A North Carolina Horse Barn with Thoughtful Renovations

A newly acquired horse barn is transformed with new stalls, an outdoor wash rack and thoughtful details.

When Jeannie and her husband discovered their new North Carolina horse property, it wasn’t even on the market yet. The classic white and green barndominium was situated on 10 sprawling acres, surrounded by mature pine trees, offering the couple a private paradise situated in an equestrian community. Along with the barn, the farm also has a main house and garage. But it was the barn renovation that took immediate priority and made the most sense, Jeannie explained.

“As horse people, the horses always come first, as they should.”

The couple finalized their purchase and moved across the country from their desert digs in Arizona in November of last year (2021). The family’s beloved equine residents, Dudley, the handsome Quarter Horse and Zeke, the rescue pony arrived one month later. Dudley had a successful hunter under saddle career on the AQHA circuit when Jeannie purchased him. The pair began to train for his new jumper career when tendon injuries sidelined the discipline, which led them down the path to dressage. A ligament injury unfortunately led to Dudley’s retirement, but he still enjoys an occasional trail ride.

Photography by Gretchen Foels of RAMM Fence

Jeannie initially wasn’t fond of the barn’s green roof and doors at first, but she has fallen in love with the timeless color paired with white.

Barn Interior

The barn has a total of 6 standard stalls inside. 5 of the stalls are located off the pasture, with dutch doors for easy turnout, with an additional stall across the aisle. This stall is going to be utilized for the barn’s living area, which will become transformed into beautiful a mother-in-law suite.

The first stall in the row of 5 is currently used as a grooming stall, next to it, Zeke has a standard 12’x12′ stall, while Dudley enjoys a spacious 12’x24′ double stall with the center partition removed. An open stall remains next to Dudley for a future horse.

The barn features the Tuscany stall fronts with the Oxford partitions from RAMM Horse Fencing & Stalls. The vertical tongue and groove boards from the original stalls were repurposed with the new stall fronts. They were cleaned, sanded and stained to perfection. The partitions between the stalls weren’t able to be used so new wood was purchased from a local mill and stained as well.

The adorable stall signs were custom made by a local maker back in Arizona.

The silver tin interior roof was already in place when they moved in, although it needed a good power washing. New Led strip lights were also installed for optimal lighting.

The barn also had a new fly spray system installed to deal with the bugs.

Outdoor Wash Rack

Another major barn project was installing a new wash rack along with a sizable paver apron. It adds a decorative and functional aspect to the barn’s charming exterior. Although the barn currently has a grooming stall, it didn’t have existing drainage. County code regulations required a new interior wash rack to have its own septic system if it was located inside the barn. Adding an exterior wash rack quickly became a clear and less expense choice.

Jeannie opted for individual pavers instead of one slab of concrete, noting it would be easier to replace the individual pavers over time if any cracks occurred.

The wash rack was carefully sloped and fencing was added at the last minute for safety and functionality with both horses in mind, Jeannie explained.

“I like the cross ties but wanted to also accommodate horses like our rescue pony who was abused and isn’t great in cross ties. So far, both of them just love it there. I just throw the lead rope over the fence rail, and they stand happily.”

North Carolina’s humid and muggy weather required a well ventilated space, which prompted inspiration for the trellis. It filters the direct sun on hot days and ensures the wash rack dries quickly without any mold issues.

Thoughtfully planned rock landscaping and bushes lends a place for extra drainage.

Additional renovations are happening inside the barn. The feed room is currently being redone, a tack room with a half bath is being added as well. The final phase of the barn will include finishing the space above the barn aisle with a “man cave” or a guest suite/apartment, along with renovations to the living space. This beautiful barndominium is not finished yet.

Thank you Jeannie for opening up your barn doors to Stable Style!

The farm is called Fat Cheeks Farm, which refers to Dudley’s “fat cheeks” or massive jaw that Jeannie’s husband admires and loves to pet. As horse husbands often find themselves falling for their wife’s horses, the sign was a gift which goes perfectly with the new farm.