# Barn design thread.



## Coyote (Oct 23, 2010)

So I got bored not too long ago, and decided to create a barn under the idea of "Trainer/boarding" facility.









I thought I would post it here and see what the thoughts on it were. 
Would you board there? Does it look safe? Concerns? Comments? Suggestions? 

Key:: Blue Lines are Windows, or possible window placements (Windows will be dutch door style without the door part). Red Lines are Exterior doorways. Green Lines are Internal Doorways. *Black* Lines are normal walls and/or Stall dividers. 

Stall size: Regular stalls are 12x12ft, Mini Stalls are 8X8ft, The Large Stall is 12x16ft with a sloping angle reaching 8ft. The stalls would have Wood/bar sliding fronts with concrete block dividers (Blocks would be lined to kickboard level in rubber matting.) I haven't decided if I would put bars in the dividers or not. Any thoughts on this?

Tack Room is 24x24ft. The Interior stairs lead to an Apartment/House on the second story. In my own imagination, the tack room will also hold a small Sink/Toilet Bathroom off to the side. 

Wash area is approximately 14x14ft with a small indention due to the wall. 

"Quarantine Area" is added mostly due to my imagination, but while also considering convenience for medical procedures/Stall rest. It would be approximately 36x24ft, while this is very large -- I can see it being scaled down with livestock panels. Better too big than too small correct? The Thicker line indicates a solid brick wall. This is for security and to prevent the spread of illness. 

The paddock adjacent to the "Q-area" would be covered by the buildings roof and/or a small balcony (Living area depending.) It is 42x24ft and is accessible by the "Q-Area" Only. The fence there would be Wooden up to 5ft with bars reaching from 5ft to the 7ft mark. 


So without further interruption, here is the drawn out floor-plan .


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

If I may be so bold, I don't think you've provided enough exits for fire safety. I would put another one next to the Lg-stall in the bottom corner. 

How much of the second floor would the living quarters upstairs cover?

Also, what program did you use to create this?


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## newbhj (Jul 31, 2011)

Ooh I hope lots of people reply to this!
I like the design but you should put another exit on the bottom of the plan.


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## Coyote (Oct 23, 2010)

ponyboy said:


> If I may be so bold, I don't think you've provided enough exits for fire safety. I would put another one next to the Lg-stall in the bottom corner.
> 
> How much of the second floor would the living quarters upstairs cover?
> 
> Also, what program did you use to create this?


1. After talking to a few other people in the industry I have concluded that for safety concerns, there isn't enough exits (As you said). So-- I decided that instead of merely windows, I would make actual dutch doors. A window with an exit as a bonus. 

2. I haven't yet decided the upper level yet, I am thinking right now however that it would probably only cover half of the lower area. From the left wing to the center of the lower "L" shape.

3. I free handed this on a editing program called "Gimp" -- After I decide all of the details, I may decide to make a 3-model in another program.


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

I would not have any stalls next to the quarantine/sick/foaling stall. I would take those two and make that the wash area for the following reasons:

1. Keeps your healthy horses away from quarantine/sick horses.

2. Keeps the horses away from Mom and new baby if used as foaling stall.

3. It would have water hook up, therefore a nice, close hose area to hose out the quarantine/sick/birthing stall after that has been used.

4. Takes the wash stall off the corner and opens that area up for something else.


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## Coyote (Oct 23, 2010)

Red Gate Farm said:


> I would not have any stalls next to the quarantine/sick/foaling stall. I would take those two and make that the wash area for the following reasons:
> 
> 1. Keeps your healthy horses away from quarantine/sick horses.
> 
> ...


Well actually, The quarantine area is separate-- if you read in my comments above the floor plan. There is a solid wall separating all of the stalls from that area. 

I hadn't thought of the water issue though, so thank you. I will have to write a note about including a spigot or something within that area.


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## Lonannuniel (Jun 13, 2008)

I too design stables! if you're looking for a 3D program, try google sketchUp. it's free and easy to use!

your design - 

I like it, especially the mini stalls. 

I'm not too sure about the wash area, i'm trying to imagine it in my mind. are there walls surrounding the area? or is it just sort of an open space w/ a hose?.


