Tips on Barn Styles, Barn Layouts and Practical Horse Barn

Building Horse Barns
COURTESY MORTON BUILDINGS
Tips on Barn Styles, Barn Layouts and
Practical Horse Barn Features
A Note From The Editor
Here at MyHorse Daily we are committed to bringing you
the latest information designed to keep you and your horse
healthy, happy and productive.
Enjoy the read!
Amy Herdy, Managing Editor
MyHorse Daily
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Planning a new
stable or barn?
Here are some important points to consider regarding
design, materials and features.
Adapted from Horse Housing: How to Plan, Build and Remodel Barns and Sheds
(Trafalgar Square Books) by Richard Klimesh and Cherry Hill
T
Floor Plan
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COURTESY MDBARNMASTER
he style of your barn is
an expression of your
personality and horsekeeping philosophy.
It is defined primarily
by the shape of the
building and by the materials you
choose for the visible parts, such
as siding and roofing. City ordinances or homeowner covenants
might dictate materials and style,
making your choices considerably
quicker. Climate will influence
function and shape.
Unfortunately, like other products of human design, some barns
look great but do not work. Don’t
sacrifice your horses’ comfort,
health and safety for making a
fashion statement. Take the axiom “form follows function” (by
Though your barn is an expression of your personality, city ordinances or homeowner covAmerican architect Louis Henri
enants might dictate materials and style.
Sullivan) to heart, and consider
the purpose of the barn as the starting point in your design.
roof) or an offset gable roof. The open
side allows a horse to enter and leave the
shed at will. It is often one room for a
single horse, but it can be made as long
The floor plan of a barn affects style by determining the overall shape of the buildas desired and divided into many coming. Most barns are rectangular and single story, but L- or U-shaped layouts, some
partments to separate horses.
with a second floor, are not uncommon and may suit your purpose better.
Shed Row—Put a front wall on a run-in
shed and you have a shed row barn with
Common Barn Layouts
stalls open on one side. A gable roof ofRun-In Shed—Though not a barn per se, the ubiquitous run-in shed, or loafing shed,
is the simplest shelter to build, having three sides and either a single-slope roof (shed ten replaces a shed roof in order to gain
Tips for Better Barn Function
Adapted from an article by Sally Silverman
W
COURTESY MDBARNMASTER
space makes for increased maintenance,
hether you’re building or redoing
a need for more bedding and a bigger
a small private setup or a large
area to clean. Partitions between stalls
professional training operation, the folshould be at least 8 feet high to prevent
lowing tips will help you create a better
a horse from getting a hoof over them,
dynamic.
but they don’t necessarily have to be
Building Placement
solid from top to bottom. Spaces of an
Situating a barn well affects working
inch or so between wooden boards will
conditions in that building. The experts
enhance ventilation, as will a barred or
advise avoiding low-lying areas or those
mesh portion on the top. This configuat the bottom of a hill, for example, beration also has the benefit of allowing
cause runoff from rain and snow will be
horses, which are herd animals, to see
a problem. Build downwind of any resitheir companions—and provides easy
dential buildings to minimize the flies
observation of the horses by their huand odors. Orient the barn so it takes admans. For the same reason, doors that
vantage of winter sun, avoids the hottest
are open on top or an open door with
summer sun and catches summer winds
a stall guard or safety gate will increase
for ventilation. The location of roads
visibility, light and ventilation. Bars,
should also be considered, and give exhowever, must not be more than 2 to
tra thought to those parts of the barn in
3 inches apart, and openings in heavy
which you spend most of your time.
