# Run-in / enclosed barn combo



## JoyinDriving (Oct 15, 2014)

I'm determined to get the best of both worlds. We want our horses to live the run-in life as much as possible, but we need a fully enclosed barn (North Maine Woods, harsh winters, want that center aisle, etc.). We are doing a 30x24, 4-stall Trailside type barn. I'm thinking instead of doing dutch doors for the stalls with individual paddocks, having an 8' sliding door, and instead of a permanent partition wall between the stalls, doing a gate that would open the stalls and essentially turn them into one large run-in (or 2 stalls if necessary). This would only be on one side of the barn where the horses are; the other stalls are used for goats and storage. Would leave it open 99% of the time (just like a run-in), but have the ability to close it during harsh storms, could still feed/water from inside, have cross-ties, place for farrier, etc. 

Thoughts? Concerns?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Sliders inside absolutely works.
I'm not sure how a slider would work in frigid weather and snow in heavy conditions as you must keep clean accumulation from the tracking area and hope for no ground heave.
A removable center wall between stalls works as long as what ever you use is safe in rounded construction.
My only concern with that is a hoof slipping between the bars entrapping the horse if they were "rolling" or something.
Nice barn, pretty design.

Enjoy your project.
🐴...


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## JoyinDriving (Oct 15, 2014)

horselovinguy said:


> Sliders inside absolutely works.
> I'm not sure how a slider would work in frigid weather and snow in heavy conditions as you must keep clean accumulation from the tracking area and hope for no ground heave.
> A removable center wall between stalls works as long as what ever you use is safe in rounded construction.
> My only concern with that is a hoof slipping between the bars entrapping the horse if they were "rolling" or something.
> ...


Thank you! Very good points to consider.


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## Aprilswissmiss (May 12, 2019)

I have no building experience or input but I do want to say I'll be keeping an eye on this thread as a Mainer with a distant goal of building a very similar barn for a couple horses and goats!


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I'm assuming you will have two horses. At my sister's place the back 1/3 of a cattle barn is divided up into two large runs (each about 15 x 36) one with a sliding door opening south and the other with a door opening north and it is great for the horses as in the summer there is a good cross breeze and they can go out into the barn yard from the south run in and then out to pasture. The north run in just goes out to a paddock which is good for the ponies as they need limited pasture. This way they can come up winter and summer to get inside. The one thing to consider with this is if the two horses get along well because if one is dominant the other horse can have a tough time of it in extreme weather as it will be very cautious about going into the run in. There is a swinging gate that can separate one run in into two boxes but the inside one does not have an exit so we don't use it, but could if we needed to.

If horses do not get along well together I have seen horses get pinned in a corner and have the other horse go at it and kick the living daylights out of the timid horse. Just something to think about. Our horses do get along and there can be three out there sometimes or two at other times but if they didn't get along we would have to keep them more separate.
It's a nice looking barn, do you have have hay storage up top?


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

We had big sliding doors in a very snow-heavy area and it was... moooostly fine, but there were days when I had to tromp around to the outside of the door and chip out snow and ice all along the track and beyond, to get the door open. Wasn't great, but was doable. Mostly. You might want to consider having the roof extend out over the sliding door area so less snow and ice fall in there. Also, the doors at this place ended a few inches above the ground, and had rubber that went from the base of the door to close the gap, but which still allowed for any unevenness in the ground. It also kept indoor footing in, and outdoor footing out. Something to consider.


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## JoyinDriving (Oct 15, 2014)

SteadyOn said:


> We had big sliding doors in a very snow-heavy area and it was... moooostly fine, but there were days when I had to tromp around to the outside of the door and chip out snow and ice all along the track and beyond, to get the door open. Wasn't great, but was doable. Mostly. You might want to consider having the roof extend out over the sliding door area so less snow and ice fall in there. Also, the doors at this place ended a few inches above the ground, and had rubber that went from the base of the door to close the gap, but which still allowed for any unevenness in the ground. It also kept indoor footing in, and outdoor footing out. Something to consider.


 Thank you! Yes we'll have some type of roof over the door to hopefully help with the snow load in the winter.


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## JoyinDriving (Oct 15, 2014)

Woodhaven said:


> I'm assuming you will have two horses. At my sister's place the back 1/3 of a cattle barn is divided up into two large runs (each about 15 x 36) one with a sliding door opening south and the other with a door opening north and it is great for the horses as in the summer there is a good cross breeze and they can go out into the barn yard from the south run in and then out to pasture. The north run in just goes out to a paddock which is good for the ponies as they need limited pasture. This way they can come up winter and summer to get inside. The one thing to consider with this is if the two horses get along well because if one is dominant the other horse can have a tough time of it in extreme weather as it will be very cautious about going into the run in. There is a swinging gate that can separate one run in into two boxes but the inside one does not have an exit so we don't use it, but could if we needed to.
> 
> If horses do not get along well together I have seen horses get pinned in a corner and have the other horse go at it and kick the living daylights out of the timid horse. Just something to think about. Our horses do get along and there can be three out there sometimes or two at other times but if they didn't get along we would have to keep them more separate.
> It's a nice looking barn, do you have have hay storage up top?


