# Horse stall dimensions



## Momma of a horse gal (Aug 7, 2021)

I am building a 4-stall barn and requested 12' X 12' stalls. The architect plan was returned with stalls that show measurements for the stalls at 11'7" X 11' 10". When I asked about the stalls not being 12' X 12', I received the following answer from the architect: "Stalls are typically based on 12’x12’ center to center column spacing, so in reality they are not 12’x12’ clear inside. All the research I’ve done indicates the partitions are cut to size based on your column spacing."
We have Thoroughbreds and are cautious to have anything less than 12' X 12'. Could anyone provide me with their thoughts and expertise regarding building stalls and the correct way to measure them (i.e. as described above, or is it from inside wall to wall dimensions, or from outside wall to wall dimensions???). Thank you!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

It will be fine, your horses will have lots of room. Lumber is the same. A 2" x 4" board is not really a 2 x 4, it is more like a 1.5 or 1.75 x 3.5/3.75. 

My barn is 32' by 48'. But because of the width of the walls, the inside is less than that. Totally normal. Your architect is not trying to rip you off, he would actually have to make the barn bigger to accomodate stalls that measure 12' x 12' measured from the inside walls. 

More important that having full 12' x 12' stalls is the size and number of hours per day of turnout in my opinion. My stalls are 10 x 12' and one is smaller, at about 9' x 10'. I don't care since my horses are almost never stalled. The smaller one is used as a holding area when needed (we have two horses and a pony). My horses are out 24/7 with access to stalls, but even if I were to stall for the night like many do, I wouldn't worry about having stalls that are just a couple of inches short of 12'. Good for you for wanting to give them lots of space though!


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## Dehda01 (Jul 25, 2013)

Your barn architect is correct. If you ar using 12’ boards, the inner stall dimensions are slight smaller than 12’ because you lose the size of the 4 or 6” middle block of wood plus siding that separates the stall.
My 12 x 12 are actually close to 11.2 x 11.4. The smaller side is to the outside because we have larger footings and carriers. Otherwise I would had to have gone to 14 x 14.
My 12 x 10 are 11.2x’ x 9.4’. 

I have no problem with my 17h horses being in the smaller stalls 12x10 overnight but like the larger stalls if they need longer than 12 hours. They can cope just fine though.

I have a foaling stall for rehab or extended stalling


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

We built our barn so maybe we didn't do it right but we have 12x12 stalls.
Barns are commonly built on 4' dimensions in utilizing lumber best.
So... 4, 8, 12'++.... and keep on going...
Our barn is a pole barn and poles are 12' spaced intervals.
We incorporated those poles into the wall sizing, and placed secondary mid-wall supports every 3'....
So my 12' wall stall has corner post, mid-post, mid-post, corner post. = 12'.
When we built the upper sections of the stall grids the panels we used needed to be cut to fit inside those enormous posts...
11'7" I do remember...but that was not the full wall size, only the inside of the post dimensions.
When you add the corner post dimension....my 12x12 stalls are in place.

My one horse is a 16 hand OTTB... he fits easily in the stall with plenty of room to turn around, fully lie down on his side, roll over scratching his back....
In fact my other horse shares his stall all the time during the day, so 2 horses of the same size and hefty build in one stall and they can easily walk around each other as I can see them from the house.
We just brought them in from pasture...and both boys are in 1 stall hanging out together. 

I love the quality construction of the links below I offered.
I have seen several of these barns and they are as sturdy, strong and hanging in ...now needing a new roof but that is expected... they are 30 years old now.
Point being this place gives inside dimensions of their stalls so you can see what others do...
Poke around on their website and absolutely check out other builder and design plans you can find online as what you are asking about should be shown of finished sizes...





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## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

This reminds me of having our boat stalls in our dock widened from 8' x 20' to 10'x 20'. Four stalls were widened and the other 4 were already 10' wide. First the builder wanted to be paid upfront. I said no that when material arrived on site that would be paid for and upon completion and inspection by me the labor would be paid for. The builder did the expansion but, didn't charge for material when it arrived. He completed it and called me for inspection. I inspected and the new slips/stalls were 9'-8" wide but, the blue prints said 10' The reason for the 10' was new boats are wider and boat plus lifts requires 10' on some boats. When I told him they were not 10' he said to make them 10' he would have to have bought an extra roof sheet for each side of the roof. I explained he would not be paid unless the slips were 10' per the blueprints. He refused and demanded his money. He is still waiting for it and that was 10 years ago. He had the prints in hand when he bid on the job so he knew what was necessary to make them 10'. All you have to do is plan ahead and make things the size you want and require.


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## avjudge (Feb 1, 2011)

horselovinguy said:


> I love the quality construction of the links below I offered.
> I have seen several of these barns and they are as sturdy, strong and hanging in ...now needing a new roof but that is expected... they are 30 years old now.
> Point being this place gives inside dimensions of their stalls so you can see what others do...
> Poke around on their website and absolutely check out other builder and design plans you can find online as what you are asking about should be shown of finished sizes...
> ...


I have a Horizon Structures 24'x36' center-aisle barn and I can tell you that, as AcadianArtist & Dehda01 said, those are exterior dimensions, and the stalls are slightly smaller. I've measured quite precisely as I've put a wood floor in one bay of mine (where there would be a stall but I had it built with no front wall as storage space). The actual interior dimensions of the stalls are something like 11'4" x 11'7" (from memory, measured a year ago so I may be off).


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