How to Remodel a Horse Barn

A horse barn severs as a shelter for horses as well as a place to store tack, feed, and supplies. When remodeling a horse barn it is important to make sure the barn is fully functional for both horses and owners. Protecting the horses from injury, updating feed and tack rooms, and providing heat and ventilation are also keys to successfully remodeling a horse barn.

Things You'll Need

• Lumber
• Stall latches
• Insulation
• Concrete
• Fans

Instructions

1. Decide and lay out the size and location of the horse stalls if your barn does not have any. Make sure the stalls have room for the horses to stand and lay without becoming cast or stuck in the stall. A standard horse stall is at least 10 feet by 12 feet for large horses.

2. Use treated lumber (to prevent rotting from moisture) to build the stalls or replace any broken boards. Make sure the stalls are high enough that horses can not touch noses over the top. This can make them hostile towards each other. Also, build the stalls high enough so the horse can not jump over them.

3. Place a door on each stall with a strong latch in case a horse kicks it. Attach the door so it opens outward. Make sure the flooring in the stall is level and clean. Use dirt to level the floors. Cover the floor with clean wood shavings such as pine.

4. Update or add a feed and tack room that can hold all of your riding equipment. Ideally it is best to place it in a corner of the barn. Ensure that the tack--such as saddles and all of their components, blankets, bits, and bridles--is kept dry by adding insulation and not allowing moisture to enter. Place feed in a large barrel with a top so critters can not get into it. Put a handle on the tack room door so it can be locked to protect tack from being stolen.

5. Leave an open aisle down the center of the barn. This will ensure there is enough room for cleaning the stalls with a wheelbarrow or feeding the horses. Have a feed bucket attached to the wall of each stall along with a water bucket.

6. Use concrete to make a wash rack to wash horses and supplies. Make a drain from the inside of the barn to the outside though the floor. Dig out an area about 6 inches deep and 12 feet wide. Have the area covered with concrete and enclosed with wood to make stall area. Cover the floor with a rubber mat with holes for drainage to prevent slipping. Attach a large hook ring on each side of the wash rack area to allow for tying the horse while using the wash rack.

7. Provide heating in the barn in the form of gas heaters in the corners if the temperature gets low during the winter. When heated, the barn requires insulation to prevent condensation from forming. According to Equisearch, a publisher of horse magazines, ventilation is important in keeping the barn dry as well as the horses cool. Place fans near windows and openings to keep air moving. Leave vents in the top of the barn open to allow air flow.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the best lumber you can afford to prevent horses from breaking it if they kick it.

• Corner feed buckets attach to the walls connecting the corner of the stall and are convenient to use, but they may cost a little more because of their durability and design.

• Seek a professional to help with the concrete in the wash rack.

References

• UShorse.biz: Horse Barns
• Horse Keeping: Building a Horse Barn on a Budget
• Equisearch: Barn Heating and Ventilation

Resources

• Horses and Horse Information: Horse Barns