Horse Stalls
The Indoor Option of Horsekeeping
Horse stalls are a great option if you intend to keep your horse inside a horse barn for part of the day or evening.
There are a few guidelines you may want to keep in mind if you are considering building your own barn or looking at a facility to board your horse.
Stall Sizes
Minimum
recommendations for stall sizes for an
average size horse range between 10' x 10' to 12' x 12' for each side.
This amount of space is usually sufficient to allow enough room for the
horse to move around comfortably. Depending on the layout of the barn,
each stall would benefit from having a window for ventilation.
Stalls can be larger or smaller in size than the average, if you are housing a larger or smaller horse.
Larger stalls are also needed when housing a mare and foal. These stalls are typically referred to as foaling stalls. Some equine facilities that breed regularly are able to take a wall down between two regular stalls to make a foaling stall. Then once the foal is weaned, they can build the wall back up again.
Stall Construction
Horse stalls can be constructed out of a variety of materials with the most common being wood. Southern yellow pine is a very strong and sturdy wood to be used in a horse stall. Galvanized steel is another construction material used to reinforce strength in the overall structure of the stall.Many manufacturers of stalls offer flexible options to customize horse stalls to meet many needs. If you are considering building your own barn you first should consider the layout of your barn to determine how many stalls you'll need and where you may want to place those stalls.
Styles
Once you have decided on the layout and the amount of stalls you need, you can add to the overall look and feel of your barn by customizing the stall doors. You have the option to choose a more traditional or European look to the stall front. Whichever you choose make sure it is best suited to your overall needs.
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Equipment
Feeders: Usually build into the walls of the horse stall, feeders are an effective way to feed your horse on a daily basis. Corner feeders are very common in stalls and are made out of a few different materials. They are mounted on the wall in one corner of the horse stall, usually in the front.It is a much better option than placing a feeding tub on the floor, because a feeding tub is more likely to be dumped over. Corner feeders can also be constructed out of metal materials such as cast aluminum.
Hay Racks: This add-on to your stall is usually placed on the wall and is used for holding hay during feeding. The height hay racks are placed at can vary. Typically hay racks are constructed of rolled steel. There are also combination hay and grain feeders that can be mounted on the wall.
Waterers: When ganging buckets in a horse stall you also have a few options of add-on to mount to the stall wall. Bucket holders hold the entire water bucket with support from the bottom.
You also have the option of using mounted latches to attach to bucket handles.
Other Options: These options include salt and mineral block holders. Come in steel or plastic varieties and allow you to hang them virtually anywhere in the stall. This allows your horse to have access to the salt and minerals at all times. It also eliminates the need to add salt and minerals to your horse's grain during each feeding.
Stall Mats: Made of rubber, a stall mat can add some cushion under your horse's feet which allows for a possible reduction in the amount of bedding you will need to use. Some barn floors are made of dirt while others are made of concrete, make sure the amount of bedding you choose to use is sufficient to keep your horse comfortable.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Once your stalls are set-up and your horse has moved in, keeping a horse stall clean is a never-ending and very important task. If you fail to clean your horse's stall properly you are exposing your horse to an increased risk for health problems.Most experienced horse owners would recommend cleaning your horse stalls at least 1-2 times per day. Two cleanings is recommended for horses stabled for longer periods during the day and evening. If your horse gets regular amounts of turn out, one cleaning per day should suffice.
Regular cleaning involves mucking out the soiled horse bedding and replacing it with clean bedding as needed. Stalls will also need to be stripped on a regular basis.
Horse water and feed buckets will need to be checked and cleaned on a regular basis. Finding manure in a water or feed bucket is quite common. If you do find manure one of the buckets, it will need to be cleaned out.
Water buckets should be dumped out on a regular basis to clean out any loose bits of food that may have settled on the bottom.
Proper cleaning of a horse stall and its equipment will promote optimal health and wellness for your horse along with comfort.