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## Red Gate Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

Coyote said:


> Well actually, The quarantine area is separate-- if you read in my comments above the floor plan. There is a solid wall separating all of the stalls from that area.
> 
> I hadn't thought of the water issue though, so thank you. I will have to write a note about including a spigot or something within that area.


Yes, I went back and read the part where it was separate with a solid brick wall and thought that was smart. 

Then I looked at where you put the Tack/Feed room and realized you would have to walk down the hallway, out the door, and around the building outide to the opposite corner in order to feed or administer first aid. Your first aid station would be in the Tack/Feed room right? I don't see it listed anywhere else. I thought it might be easier to have an opening into the quarantine/sick/foaling stall from the barn. You'd have to move those two stalls in that case, but you wouldn't have to go outside. I live in Alberta and it gets COLD here in the winter. I'd prefer to stay in that warm barn :lol:

The drawback is you lose two stalls.

The benefit is you can move the mare into the wash area to clean her off after birth, or the sick horse to soak a hoof or rinse off a swollen leg, etc, in addition to the other benefits I mentioned.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I am surprised you are getting so many positive comments. I see lots of wasted space. The borrom RH corner with nothing makes no sense at all. That should be a stall back into the corner with the door moved. The aisle ways are huge and the corner by the lounge is really awkward and I do not like all the hard corners in weird spots, the quarantine area is gianormous and it gets the paddock while the small stalls get nothing. 14x14 wash are would be ok but not with the indentaion.


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## Coyote (Oct 23, 2010)

Lonannuniel said:


> I too design stables! if you're looking for a 3D program, try google sketchUp. it's free and easy to use!
> 
> your design -
> 
> ...


The wash rack is just an open area with a slight downward angle on the floor with a drain in the center. The hose would be located near the corner, so that it could be used on either side of the "corner". I made it this way so that more than one horse could be tied in the wash area at the same time. Granted, there would probably be only space for two horses before the aisle would be unsafe, however at the barn I currently work in having a long line for the hose is very annoying. Considering we wash all the horses right after the work out one at a time....waiting 15 minutes per horse takes a lot of time when there are 15 horses to wash. 



Red Gate Farm said:


> Yes, I went back and read the part where it was separate with a solid brick wall and thought that was smart.
> 
> Then I looked at where you put the Tack/Feed room and realized you would have to walk down the hallway, out the door, and around the building outide to the opposite corner in order to feed or administer first aid. Your first aid station would be in the Tack/Feed room right? I don't see it listed anywhere else. I thought it might be easier to have an opening into the quarantine/sick/foaling stall from the barn. You'd have to move those two stalls in that case, but you wouldn't have to go outside. I live in Alberta and it gets COLD here in the winter. I'd prefer to stay in that warm barn :lol:
> 
> ...


I did think about adding another door in that wall, but I don't like the idea of creating the potential to spread illnesses. Other than that, I also want to severely restrict the access to that part of the barn-- I would want no "visitors" intruding without permission to baby the "poor sick horse". Then returning to their own horses with whatever germs they may have picked up. 

I live in a pretty warm climate -- Oklahoma. So cold isn't much of an issue for me, I think walking outside a couple of feet to feed or check up on an injured horse would be worth the sacrifice if it meant keeping sicknesses in line and unwanted "visitors" out of the area. I might enjoy it less on days that I would have to walk out there 30 times in one afternoon, however I hope that the usage of that area would be limited, I hope it isn't needed much. 

As far as cleaning and such goes, I do think I would put a spigot in that area to allow for water access. In the case of medical care, I would have to haul the vet-kit down the aisle either way, so I don't see it as too much of an issue.


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## Coyote (Oct 23, 2010)

churumbeque said:


> I am surprised you are getting so many positive comments. I see lots of wasted space. The borrom RH corner with nothing makes no sense at all. That should be a stall back into the corner with the door moved. The aisle ways are huge and the corner by the lounge is really awkward and I do not like all the hard corners in weird spots, the quarantine area is gianormous and it gets the paddock while the small stalls get nothing. 14x14 wash are would be ok but not with the indentaion.


Well I am certainly glad that I am!! For whatever reason :lol: people seem to be in a pretty nice mood this evening. 

