Any aspiring horse owner or those who already own a horse know that horses, although majestic, are delicate animals that need a proper housing structure with partitions for each animal. A horse barn is a structure that is built specifically by horse owners to house these animals. The durability and comfort of a horse barn are decided during the initial planning stages where key important decisions regarding this structure are made.
There are various horse barn plans that can be adopted when building a horse stall with specific attention being given to the number of animals to be housed, the space available, and the financial budget that you have for the barn.
Top Horse Barns to Try
a) Run in Shade
A run-in shed is the economical horse barn that should into your mind when you are planning to get a stall plan. These stalls make it easy for your horses to access the stalls and the outside with ease. It is also economical to upgrade a run-in stall to something better in the future in case your animals increase or you think it is necessary to upgrade.
b) Shedrow Barn
This comprises of barns with a row of stalls that open to a breezeway. Depending on personal preference, the rows can be one or numerous stalls stacked back to back. The advantage of the shed row stalls is that you get a center aisle that ensure that traffic between the two rows is smooth and enough space for a feed room and a tack.
c) L-Shape Barn
L-shaped barns are always a favorite for many people as it will ensure that your stall is spacious, well ventilated, and set up at an affordable cost. The L-shaped stalls gives you your hay storage area at the ground level hence there is no trouble when feeding your animals since running up and down the stairs is not a favorite for most people. ()
d) Monitor Barns
A Monitor barn provides you with an amazing and impressive look that distinguishes you from the rest. You can be sure that monitor barns are relatively affordable and do not require huge investments like other types of barns. The comfort of your horses is also guaranteed and there is proper ventilation.
Building Tips for Your Horse Barn Plans
Below is a list of things to consider for your horse barn plans:
1. Durability
You should consider long-term durability when thinking of horse barn plans. Chances are that you will continue owning your horses for a couple of years to come. There are chances that you are likely to continue owning your horses for a couple of years to come and you will need the stall to be still available to house them over time without having to dig deep into your pocket in terms of repairs and replacement of the stall.
2. Room
Insist on bigger stalls and wider aisle ways for your horse barn plans. Research has indicated that stalls measuring 10’ by 10’ per horse are congested and many specialist builders recommend stalls that measure 12’ by 12’. Aisle ways that measure 12’ have been found to be very cramped and it is recommended for those measuring 14’.
3. Flooring
Make proper decisions when it comes to the flooring of the stall in your horse barn plans. Flooring is an important aspect of a stall and there are many options that are offered in the market. The most commonly used material is the granular base that is complemented with rubber mats to guarantee your horse comfort. When you invest in a quality mat, the need for more bedding is reduced and you will incur fewer costs in terms of maintenance costs.
4. Storage
Incorporate water and feed storage into the stall. There are various options you can choose from depending whether you prefer a separate tack feed room separate from that which stores other products such as the leather saddles. There is also the option of installing automatic water supply in the stalls that will ensure that as your horse drinks the water, the bowl refills automatically.
5. Hay Problems
You should consider storing your hay outside the horse stall in adjacent buildings. As a safety precaution, hay should be stored in the next building and not in the stall as this ensures in case it catches fire, your horses are not at risk of burning. It is rare for horse barns to catch fire but in some rare cases, incidences of horse barns catching fire and leading to loss of the horses has been reported as there catch fire easily with little time to move the horses to safety.
6. Lighting
You should incorporate natural lighting into your horse barn plans. Lighting is an important aspect of constructing your horse stall and you must take it into consideration. There are various ways through which you can maximize natural light and you should ask those you hire to build your stall to recommend a few ways. Structuring your stall to maximize natural light will minimize costs in terms of electricity and enhance the stall’s ventilation.
7. Air Temperature
Consider stall fans and other ventilation options. You should consider installing fans that blow down into it and incorporate proper ventilation to keep the stall cool. You have the option of using programmed fans that can detect changes in humidity and temperature or manual fans that you adjust manually. Horses do not thrive in adverse temperatures hence when it is extremely cold you might require installing a heating system in the stall to keep your animals warm.
8. Ventilation
Ensure proper air aeration within your stall. Adequate air circulation is critical in guaranteeing the health of your horses and you can achieve this by installing reliable ventilation systems. You can consider installing air moisture sensors that will enable you to determine if there is proper air circulation. You can use different fans to promote proper air circulation within the stall although to get a quality one, you need to invest a good amount of money.
Sample Horse Barn Plans for You
It can be tiring deciding on the best plan for your horse barn as there are many out there and everyone will be recommending diverse structures for you. To ensure that you get a nice horse barn plan, you should take the following factors into consideration before deciding on what will be perfect for you.
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