How to Plan Horse Stalls

Whether putting horse stalls in an existing barn or building a new one, each stall has its own separate headaches. These may come in the form of finding labor, keeping to the budget or designing the barn. As you begin the design process, consider the placement of the stall and the water and feed buckets, the sizes of these elements, and any materials you want to use for floors and doors. All of these factors will help you feed and care for the horses more efficiently.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the width and length of the barn's interior. For example, a barn might have a width of 36 feet and a length of 36 feet.

    • 2

      Plan the aisle(s). It should measure at least 12 feet wide. It needs to have ample room to maneuver horses.

    • 3

      Decide on the width of each stall -- depending on the numbers of stall you want -- the size of your horses -- and the length or width of the barn. A 12 by 12-foot stall suits the average 1,000 to 1,200 lb. horse -- though you may get by with a 10-by-10-foot stall. Foaling stalls should be larger, or have a removable divider, letting two stalls become one for the special delivery.

    • 4

      Position each stall door to open into the aisle, away from the stall door next to it. This way you won't bang the doors together as you open them -- and it leaves room for sliding doors.

    • 5

      Mark down window locations on the blueprint. An unprotected glass window is dangerous to a horse. Consider an open window with a shutter or bars on it.

    • 6

      Plan the height of each dividing wall. The standard height is eight feet: Anything less than 7.5 feet allows the horse to hook his legs over the top. Decide whether you will do a half wall and use grills between stalls to allow horses to see each other, or a full wall.

    • 7

      Choose the style of door. You can have a dutch door, which opens into the aisle and separates into a top and bottom -- or a sliding door, which usually has a window with grill bars, and does not open into the aisle. The dutch door has several variants, and are easily made. Manufacturers of pre-made stalls usually have a sliding door for the front. Take a sample to your local feed store or hardware store, to look at hinges and latches.

    • 8

      Review the advantages and disadvantages of the following flooring materials: soil, clay, clay mix, asphalt, sand, sand mix, road mix, and wood. Consider availability of the material, stress on the horse's legs, and the drainage of the product. Decide whether you will add mats to the stall.

    • 9

      Open a horse catalog and look at the types of feeders, water buckets and hay racks to decide whether your layout accommodates the styles available. You want each of these located away from the stall next to it, to reduce confrontation between horses over food. Make adjustments, if necessary.