Yes two horses that get along very well, but of course down the line if we introduce another, or lose one, that shakes up the pecking order and definitely things to consider. I think having the ability to close it off into two stalls that both have gates into the barn, where we can turn them out, is probably the best option if we ever run into a situation where they are having issues getting along.


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## JoyinDriving (Oct 15, 2014)

Aprilswissmiss said:


> I have no building experience or input but I do want to say I'll be keeping an eye on this thread as a Mainer with a distant goal of building a very similar barn for a couple horses and goats!


Where in Maine are you? We're in Piscataquis County. That's what we have - a couple horses and a small herd of goats. I'm surprised I haven't been able to find any type of plan for a barn with this concept...so we're just going to make our own!


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## avjudge (Feb 1, 2011)

Woodhaven said:


> . . . If horses do not get along well together I have seen horses get pinned in a corner and have the other horse go at it and kick the living daylights out of the timid horse. Just something to think about. . .


Many years ago I designed a run-in shed for our "winter pasture" (no pasture about it, it's wooded hillside) that works a lot like the OP's run-in section would - but specifically worrying about the issue of a horse pinned in a corner, but not wanting the whole front open because _winter_, I put the two doorways on the far corners of the run-in front.

So the front of the 12'x20' run-in shed is a 5' (approximately) door, 10' wall, then 5' door, rather than one wide door in the middle. 

It can be divided - for years with a particular pair of horses we had a fixed divider as one needed to be fed by himself, now I've created sockets for drop-in boards - but a swinging gate would be easier to open & close.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I'd like to be a horse in your barn!


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## Zimalia22 (Jun 15, 2021)

I have 6 stalls in my barn, all have their own outdoor run on them. 
We have big sliding doors on the back, but have never used them. 
I think it's important to have it so they can be in or out as they choose.


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## Aprilswissmiss (May 12, 2019)

JoyinDriving said:


> Where in Maine are you? We're in Piscataquis County. That's what we have - a couple horses and a small herd of goats. I'm surprised I haven't been able to find any type of plan for a barn with this concept...so we're just going to make our own!


York County, not so much snow country as you, lol. Though right now I'm in Central NY for vet school.


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## JoyinDriving (Oct 15, 2014)

I knew this had to exist! I finally found a picture along the lines of what we want. A run-in/barn combo.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Check out this website for a company who has a very detailed website with huge choice of what is made by them.








Horse Run-In Sheds | Horse Shelters | Horizon Structures


Provide your horses with a safe and secure wooden run-in shed. Our horse shelters are an attractive way to provide year-round shelter for your animals.




www.horizonstructures.com




I'm in Florida and in 2012 saw barns made by this place that were already 15 years old, had had no maintenance, no care to them and the business that had them on site were selling them...sadly, I missed purchasing them by less than 1/2 hour.
Today those barns still stand, were moved to a new location given a coat of stain and a new roof deserved for their age.
The product made stands the test of time, weathers our nasty hurricanes and summer storms, our incre3dible strong sun and damages it can do....
I don't own the barns so not endorsing, but see them in several yards and at boarding facilities and if I needed they would be tops on my list for the quality I see in past projects done by them.
I also saw a picture on their website so very similar to what you showed....as the barns are custom designed changes are not a problem to do....


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I have a 48 x 32' barn divided into two areas: one is an equipment bay, the other is the horse barn, so the dimensions of that are 24 x 32. We put in 4 stalls and a very generous center aisle at 12' wide. One stall was finished as a closed-in tack room. For a while, we were down to two horses, and decided to take down the wall that separated the two side-by-side stalls. We kept the boards, and I put in boards to create a groove the boards can be slid into. But since taking down that wall about 3 years ago, we have never put the boards back in. This double stall measures 10 x 24 feet, and has two 4' wide dutch doors leading out into the paddock. These doors always stay open, even in cold weather. I might shut them about once a year - and I am in New Brunswick, Canada, so pretty close to you with the same weather. The two wide doorways ensure a horse doesn't get trapped. Last winter, we added a pony to our herd, and all three horses now happily share this space, though the spend more time outside than in, even in cold weather. 

I did have my contractor add 10' to the roof over the entire span of those double-stalls, so 10' x 24'. This keeps snow out of the barn, but also provides a shaded / dry area horses can get under. I have not had any major issues with horses fighting, but when we brought the pony here, she was timid about going inside for a while. But she's fine with it now. None of the horses has ever been injured by the others inside this space as it feels pretty big and open. 

