Vet Wrap - Protection & Stability

Vet wrap is awesome in having many uses outside of actual equine care needs. My favorite use wrapping our wood railing on the stairs that younger riders use for stability as to prevent any splinters and also allow for more grip. Vet wrap can also be used to add a soft grip on handles, such as pitchforks, rakes, and brooms. Also, if you have a farrier hoof stand, you can also wrap the straight portion (for hoof rasping needs) so that when you place the hoof on top of it the frog has a softer support.

Drill Set

If you don't currently have a drill set, how are you surviving? My drill is my life and the Queen tool of all of the DIY barn projects that I work on. Also make sure that you have additional batteries, especially for long days or big projects.

Drill Bit Guide - Life Saver

A must-have tool in your drill toolset is a drill bit guide, which is essentially a sleeve (many time with magnetic properties) that you place a screw into and it helps keep your screw straight and aligned to go into the wood and prevents an accident where the drill disconnects with the screw and goes for your fingers instead. This little tool is a life saver (and definitely a finger-saver) and I will not work with screws without one.

Universal Self-Adjusting Socket - Drill Tool

Another fantastic tool to have on hand with a drill kit is the universal socket self-adjusting socket. This little widget is fantastic for screwing and unscrewing hard to work-with hardware such as screw eyes and similar tools. I absolutely love mine!

Jigsaw

Another fantastic tool to have on hand is a jigsaw! I absolutely love mine. It is extremely convenient to have on hand, from cutting plastic barrels in half, cutting my black corrugated pipe in half, or even just cutting some quick wood pieces at a moment's notice. Definitely recommend having a jigsaw on hand!

Pressure Washer

Acquiring or borrowing a pressure washer can be well worth it. With a pressure washer, you can deep clean saddle pads so that they appear brand new, keep clean the horse trailers and vehicles, as well as clean the barn or wash stall. Definitely recommend!

Weed Wacker

I also love having my weed wacker on hand, particularly for cleaning up hard-to-mow areas around the pasture as well as around my cross-country jumps in the field. The portable battery-operated weed wacker has been a fantastic tool to keep at the barn.

Farrier Rasp

Another recommendation to keep at the barn as a horse owner is a farrier rasp. While always communicating and working with your farrier is top priority, if a horse cracks a toe or chips up its feet, having a rasp on hand to quickly go over the hoof yourself between farrier visits can help prevent any cracks or chips from getting worse. Again, always consult and work with your farrier to make sure that you have a proper understanding of how to rasp your horse's hooves. Having a rasp is particularly useful after a day of trail riding, where the front feet can easily get chipped up after navigating varying terrain with all sorts of protruding roots. Also note that you will periodically need to replace your rasp and to ask your farrier for recommendations in doing so.

Farrier Stand

Another awesome tool to have on hand, particularly if you are working with rasping your horse's hooves at all between farrier visits, is a farrier hoof stand. Not only does this tool help you and your horse if you train with quiet standing, but your farrier can also use it in the event that they don't have one or didn't bring theirs (common with basic barefoot trims).

Pictures to come!