Case Studies

My Little Pony!

A recently completed customer project for a local riding stable and one happy little pony.

Replacement Stable Door for a Small Pony at RDA Stables

Project Brief

Following my retirement, I began volunteering at the local Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) stables. During my time there, I noticed that one of the smallest ponies was unable to see over the standard stable door. This not only limited the pony’s ability to interact with its surroundings but also made it difficult for some visitors, particularly children, shorter adults, and wheelchair users, to see and engage with the pony.

The objective was to design and fabricate a replacement stable door that would lower the viewing height while remaining fully compatible with the existing stable infrastructure. The new door needed to be a direct replacement for the original, allowing the stable to revert to the standard door in the future if required.

Background

The stables feature a well-maintained set of commercial indoor stalls fitted with standard stable doors approximately four feet high. While these doors are suitable for most ponies and horses, one particularly small pony was unable to look out over the top of its door.

As interaction between the horses and RDA clients is an important part of the experience, improving visibility and accessibility became a worthwhile project.

Although I had never undertaken a fabrication project of this scale before – and my welding skills could best be described as “rustic” – I decided to challenge myself and build a bespoke replacement door.

Design Requirements

To ensure compatibility with the existing stable, several key requirements were identified:

• The new door had to fit the existing frame without modification.

• All hinges and closing mechanisms needed to align with the original mounting positions.

• The door had to be robust, safe, and suitable for daily use in a stable environment.

• The original door needed to remain reusable, allowing a simple swap if required in the future.

Matching the dimensions of the existing frame and accurately positioning the hinges and locking hardware became the most critical aspects of the project.

Fabrication Process

The door frame was constructed from 60 x 40mm rectangular hollow section (RHS) steel to closely match the original door profile.

Working from the uneven concrete area beside my house presented some practical challenges. Cutting multiple accurate and square sections of RHS using a 115mm angle grinder proved particularly time-consuming. In hindsight, having the cuts made as part of the order would have been a worthwhile investment, saving both time and frustration.

Maintaining squareness and preventing twist in the frame during welding was another learning experience, but with a bit of ingenuity and reference to YouTube, I managed it.

The locking hardware consisted of a Brenton bolt at the top and a traditional stable kick-over bolt at the bottom, both sourced from a local agricultural supplier.

For the infill panels, I selected standard decking boards. They were readily available, cost-effective, and could easily be replaced if damaged. The boards were secured using stainless steel coach bolts to provide long-term durability and corrosion resistance.

Outcome

The moment of truth came during installation. Fortunately, the door fitted perfectly within the existing frame, all hardware aligned correctly, and the door operated exactly as intended.

Most importantly, the modification has had a positive impact on both the pony and the RDA clients. The pony is now regularly seen with its head over the lower door, interacting with neighbouring horses and engaging directly with visitors and riders. Clients who previously struggled to see into the stable can now interact with the pony much more easily, creating a more inclusive and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

What began as a small retirement challenge ultimately became a practical accessibility improvement that continues to benefit both the animals and the people who visit the stables.