My entire barn is very open, and air flows very well, which has helped my senior horse who used to have respiratory issues. They cope very well with the cold. The third stall is used on occasion to separate a horse while we ride the other two, but generally, the three of them live as a herd and choose when they want to come in and out. It makes my life much easier! But of course I still have the luxury of having a full barn and a dry, clean place to brush, tack up, and for vets and farriers to work. I would not want to keep horses any other way.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

This is what it looks like from the inside, but without the curve. That's just my camera's panoramic function making everything look round, lol. The double stall run-in is on the right and the third stall is on the left.


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## JoyinDriving (Oct 15, 2014)

Acadianartist said:


> This is what it looks like from the inside, but without the curve. That's just my camera's panoramic function making everything look round, lol. The double stall run-in is on the right and the third stall is on the left.
> 
> View attachment 1117969


I love this!!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

JoyinDriving said:


> I love this!!


It works really well for us. Makes my life way easier, and the horses are healthy and happy since they can decide when they want in or out.


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## JoyinDriving (Oct 15, 2014)

Acadianartist said:


> It works really well for us. Makes my life way easier, and the horses are healthy and happy since they can decide when they want in or out.


Can I ask where you feed? I'm thinking through whether we should feed/water in the run-in stall, or out in the dry lot, or alternate, or I have no idea. Currently the minis we're bringing home are getting 2-3 flakes twice a day plus a tiny bit of ration balancer. We use slow feeder nets. We do live in northern Maine where the winters are long and harsh. My initial thinking is to feed/water them in their stall and they can come and go as they please, but I'm wondering if that will encourage them to stay in all the time. I don't know. First time, at home owner here! Have always boarded in the past so I never had to think about these things


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

We have fed the horses in the 15 x 36 run in but only if they get along well, sometimes some horses are ok with this and sometimes we have to feed them outside if we think they will fight over the food.
The mini and pony are ok to feed together in a large and similar run in but if they didn't get along it would be outside.
;They also have individual stalls in the main part of the barn if the weather is really severe.
I think you only have one door on your stall but you will have a swinging gate so if there was fighting you could separate them for feeding inside.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

JoyinDriving said:


> Can I ask where you feed? I'm thinking through whether we should feed/water in the run-in stall, or out in the dry lot, or alternate, or I have no idea. Currently the minis we're bringing home are getting 2-3 flakes twice a day plus a tiny bit of ration balancer. We use slow feeder nets. We do live in northern Maine where the winters are long and harsh. My initial thinking is to feed/water them in their stall and they can come and go as they please, but I'm wondering if that will encourage them to stay in all the time. I don't know. First time, at home owner here! Have always boarded in the past so I never had to think about these things


I also use slow-feeder nets, but sometimes I will spread loose hay around the pasture/paddock to encourage them to move around even if it's just a little bit. Because we keep the paddock pretty free of snow (my husband clears it with a 6 foot wide snowblower attachment on the tractor), they are pretty happy to stretch their legs though. I do leave the pasture gate open as late as I can, but eventually, the depth of the snow in the pasture discourages them from heading in there. Although the last couple of years have brought less snow, so they're staying out there longer and longer. I have a couple of spruces in there and they like to munch on the branches when they're bored. They also like to go in the pasture sometimes because there is a low area where the sun hits, but the wind doesn't get to it, and they'll stand there and sun themselves quite happily. 

I do water inside the double run-in stall because I use heated buckets. I have two in there, at opposite ends, drilled a hole in the stall boards to run the wire outside to the outlets (luckily, my contractor planned this well and I have outlets in front of each stall). Heating water outside seems like a waste to me. Obviously it's almost as cold inside the barn as it is outside, but there is less evaporation I think, and my power bills don't go up enormously as a result. I do top up the water at least twice a day, and scrub the buckets at least once a week. 

I also give their wet rations (beet pulp, hay cubes and supplements) in their stalls, and in fact, put my senior in a separate closed-in stall twice a day for his feedings since he gets different food than the other two and eats a lot slower. I like the fact that I can still do this - if you just have a completely open shelter, it makes it hard to separate horses in situations like this one. He also goes in there at night because he gets free choice second-cut hay (he struggles to keep weight on these days whereas the other two are chunky monkeys). 

I put one slow-feeder net inside, and one outside under the overhang of the barn in a heavy wooden feeder (I clip the haynet inside it). 

Hope this helps. I do find that my horses still want to be outside even though their food is mostly inside. I used to have a tree in the middle of the paddock which was great for attaching a haynet, but it eventually died and had to be cut down. But a lot of this is trial and error. You have to figure out what works for your herd.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Here they are at the far end of the pasture enjoying some sun and some snow baths, lol. This would be early spring. 









And Rusty having a big run in the snow:


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