Light and ventilation are important congauge wire mesh should not be more
Convenience and Storage
siderations in any equine building.
than 2 inches across to prevent a hoof
Well-planned storage can save time and
from getting caught in the mesh.
supplies while preventing clutter, which
Doors should be wide enough for a wheelbarrow to pass
is a fire hazard. If you must keep feed, hay and bedding in
in and out (at least 4 feet), and sliding doors are preferable to
the barn, locating them in the middle, especially in a large
swinging doors for both safety and space reasons. Also conbarn, means less travel distance. By creating a storage area that
sider rounding all edges in the stall, installing a casting rail,
opens both to the outside of the barn for stocking and to the
providing easy access to feed buckets from outside the stall,
inside for removing, there will be a constant rotation of hay.
and installing frostproofed automatic waterers with hydrants
While it’s quite convenient to store hay in a loft and drop it
between every couple of stalls.
into the aisle, it is not only a fire hazard but adds to the barn’s
In the feed room, metal-lined bins will keep feed safe from
dust and allergen levels. And if machinery is kept contiguous
rodents, and if you must have a wash stall, include a drain
to the barn, it should be separated by a fire-rated wall.
with a removable strainer and position the hose overhead, fasVentilation
tened with an apparatus specifically designed for that purpose.
Experts agree that ventilation is probably the single most imAlso think about a recessed area for a muck bucket and a way
portant consideration, since horses in a barn can’t respond to
out of the back in case a horse gets difficult. The same goes for
their natural instincts to get warm, cool off or seek fresh air.
a grooming stall; recessed areas keep necessary tools handy
Wind moves most of the air in a stable, so every barn needs a
while keeping the environment safe.
minimum of two sets of openings throughout the horse-occuWaste Management
pied area to allow air to enter and exit. For example, there can
When cleaning stalls, the person pushing a wheelbarrow full
be openings or vents along the eaves (where the walls meet
of manure will appreciate a straight shot to the manure pile.
the roof) and along the ridgeline (highest part of the roof).
In larger facilities, aisles should be large enough for a pickup
During cold weather, the warmer, stale air inside rises and estruck or tractor to pass through when delivering grain or hay
capes through the upper openings. Other ideas: Dutch doors
or clearing manure. Some experts advocate a short-term pile
or windows on the outside wall or fans in the cupola(s) on the
near the barn and, if you don’t have manure removed, a lonridgeline of the building.
ger-term pile farther away. Taking advantage of elevation with
Stalls
a ramp from which manure can be dumped makes it easier,
The most common stall is 12 feet square; super-sizing that
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COURTESY MDBARNMASTER
and you can drop it directly into a spreader.
Flooring
No stall flooring is perfect, but you want a
surface that gives, is non-skid and durable,
does not retain odor and is easy to clean.
Mats in the stall offer the easiest cleanup option and can cut down on bedding requirements. Under the mats, some like popcorn
asphalt, which has some texture for safety
and drains well, but which collect hays and
bedding if used on the aisles. Stone dust
alone will hold urine, and bare concrete
floors without rubber mats are too slippery.
For these reasons, many barn builders advocate interlocking rubber brick because it
is soft, recycled, durable, drains well and is
attractive.
Lighting and Hardware
Inside the barn, you want good lighting for
ease of work and general good cheer. If the
climate allows, skylights, transparent panels
or openings on the upper sides of the walls
can provide a lot of natural light. A good
plan is to put lights on either side of the
stall at least 10 feet high with a switch and
an outlet at each stall.
When selecting hardware, go for latches
that you can open or fasten with one hand
while leading a horse or carrying a bucket
with the other. They should also be durable
enough to withstand the elements, horses
leaning on them and years of use.
Safety
Fire is the greatest catastrophic threat to a
barn. A few simple precautions can protect
your barn and horses: Install a lightening
rod; install enough outlets to avoid overloading; modernize your circuit breakers;
don’t store flammables (including hay and
bedding) in the barn; protect wires with
rodent-proof conduit metal or hard plastic;
and use recesses to accommodate items such
as fire extinguishers.
With function, efficiency and safety in
mind, you can build a new barn or renovate
an existing one to provide a better environment for your horse.
