Do it Yourself Shower Stall

A shower stall, or wash rack, creates a safe area in which to bathe or rinse off a horse. Building a wash rack requires a bit of space and time but can reward in its usefulness, as horses can be bathed outside of the barn without creating a mess or necessitating that an additional person be available to hold them. A well-built shower stall provides for adequate drainage and also ensures the safety of both horse and handler during the horse's bathing.

Things You'll Need

  • Shovel
  • Concrete
  • Water
  • Wooden trowel
  • Tape measure
  • 2 pressure treated wood boards, 10-feet long, 4-by-4-inch
  • Rubber mats
  • 2 hitching rings
  • Screwdriver
  • 2 cross ties
  • Hose
  • Nozzle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a location for the shower stall. The area itself should be at least 8 feet by 8 feet, though a larger space, around 12 feet by 12 feet, is best. Be sure to choose an area which will have good drainage. If the area is surrounded by grass or weeds, the foliage will help to catch and absorb the extra water.

    • 2

      Dig down 4 to 6 inches into the entire area of the stall to create a base. Remove the excess soil.

    • 3

      Mix up the concrete and pour a concrete pad in the area which you have dug. Add enough concrete so that the pad is about level with the ground around it. Be sure to slope the concrete slightly in the direction in which you want the water to run off.

    • 4

      Scrape a wooden trowel over the concrete before it has completely dried to create a rough surface. A smooth finish will be slippery, so make the surface rough enough that it has some traction. The texture of a sidewalk is the ideal texture for the concrete.

    • 5

      Place rubber mats on top of the concrete once it has completely dried. These mats will reduce the chance of horses slipping and will also provide some cushion.

    • 6

      Create a water supply. If your stall is located near a faucet, attach a hose to the faucet. If the stall is a distance from the nearest faucet, you will need to run a hose from the faucet to the wash stall. Add a nozzle to the hose, preferably one with multiple settings to enable you to spray the water at different pressure levels.

    • 7

      Dig a 4-foot deep hole which is 1 foot in diameter at each of the two front corners of the stall. In each hole, set a 10-foot long pressure-treated piece of wood which is 4-by-4 inches. These will serve as cross ties for you to attach the horse to while washing it. After setting the posts, firmly tamp down the wood around the posts.

    • 8

      Screw a hitching ring into each post. The ring should be attached on the side of the post facing the inside of the stall and should be about 6 inches from the top of the post. Attach a cross tie to each ring and adjust the length of the cross tie so that it reaches the horse's halter when the horse is in the stall.