# Building a barn, advice?



## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

How big are the horses that are going to be in the barn? 12 x 12 is adequate for most horses, but if you have horses over 16 hands I would recommend a 14 x 14 stall. You could do one stall bigger than the others, like 3- 12 x 12 stalls and one 12 x 16 stall (so it wouldn't stick out into the aisle more than the others). Like, for example on the barn layout below, one of the two stalls by the wash area could be 12 x 16, and you could sacrifice a couple feet in the wash rack, or have a slightly smaller stall for ponies and a slightly smaller wash rack and a bigger stall next to them.. 

I would think about getting two 5 gallon buckets since on a hot day horses can drink up to 20 gallons of water. 

Would you want to store the grain in with the tack I am assuming? If so, a 12 x 14 tack/grain area would do. The layout I gave you only had a 12 by 12 tack room, but you could make the tack and the wash area 2 feet bigger, or build a loft and store your tack in the loft and grain in the downstairs area.. 

I would recommend an indoor wash area, but it is not absolutely needed, but cross ties would be enough probably. 

This is a barn layout of a 36 x 36 barn with 4 stalls, a wash or grooming area, and a tack room. You could also install cross ties in the aisle. 
http://www.stablewise.com/images/3636floorplan.gif

Here is a helpful article on building a barn-
StableWise - Horse Farm Planning - Facility planning and design


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Or, now that I think about it, the wash rack above could be turned into a grain/equipment storage area. And you could have a drain in the aisle in between the tack and grain rooms with a hose and cross ties.. So many choices! So basically it would be this with a "wash crosstie" between the tack and feed, and if you wanted an enclosed feed and tack.. 
http://www.applevalleybarns.com/wichitafp.jpg

Here are some more layouts. 

If you aren't to worried about security of your tack- 
http://www.applevalleybarns.com/laredofp.jpg

http://www.applevalleybarns.com/applesapfp.jpg

Or here, just add on tack/feed onto one end
http://www.applevalleybarns.com/cnut4stallfp.jpg

Good luck!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

I would say the cross tie in the barn would be sufficient but you may want to have one side of your barn (the side that gets shade in the afternoon) have a little over hang for more shade and then put a hitch post there that way in the summer you could move grooming outside in a more breezy space or have room for a second horse should you ride with someone.


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

Thanks so much Casey, that was so helpful! I was actually thinking about the first plan you suggested, but instead of the wash stall it was a feed room. Do I actually need a separate feed and tack room or can they be the same? I just remember having my saddle chewed on by mice when I kept it with the grain  Also, my horses are 15hh, 15.2ish hh, and 17hh. I will also be getting another OTTB so I assume he will be tall. The 15.2 is a VERY senior horse who has collicked the last two times we have tried to stall him so he will only be in for an hour in the morning and again in the evening to eat and then turned back out.


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

Thanks cinny, that is what I was thinking as well


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

Also..bedding. Do I just buy bags or by a truck load or what? I have never had stalls before lol


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

trIplEcrOwngIrl said:


> Also..bedding. Do I just buy bags or by a truck load or what? I have never had stalls before lol


I guess this would depend on your area for storing it. In bags it can handle a little moisture, but if you truck it in, you have to have it completely out of the weather so it doesn't get ruined or moldy. Moldy bedding could cause respiratory issues. 

Also make sure you get it from a reputable place that doesn't give you anything that has been chemically treated and is also not sawdust from a mill (it doesn't absorb at all).


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

For your 17 hand guy, I would definatley consider build a 14 x 14 stall for him, and to build another 14 x 14 for a new possible horse. Or, since it would like a little strange if two stalls stuck out in the aisle two feet, a 12 x 16 foot stall. Yes, usually you can combine the feed and tack. I keep my saddles in an almost completely open tack/hay/ grain area, only my western leather saddle got chewed on a bit so I put it inside my basement. I dont use it anyways. Could you get a barn cat? Terrible allergies so we cant have one. We are lucky, we had a huge pile of shaving/mulch/sawdust from clearing an area for a lawn/house here, so we just use that. 