A breezeway or center-aisle barn with equine-friendly footing is the most
common configuration when it comes to enclosed barns.
an overhang for more protection from
sun and rain. The shed row is popular
in warm climates where it’s not critical
to have inside aisles in which to work.
It is not practical for areas with snow,
where more protection is needed.
Back-to-Back or Racetrack—Attach
two shed row barns back to back for a
racetrack barn. Since the stalls share a
common back wall, a racetrack barn
is an economical way to house a large
number of horses. Like the shed row, it
is not practical for snowy areas.
Center Aisle—Two facing rows of
stalls with an aisle between is the most
common enclosed barn configuration.
It offers complete protection from
weather so horses can be fed, groomed
and tacked without having to leave
the barn.
Trainer—This is like two center-aisle
barns side by side and covered by a
gable roof. There is a double row of
stalls down the center of the barn (like
a racetrack barn), an aisle on each side,
and then another row of stalls along
each outer wall. Often an indoor arena
is attached to the end of the trainer
barn.
Breezeway—Any barn with a large
door at each end of the aisle, which
can be opened to allow a breeze to
blow through the barn.
Raised Center Aisle (RCA)—This term
refers to the roof style, monitor, rather
than the floor plan. It is a center aisle
barn that has a raised roof over the
aisle.
Clerestories, short walls with windows between the roof levels, let light
into the center aisle. In hot climates,
the clerestories are left open for
ventilation.
Mare Motel—A series of pens, usually of steel pipe panels, covered by a
roof. Used in hot climates to maximize
airflow and provide shade.
Roof Shape and
Overhang
Roof shape determines the appearance
of a barn, the volume of air inside the
barn and how well the roof sheds rain
and snow.
Common Roof Shapes
Shed Roof—Also called a pitched flat
roof. The shed roof is all one plane
and is often used for three-sided shelters or small stables. It is also commonly attached to the eaves of an
existing gable roof or to the wall of a
barn.
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Gable and Offset Gable—Also called
saltbox. The gable roof is a roof with
two planes. If one side is longer than
the other, it is an offset gable. It is perhaps the most popular of all roof styles.
It often extends past the barn walls to
provide additional shelter for horses or
equipment.
Monitor—Also called raised center
aisle or RCA. Lets in light to center aisle,
and the added height increases airflow.
The monitor is essentially two shed roofs
with a gable in the middle. This is good
for long rows of stalls. The area under
the upper gable roof can be windows,
vents or clear panels.
Gambrel—A double-pitched roof
popular on two-story barns having a second floor because of the increased headroom and useable floor space it allows.
Gambrel trusses eliminate the need for
interior post and beam supports, which
allows you to create any floor plan you
wish.
Rafters and Trusses
Rafters extend from the top of the walls
to join in pairs at a ridge board along
the top of the roof. They exert a downward and outward force on the walls.
To contain this force and prevent the
walls from spreading, a ceiling joist or
collar tie connects two opposing rafters
to make a joist in place. In wide barns,
rafters often require support from posts
and beams on the inside of the building,
which can limit floor plan flexibility.
Trusses are engineered to transfer
lateral forces directly downward onto
perimeter walls with no outward pressure. This clear span (free span) design
eliminates the need for support posts
and beams within the structure itself,
and allows you to place non-load bearing interior walls anywhere you like.
p h otos courtesy mdbarnmaster
Loft
The shed row-style barn is popular in warmer climates.
A stable with a raised center aisle boasts increased light and airflow.
Two-story barns with hayloft storage
were popular when horses were used to
power agriculture and hay was put up
loose. They are still used for dairy and
other livestock operations. It can be
tempting to consider adding a loft when
considering all that wasted space that
could be used for storing hay, bedding,
equipment and general overflow. But
consider this option carefully.
In the first place, potential fire hazard
alone should be enough to clear the loft
idea from your head. Many experts agree
that the bulk of hay should be stored in
a building separate from the stable.
