# Standing Stalls



## Southern (Apr 24, 2011)

Whats your opinion on them? And why? We only have straight stalls. Five of them lined up, with floor to ceiling walls.


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_I dont mind them, as long as there is room for the horse to move a bit, and to lay down._

_The floor to wall ceiling though isn't a good thing, as there wouldn't be any ventilation, if it is a solid wall. You might want to try to pull some of the wall down, and put wire across the top half of the stalls. _


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## Magaidh (Apr 13, 2011)

I'm against them for a couple reasons.

1) A horse is designed to move. It's physiology works in such a way that constant movement keeps all body functions in top health. For example: a horse standing still for prolonged periods of time can suffer from loss of bone density, loss of muscle tone, poor circulation, accumulation of fluid in its legs ("stocking up"), etc.

2) A horse's psychological health requires a few things: ability to move (they are flight animals), ability to interact with other horses (even if this means just having a horse in view -- floor-to-ceiling walls definitely doesn't allow for this), and ideally something to think about or do (they're not stupid animals!). Standing still for the night doesn't meet any of these criteria.

Also, as Velvet mentioned, poor ventilation could be a problem, which could lead to respiratory issues.

Is there a reason you'd like them to be inside? A better solution might be to create a shelter for your horses and let them choose to come in when they'd like. You could always save the standing stalls for emergencies, like bad weather, or take down a couple walls and make a box stall or two for backup.


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## Southern (Apr 24, 2011)

Magaidh said:


> I'm against them for a couple reasons.
> 
> 1) A horse is designed to move. It's physiology works in such a way that constant movement keeps all body functions in top health. For example: a horse standing still for prolonged periods of time can suffer from loss of bone density, loss of muscle tone, poor circulation, accumulation of fluid in its legs ("stocking up"), etc.
> 
> ...


They are in all winter, and out all summer, with no barn time. Only one stall has floor to ceiling walls, I should have mentioned, because he would chew them down to nothing. He is quite happy. We cannot let them in and out at will, for there are other animals in the barn (cows). Roman (the one in the stall mentioned above ) Is directly across from the door, which is open 24/7, so ventilation is no problem. The other stalls have 5 foot walls. We cannot make box stalls. Our barn is only 20x30, and is filled with three cows, and five horses. There is no room.


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## Skipsfirstspike (Mar 22, 2010)

I think standing stalls have their uses, but not for daily overnight keeping. I believe that is excessive except in the most extreme circumstances (dangerous hail/lightning, deadly frigid temps).
I knew somebody who had stalls like that, but his horses were in less than 10 nights a year.
Ya gotta figure, even a horse who is line tied overnight has the freedom of movement to take a few steps.
I would suggest building a lean to type shelter in their pasture.
If this is an absolute impossibility, then you should downsize your herd.
Take the space of the standing stalls and build 2 box stalls, then get rid of 3 of the horses.


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## Nokeen (Apr 27, 2011)

i'm just wondering what is considered a standing stall? the only thing Ive ever seen as a "standing stall" was only big enough for the horse to be backed into, cross tied, and left to stand. It was at an Amish farm so they might have different meanings?


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## Southern (Apr 24, 2011)

Nokeen said:


> i'm just wondering what is considered a standing stall? the only thing Ive ever seen as a "standing stall" was only big enough for the horse to be backed into, cross tied, and left to stand. It was at an Amish farm so they might have different meanings?


Ours are the opposite. You walk the horse into them , tie them to the wall, and they have room to move side to side, and you back them out.


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## Skipsfirstspike (Mar 22, 2010)

Around here a standing stall refers to a very narrow stall, no real room to move from side to side. Maybe 3 feet wide.


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## Nokeen (Apr 27, 2011)

Are your horses friendly enough to be in one big stall together? IDK if what you have would be proper room, but i knew a girl who had 3 horses in a really big stall with a run attached to it.


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## Southern (Apr 24, 2011)

Nokeen said:


> Are your horses friendly enough to be in one big stall together? IDK if what you have would be proper room, but i knew a girl who had 3 horses in a really big stall with a run attached to it.


definitely not. Our dominant mare doesn't like being close to no one. We built our barn differently than others, our standing stall are abut 5 feet wide.


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## Nokeen (Apr 27, 2011)

personally i dont like standing stalls because they restrict the movement of the horse and cause distress, but it can work for some horses. if it were me id turn what you currently have into 2 stalls, and then build 3 more


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## Southern (Apr 24, 2011)

Nokeen said:


> personally i dont like standing stalls because they restrict the movement of the horse and cause distress, but it can work for some horses. if it were me id turn what you currently have into 2 stalls, and then build 3 more


I am not in control over this, so I don't know, plus, we would have no room. Our barn is only 20x30 feet, its packed. But our horses are happy, and healthy, and thats what matters.


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## Nokeen (Apr 27, 2011)

sometimes you just have to make do with what you have as long as the animals are healthy that is


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I would not put my horse in a standing stall overnight every night. A few nights every once in awhile wouldn't be a big deal but it wouldn't be something I would do...especially all winter when moving their joints is especially helpful to them.


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