Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
8 Interior
A
horse barn can be simple or elaborate. The most expensive barn is not necessarily the best
environment for horses, nor does it ensure efficiency and convenience of routine manage-
ment. Decide what the main purpose of the barn will be, where you will be spending the
majority of your time, what work areas need to be roomy and well equipped, and how many
stalls you will realistically need. Spend time with a pencil and some graph paper sketching
out your ideas.
Whether you are designing a new barn, remodeling an old one, or making a few changes
in your horse's present stall, keep your horse's comfort and safety foremost in your mind.
Considerations include durability, sanitation, and convenience of cleaning and feeding
routines.
Stalls
Stalls are contrary to a horse's natural and preferred habitat, but a horse can learn to enjoy
the comforts of a well-designed and well-managed stall. Make your horse's stall a safe and
pleasant home. Doing so will help ensure that when you arrive to take him for a ride, your
horse will be healthy, well rested, and in a good state of mind.
Horses are usually kept either in box stalls, where they can move about freely, or in tie
stalls, where they remain tied. Tie stalls are only a little larger than the traveling space in a
conventional horse trailer. Tie stalls are fine when separating horses at feeding time, but they
are not the best choice for long-term horse housing. A horse cannot move around much in
a 5-foot by 10-foot enclosure. Some horses are hesitant to lie down at all when their heads
are tied to the manger. In order for a horse to lie down comfortably, the lead rope must be
long, which then presents a potential hazard: the horse may get tangled in the rope. Box
stalls, which are roomier and more comfortable, are popular for horses that are kept inside
for training, showing, rehabilitation, or foaling.
BOX STALL SIZE
A 12-foot by 12-foot box stall is appropriate for most horses. The 144-square-foot area that
such a stall provides seems to be optimal when considering the horse's comfort and the
stall's maintenance. This size offers enough room for a horse to confine his defecation and
urination to a certain portion of the floor and still have plenty of clean space for eating and
