... | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Quote:
Originally Posted by MousePotato I agree with you in principle, eiginh, but this guy's family owns half the town. Everybody knows everybody around here and you have to be careful what you say. That's why I vent on here anonymously.
Ten minutes late and counting..... |
Bless your heart, MP. Small towns can be good, but they definitely have their downfalls. | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| <hugs> | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| He showed! He was almost half an hour late, but he did show up. He said he'd call tonight or tomorrow with a bid for me. Now I just need one more to make my "gotta get three bids" husband happy.
Thanks for the support, guys. I will keep everyone posted. I'm so excited! I have my eye on a lovely TB mare. Perhaps soon she will be mine! | |
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October 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| how about a do it yourself bid  | |
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