How to Decorate Your Backyard for a Horse to Live In

Keeping a horse can be expensive, especially if you must board the animal. Depending on where you live, board for a single horse can run you several hundred dollars a month. If you have the space available, you can save that money by creating a home for your horse in your own backyard. But before you load your horse on the trailer and bring him home, you need to make sure that home is safe and secure.

Things You'll Need

  • Fencing
  • Run-in shed or barn
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove any potentially dangerous items from your backyard and discard them. Those unsafe items include things like swing sets, volleyball nets and wading pool.

    • 2

      Fence in the entire backyard, using horse safe fencing options like split rail. Existing backyard fencing options like picket fencing and chain link fencing are not suitable for horses. Picket fences are generally far too low to safely contain a horse, and the sharp pickets are dangerous as well. Horses can get their halters, hooves and shoes entangled in chain link fences. The fence should be a minimum of four to five feet high to safely contain your horse.

    • 3

      Build a suitable barn or run-in shed, or buy one and have it brought in to your facility. At a minimum your horse needs a safe place to get in out of the weather, but additional amenities can make your life easier as well. If money is tight, a simple run-in shed provides adequate shelter for an affordable price. If you can afford to spend more, a quality barn with a tack room and space for hay and feed storage provides extra convenience for you and more comfort for your horse.

    • 4

      Watch your horse carefully when you turn him out in the backyard. Observe him as he moves around the yard, and be ready to pick up any unsafe items you may have missed on your initial inspection.

    • 5

      Add a plastic water trough or stock tank to your back yard. Place the water source close to your outside spigot to make filling and maintaining it easier. If you live in a cold climate, consider using a water trough with a built-in heater. The heating element is designed to come on only when needed.

    • 6

      Mount a feeder on one of the fence rails to provide your horse with a safe place to eat. If you build a full barn and a stall for your horse, you can use a stall mounted corner feeder instead.

    • 7

      Ask the veterinarian you plan to use for your horse care to visit your property and examine the yard and other accessible areas for bushes, trees and other shrubs that are toxic to horses. Remove any dangerous plants before bringing your horse home.

    • 8

      Decorate the fence posts around the yard with small solar powered lights. These lights are easy to mount and inexpensive, and they can be placed anywhere along the fence line. Having these solar powered lights in place provides extra safety and makes it easier to find and catch your horse to put him in for the night.