As far as your concerns go:
1. The little area in the bottom right-hand corner next to the LG stall does not truly have a purpose, however I didn't like the idea of making it part of a stall simply because of the size difference. It would mean that I would have one large stall of 16 ft in length with another next to it that would be at least 18 or so in feet. (I don't have precise scales so I could not say for certain the exact size.) While this size difference isn't that much of an issue for the horses in them, I can see it being a problem with the owners. 

"Why is so-and-so's stall bigger than mine? I want the bigger stall for my horse cause he's likes bigger spaces!" 

I wanted to include one stall of a larger size so that I could have the option for boarding at least one draft type horse if I so chose. However, I don't particularly want too many---as I am not accustom to their handling differences or needs. 
If that stall was not needed for a larger horse, I could simply put my own in it and if asked about the size difference I could easily say "My horse, My barn, I use the biggest stall." Without making other people feel like I have favorites or something. 

Also, I left the area open to make it a bit safer for the horse in the right bottom stall. When that stall door is open I wanted there to be a wide area to bring the horse out into--- with little chance for a horse or human to be trapped in an unsafe area. Besides, it gives me a nifty little place to store a wheelbarrow or cart. 


2. The aisles are quite large, I did this on purpose. At the facility I currently work at the aisles are one of my major issues/concerns. They are approximately 12-14ft wide...In my opinion this is not enough room. When horses are tied to their stalls for daily cleaning (which happens all at the same time where I am) there is barely room to pass by the horses' hindquarters. When walking by you are in a 2ft space between horses on either side of the aisle. In a configuration that looks like this -- But with 10-15 horses in a row on either side.

Stall|Horse| 
___________|Horse|Stall​ Stall|Horse|


If any of these horses were to spook or fight with one another while someone was trying to walk through the aisle it would be a disaster. A person would be trapped between the horses with no way of escape. 
To avoid situations like this, I placed the mini-stalls directly across from the larger horses stalls to make the aisle 16ft in the smallest width. Larger in some other areas. 

The corner in the right wing-- just below the "q-area" is left open for future development. It could be used for a variety of things,-- I did not want to overcrowd the barn with things I am unsure about. I imagine that It would be used as a small storage area for larger objects such as:: Dividers, wheelbarrows, shaving bags, extra hay during winter etc. 

3. The Quarantine area was made so large to allow for movement while still restricting it somewhat. The reason it also gets the paddock is because of the actual Quarantine usage. The other stalled horses would most likely get daily turnout in established pastures for grazing. This would not be possible for a quarantined horse due to the impossibility of providing a sterile area outdoors in a pasture. The quarantine paddock would be nothing more than a drylot with some access to fresh air, while it would also be impossible to completely sterilize. It would be much easier to keep clean than a pasture. It would also keep other horses away from the quarantined animal due to the fact that the pastures would not be directly next to the barn.


I hope that cleared up any problems


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

Coyote said:


> 2. I haven't yet decided the upper level yet, I am thinking right now however that it would probably only cover half of the lower area. From the left wing to the center of the lower "L" shape.


I only ask because barns aren't usually two stories, they're 1 and a half. That means that some space on the second floor is taken up by the slant of the roof... which means you have to be careful about the location of the stairs. Where you have them now will only work if you make the area at the top of the stairs a gable end, which will effect the shape of the rest of the floor. 

I'm not crazy about the way the corner of the lounge sticks out, but then, most people wouldn't like my perfect barn either.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

I have to agree w some comments made in regards to the tack room and lounge in an odd spot....

I too dont like how it sticks out, and I find it to be not centralized. I like my tack and grooming area to be centralized so its easy acess from all sides of the barn....I hate carting tack around lol

The wash stall too, seems to be in an area that I'd call a busier area...where people will be coming and going around corners etc. I too would like to see it tucked closer to the quarantine stall, as then its out of the way.

Also where do you plan to put your equipment such as brooms, forks, wheel barrows feed etc....Id like to see an area where these things can be stored and out of the way so it doesn't clutter up the alley ways...Id be willing to loose some of the space in the tack room and lounge or even quaratine stall, as those two spaces are quite large


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