We have a very exciting announcement: the construction of a new barn is complete. We have been saving for a very long time. The materials were delivered and the construction crew showed up. We could hardly wait to watch the barn be built. Having all the crew out like roofers from places similar to Excelroofers.com is so exciting! The barn would have a covered round pen, 3 stalls, tack room, grooming station and hay storage. We would like to thank Summertown Metals and Tony Sims Construction for donating a portion of the materials and labor. We are so grateful that we were able to get this barn built as it was definitely needed! It was a good thing that the construction crew was well timed and kept to their schedule, Using time cards from Raken was a good idea and will be used again for any future projects, it kept everyone up to date and in the know, which was essential.
The workers laid out the barn so it would be square and began drilling the holes.
It looked like a frightening game of pickup sticks with all the poles leaning in every which direction. But we knew they knew what they were doing.
They got all the poles leveled and concrete put around them and then starting putting the trusses on. It was amazing how fast they were working. That is what you get when you go looking for commercial concrete experts and work with them. They do their job quickly and effectively.
Before long all the trusses were on. It was starting to look like a barn!
They mounted our sign on the gable end on the front of the barn.
It was so exciting watching the front of the barn go up in one big piece with our sign on it.
By the end of the first day the barn was almost ready for the roof. Tony Sims has a great crew and they did an amazing job.
It seemed like it was barely sunup the next day when the roofing was getting put on.
By noon the barn was finished and they were cleaning up. It only took a day and a half to build a 40×84 barn!
Next we had to get the mud under control and put in a good base for the hay to sit on and footing for the round pen. Those of you who have followed us for many years may remember the Hay Wagon fundraiser from 2010. Yes, the Hay Wagon is still working 8 years and probably over 4,000 hours later!
The stalls, grooming station and tack room needed a concrete base. The horses that are in the stalls will only be there very temporarily and have deep bedding, and it is the best option for sanitizing between horses. The concrete truck cleared the roof by less than 6 inches!
Tawnee and Jason, along with their teenagers, got the concrete leveled. It was a big job and everyone was very happy when it was done.
After the concrete cured, we had to make sure that it wasn’t slippery. Jason and Tawnee got to work on the stalls. It was a lot of work and a lot of hammering.
Next the stall fronts and dividers were installed. We were able to get dented and scratched stalls for a very reduced price. And they look and work great!
There was a lot of staining that needed to be done. Sarah, who is our secretary, enjoyed being out of the office and working on something quite different.
Shelby, one of our Junior Equine Professional Adoption Partners, also helped with the staining.
Finally the stalls were done and they looked absolutely amazing! Our whole team is thrilled to death and couldn’t be happier.
We know that these stalls are going to help many horses through the coming years!
The tack room is small (10×10) but holds all the saddles and other tack we need to work on a daily basis.
The hay storage works great too. Those big bales weigh almost 1,000 pounds!
The round pen was set up and the sand was delivered. The tractor made short work of spreading it.
The round pen is absolutely wonderful, and it’s great to be able to work the horses and show them to potential adopters no matter the weather. In Tennessee it rains several times a week most of the year.
There’s just a bit of plumbing left to do for the grooming station and water to the stalls, and the barn will be 100% functional. You cannot imagine how excited we are!
We would like to thank everyone for your support of our rescue and sheltering efforts. We would like to invite you to come out and see our new improvements, please email us if you would like to come out.