I would buy in bulk if possible, as it saves money, however if you have limited storage space you may have to go with a couple bags. What type of bedding do you have in mind? The most common ones are wood shavings and wood animal pellets. Also, keep in mind that bedding is just as flammable as hay, so it should be kept away from the barn, or in with the hay. 

For choosing bedding, I LOVE this site, just click on the name of the bedding and there is an article about it. 
Horse Bedding - An Independent Analysis


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Cinnys, sawdust absorbs water/urine very well.. It is one of the most absorbing bedding out there! I have used regular shavings/pellets, they dont absorb nearly as much as sawdust. However, sawdust should only be used for outside areas, like a horses run, and only then in wet places, or only in winter. Casey's "stall" leads out into a 12 x 24 foot run, and there is no wall/fence between the run and stall, and we use sawdust. That being said, it is our OWN sawdust from building the property, we KNOW there is no toxic trees in it, and we only use the stall in winter. But I would NOT recommend it for anyone anyways though. Dusty.. And dangerous..


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

I have 4 barn cats so I will probably combine the tack and feed room then so I will have more stall room for the big guys  I have two barns that we keep the tractor, 4 wheeler, Gator, and other equipment/ machinery as well as hay in so I could put the bedding in there. I was thinking shavings, but maybe pellets are better? I will take a look at that website, thank you so much for all your help!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

caseymyhorserocks said:


> Cinnys, sawdust absorbs water/urine very well.. It is one of the most absorbing bedding out there! I have used regular shavings/pellets, they dont absorb nearly as much as sawdust. However, sawdust should only be used for outside areas, like a horses run, and only then in wet places, or only in winter. Casey's "stall" leads out into a 12 x 24 foot run, and there is no wall/fence between the run and stall, and we use sawdust. That being said, it is our OWN sawdust from building the property, we KNOW there is no toxic trees in it, and we only use the stall in winter. But I would NOT recommend it for anyone anyways though. Dusty.. And dangerous..


Shavings do, true sawdust doesn't. My old stable went in for sawdust once and it acts like flour and is very limited to the amount it can absorb because it doesn't have the capacity to swell like shavings do. It just turns into a mess.


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Really? Strange. There is different sizes of particles though depending on where you get them, you just have to get the large one I guess. My stuff is definitively NOT shavings.


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

What do you guys think of this plan? Its 2 12X10 stalls, a 12X10 feed/tack room, 2 14X14 stalls, an 8X14 groom/wash rack, and a 12 foot aisle. Probably with overhangs on one or both sides, and doors leading to the aisle and pasture.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I moved into an old property with an old barn that had the original garage on the RH side, and a mirror image door on the LH side. Looks like this~








I have 2 outbuildings, and a 4-car garage. No tractor, yet, but I intend to buy new, if I'm able and I inow where I'll store it. I also had a shelter originally for cattle tacked on the back west side of the barn. It looks like this, and is 16' x 19'. Right now I have 15 chickens in one of the stalls that I created inside, with one horse use the shelter as his stall. HE's pretty cumfy.








