A horse barn is a stable that houses horses or other animals. Stalls are one of the most important components of a horse barn as they provide a safe place for equines to stay, and can be useful in many circumstances such as separating sick horses from other healthy ones, or during veterinary procedures. Stalls also enable easy access for people to groom, train and feed their horses.
Whether you have a full-size horse or just a pony, there are plenty of options for the number and size of stalls in your barn. Most United States stalls are 12 by 12 feet square, but larger breeds such as draft and warmbloods require a more spacious stall to fit their frame. Consider a minimum of 14 by 14 feet for these larger breeds.
When building a horse horse barn stalls barn, be sure to include at least two tack rooms in addition to the horse stalls. Having extra tack rooms provides storage space for hay, straw and other equipment. Tack rooms should have enough room for two people to work comfortably. In the tack room, make sure to include a feed tub, water bucket and trough. Some barns may even include a saddle rack.
Another feature to include is a ring for tying the horse, located on the wall of the stall at or above the horse’s wither height. This allows the horse to be tied without having to stand in the middle of a narrow aisle. This will allow for faster tying and untying, which can reduce the risk of injury to both horse and person during these times.
Most stalls have either sliding or swinging doors. Swinging doors open into the aisle and can be hazardous if not properly latched, while sliding doors slide outward to the outside of the barn. Regardless of the door type, they should have a mesh top and bottom to increase airflow, but still be strong enough to keep a horse from pushing or kicking it.
Adding a window to each stall is good for ventilation, but it’s important that the windows are made of tempered glass and designed so that the horses can’t reach them. Adding ridge and eave vents will also enhance airflow in your stalls.
The stall floor should be at least six inches above the surrounding grade to encourage drainage. Most stall floors are concrete or gravel, but some farms opt for dirt or other surfaces that are less hard on the equines’ legs. The flooring should be nonslip, well-draining and easy to clean in order to inhibit ammonia build-up.
Some horse owners choose to add a breezeway to their barn, which is a wide passage between the stalls that’s usually open at both ends. It creates a cross breeze and can help to keep the barn cooler, which is helpful for horses in hot climates. Some barns also include lounge areas for humans to relax in after a ride or to watch a friend’s or family member’s horse compete.