Second, that huge volume of space
overhead is not wasted. Quite the contrary, it is serving to keep your horse
healthy. A large volume of air helps dissipate stale, humid air that should be
allowed to rise and escape through roof
vents to be replaced by fresh air drawn
in through lower openings. A loft drastically reduces air volume and traps dank
air in stalls and aisles, necessitating the
use of electric fans for ventilation. Hay
stored overhead adds dust, mold and
fungal spores, and other pollutants to
the air, especially when hay is thrown
down for feeding. Make your barn two
stories high; then leave out the second
floor.
6
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Live-In
C O U R T E S Y M D B arnmaster
A stable/apartment combination can offer permanent living quarters for a stable
owner, worker or broodmare manager,
a place for a barn sitter to stay while
you’re away or a retreat for visitors wanting a horsey experience. Living in close
proximity to your horses enables you to
keep close watch on them to nip trouble
in the bud.
Framing Type
Framing is the skeleton of the barn to
which the inside and outside coverings
are attached. The type of framing you
choose can affect the shape and appearance of the finished barn.
Pole Barn (Post Frame)
Pole framing utilizes posts and beams
to minimize the number of framing elements in walls. It is economical, strong
and relatively simple to build, making
it the most popular framing method for
Storing hay and straw in a separate building minimizes the risk of fire.
custom barns. A pole barn frame consists of 6- to 8-inch round or rectangular
pressure-treated wood posts set 3 to 6
feet below the ground. Poles are typically
set at 8- to 12-foot intervals and rest on
a pad of concrete at the bottom of each
hole. Poles and trusses or rafters are generally visible inside the barn. Pole barns
are easy to build in part because they
require no trench work for a foundation,
only holes; and these can be dug using a
tractor auger or a hand posthole digger.
Timber Frame
(Post and Beam)
Timber framing is another type of post
and beam construction, but rather than
plugging into the ground like a pole
barn, a timber frame barn sits on a concrete foundation. A properly constructed
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Building Flexibility into Your Barn
Adapted from an article by Wendy Lind
W
courtesy mdbarnmaster
hen it comes to designing, building
and improving horse facilities, a little
added flexibility helps prevent headaches
and protects your investment in the long
run.
Designing Flexible Barns
You can build a barn that will allow for
future expandability or even a different use
that doesn’t involve horses.
The most adaptable barn employs a
clear-span structural system with no internal columns. Stall partitions can be added
or deleted as needed. Should you sell the
Prefabricated stall components can come in
property later, that building will appeal to
handy when flexibility is your goal.
a larger number of people, as the stalls can
easily taken down and reassembled, sevbe removed and the building can be used
eral stall and barn systems fit that purpose.
for anything from vintage car storage to a
Some are made of high tensile tube and
workshop.
puck board, the same high-density plastic
Be sure to lay out the facility in a way
used in hockey rinks.
that will allow for expandability. If building
The stalls anchor to the ground at regular
a “combination facility” of a barn and inintervals via a welded loop that can be atdoor arena, be careful to lay out the facility
in a way that best addresses site and weather tached to an anchor connector appropriate
for existing site conditions. Stalls such as
conditions, as well as allowing for future
these are not appropriate if you are lookflexibility.
ing for a long-term, totally enclosable barn
Stall Partitions
Many types of prefabricated stalls are on the structure. However, if you are in a warm,
market. Safety is paramount, especially since temperate climate, or only need them for
certain situations, they might be just the
the horses will be in such close proximity. A
ticket due to their modularity and cost
stall partition with a solid lower half is coneffectiveness.
sidered safer. It is possible to use panels to
Regardless of what type of barn you
set up barn stall partitions. However, if horsbuild, be sure the structure is compliant and
es start to squabble, they are much more
appropriate to the codes in your area, which
likely to injure themselves kicking through
are influenced by local site-specific elements
a panel or rearing over it.