To answer your questions:
*How big should the stalls be? I am thinking 12x12. They will only be stabled overnight.*
Yep. There is room for me to clean around my 16'3hh gelding. He spends the night in his stall from November to April, and on winter days with windy, slushy, snowy and ice weather. 
*Will a five gallon bucket in each of their stalls suffice for overnight? *
Yep. That's what I use. Again, my big guy needs it filled only 2x/day
They have a tank in their day pasture. I store mine during the winter so that I don't have it freeze and crack. I use a 20-gal round rubber watering bowl that I can clean out the ice, if necessary, and carry buckets to it.
*How big should the tack and feed room be?*
I could use larger, but what I have is adequate. My barn already had two 5' x 10' rooms, and I use one room for grain--both have doors, which you WANT to keep your horses away from your grain. I keep 6 large steel garbage cans which each store about 150 lbs of grain. Also, I have an oil drum sized container and that stores about 250 lbs of grain, AND I made a shelf from 2x4's and 1/2" plywood, 3 ft deep for additional storage. My other room is a tack room. I have a loft for hay, straw, pine shavings (bedding) and Equine Fresh, and I can store up to 500 bales. In MY tack room, I store saddles and bridles, etc. I keep a locker with clean shipping boots, quilts and polos, and an 18gal. caddy with extras of those, plus clean towels, etc. for emergency wound care.
My halters which all have leads attached, are hung along the entry aisleway for easy reach and to easily put them away. I used to use a steel storage rack, but I found a free, wooden large tv cabinet for free on somebody's lawn last summer and I love it. (They waved from the house when we picked it up from their curb.) The cabinet below has 2 doors and each has 2 shelves, there is a shallow shelf above and I also store above the cabinet, itself. I keep all extra basic meds, leather care stuff and extras in caddies. I keep one grooming carry on top. 
Will cross ties in the aisle be enough or do I need a separate groom/tack up place? 
Separate is really nice, but I make do with tying them in their stalls. That is good training for them. Not fond of cross ties, myself.
I've got many books which show outside storage for sawdust. If I had that I don't know where I'd get the sawdust. You could build one and do that, but you aren't safe using anything but pine shavings. Sawmills and lumber companies cut types of wood that are toxic to horses. I use packages of pine shavings, and I'm comfortable with that.
I have and prefer a cement floor. The first time you get mud between your stalls, you'll regret NOT having one. My aisle isn't large, and I put my rubber trailer mats down THERE so they aren't in the weather, but easy to retrieve. I have 1/2 inch rubber mats inside my stalls--wouldn't do it any other way.
I'm happy with my setup. In my dreamworld, I would also have a nice indoor arena on the east side of my 3-acre pasture. I'd ride there, have stalls there and park my trucks and trailer inside there, too. =D
Watch where you feed your barn cats bc we've gotten both raccoons and possums in the barn seeking cat food. You HAVE to feed your barn cats to give them energy to hunt. I feed the cheapest dry food I can find, but they keep my HOUSE free from mice, and the barn only have nocturnal mice in it.


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

Thanks corporal! I plan on going with cement floors with mats too if I can  My grandma feeds the cats up on her porch and two stay at the house and the other two dissapear back into the hay after they eat lol


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Awesome! I like it.. A

though, an 8 foot wide wash stall is a little tight with two sides on it.. What about making one of the 14x14 stalls a 14x12 and have the wash rack be 10 feet wide?


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

should they be 14X14 and 14X12 or both 14X13? and should the others by 12X10 or would it be okay to make them 12X11 or 12X12 and just have a narrower aisle? I dont need to drive a truck or tractor in it, just a John Deere Gator and 4 wheeler. Thanks!


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

My other stall is 8 x 12 for my 15'2hh mare, and she's comfortable. 








I'm building a 10 x 12 this summer (and the coop, FINALLY) for my 15'3hh QH inside of the "chicken stall", 12 x 16. Before you think you need a bigger stall, consider that you might need the extra footage for an extra stall for an extra horse in the future. ONLY broodmares birthing foals need a really big oversized stall.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

One thing to consider is back doors large enough for a small tractor in case you ever need to add dirt or drag out the stall flooring, and if you have the space a corral at the back would be nice for summers.  I dont have box stalls, dont need them, but in my pens I sure regret not having a back gate. 
Another form of bedding is rice hulls, I guess it depends on personal prefernce.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Oh, and on the wash rack, make sure that water flows to the center and has an easy clean drain , i would worry about flooding into the adjoining stall.


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

trIplEcrOwngIrl said:


> should they be 14X14 and 14X12 or both 14X13? and should the others by 12X10 or would it be okay to make them 12X11 or 12X12 and just have a narrower aisle? I dont need to drive a truck or tractor in it, just a John Deere Gator and 4 wheeler. Thanks!


I would say one 14x14 and one 14x12. A 10 foot wide aisle is a nice size, its not to big to put cross ties across, and its small enough it is easy to sweep out, and the horses can comfortable pass each other in the aisle. I would rather have a slightly narrower aisle than with nice sized stalls than the opposite. For your horse that will only spend an hour or two eating grain in the stall a 12x10 or even 12x8/10x10 is fine because she/he is only spending a little bit in there, but I would consider a 12x12 for your other small horse. Another thing you should think about though is it may be a little strange to have two different sized stalls, one big and one small!


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