such as wind, fire, snow, earthquake and
When choosing stall partitions, look at
the welds, construction, durability and over- existing soil conditions. It is also advisable
to check with design covenants if you live
all quality of the system. It is also important
in a development, as there may be certain
to evaluate how the partitions connect to
material or aesthetic restraints.
each other, and if they allow for flexibility
In the end, flexibility in an equestrian
in connecting to a permanent barn wall or
facility often comes down to doing your
freestanding column. Ideally, you should
research to find the best product for the
be able to convert two stalls into one by
job, while still thinking of how you or anremoving the center partition should the
other owner might use the operation in the
need arise to create an oversized foaling or
future. It also is wise to get referrals from
lay-up stall.
Temporary Stalls and Barn Structures other horse owners who have been using
the products you are contemplating, with
If you are not expecting to need permanent
safety a priority.
structures, or you need stalls that can be
timber frame is incredibly sturdy—some have
lasted for hundreds
of years. It is typically
comprised of 8- and
10-inch square timbers
for main members and
smaller timbers for
roof purlins and floor
joists. Major joints are
traditionally dovetails
and mortise and tenon,
often hand cut and
secured with wooden
pins, like fine furniture
construction on a larger
scale. Craftsmen using
traditional timber frame
methods don’t use nails
or other metal fasteners
unless they are required
by local codes. Timber
frame barns are sometimes built in or near
the builder’s shop and
shipped to the site to be
erected by the builder, a
local contractor or the
owner. Timber-frame kits
that use metal connectors to secure joints are
available.
Wood Frame and
Masonry
Wood frame construction is the most popular
style for houses but
is not widely used for
barns. It is generally not
as strong as either pole
or timber framing and
requires more material
to build.
Masonry barns are
especially popular in
desert climates because
the thermal mass of the
walls tends to keep the
inside of the building
cool during the day and
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Credits
Building Horse Barns:
Tips on Barn Styles,
Barn Layouts and
Practical Horse Barn
Features
This report is brought
to you by the editors
of EquiSearch.com and
Practical Horseman and
Dressage Today magazines.
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Septemb
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Modular
Modular barns generally consist of
a steel framework with steel-framed
Used with permission from Trafalgar
Square Books, 388 Howe Hill Road, North
Pomfret, VT. To order Horse Housing:
How to Plan, Build and Remodel Barns
and Sheds, visit HorseBooksEtc.com or call
1-800-952-5813.
Out?
lling
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Dressa
ort of
the Sp
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radiates heat at night. A masonry barn
typically consists of concrete block or
wood-framed walls faced with brick
or stucco. The advantages of concrete
block walls are that little or no inside
finish treatment is required, and they
are generally impervious to damage
from chewing or kicking horses.
Like timber framing, wood frame and
masonry buildings require footings and
foundation walls to transfer the load of
the structure to solid soil and to elevate
the walls from the ground. Concrete
footings are formed and poured in a
trench where the outer walls of the
building will be. The trench must be
dug to below the frost line or according to local building codes. Foundation
walls, either poured concrete or concrete
block, set on the footings and extend
approximately 16 inches above grade.
The wood framing or masonry portion
of the barn sits on the foundation walls.
panels fitted in between. The panels
are typically comprised of a plywood or
OSB (oriented strand board) core with
sheet steel laminated to the inside surface and steel, wood or other siding material laminated to the outside surface.
An advantage of this framing is that
damaged panels can be replaced relatively easily. Some modular barns have
a “warehouse” appearance, but many
manufacturers offer a variety of styles,
siding and roofing materials. If you
don’t see a plan you like, most manufacturers will modify an existing plan to
suit your needs. Modular barns generally go up quicker and with less expense
than custom barns. They are especially
fire resistant because of the steel framing and steel-skinned wall panels.
Is
Tips •
IA LG E
SP EC
ES SA E
D R IS SU
PRAC
courtesy mdbarnmaster
Custom-designed modular barns (not to be confused with kit barns) are a unique
and attractive option.
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