stall size and fencing

[minister man]

Hi everyone, I know this is probably a loaded question, but if you were building a miniature horse barn, and were also thinking about resale value and what the next person might want it for too what would you consider a good size for

Everyday stalls?

Foaling Boxes?

A stall for a stallion with an adjoining exercise paddock?

I am just thinking that it would be good to design the stalls so that one wall could come out and make a different type of stall. I would expect that I will never have a stallion, but the next person might, I don't want to limit my design.

thanks

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

Are you making them miniature or horse size? Tbh if you are going to the trouble i would make them horse size so then you are open to a larger market, so they can be split if need for you and a normal one will hold a stallion and a foaling mare.

 

[bevann]

If I were building a new barn I would build it to fit full size horses and then configure stalls to fit the Minis.My barn at my previous farm was 30 feet wide and 60 feet long.Stalls were 10 by 10 with u channel on walls to drop down lumber as stall dividers.Aisle was 10 feet wide-enough to get tractor and spreader or truck down the aisle Had a friend who built a new fancy barn(or so he thought with 8 foot stalls and a VERY narrow aisle.He had a horrible time selling the property and new owner paid much lower price and gutted the barn.IMO if you build just for Minis you limit your market.The person who bought my previous farm took out all partitions and used it for his cattle.Left the tack room.

 

[minister man]

Ok, I am glad I ask. I hadn't really thought about that. I have worked with big horses all my life, and have minis, but have been thinking that the older I get, I might only concentrate on the mini's as a "retirement hobby". That said, that I way I am thinking of resale. So If I stayed with 10x10 or 10x 12 stalls I could put a divider in it for minis, or leave them full size for the mare and foal or a stallion. I think horses are handled more in and out of stalls. I am sure a run in shed with a few minis would work just as well.

I know with the big horses I would never put two in one stall, usually one dominate one doesn't let the other one eat.

Is it true that most mini farms pasture breed and let the stallion run with the mares?

 

[AnnaC]

What size 'big' horses are you thinking about (for the future)? In my opinion a 10x10 would possibly suit a pony, but a big horse would need at least a 12x12. Plus I would not be dividing a 12x12 for a mini - 6 foot is just not wide enough. Most of my stalls are 10x12 at a minimum up to 13x15's and my 30" stallion is in an 11x16. I do have one 8x12 but when the 29" mini lays down across it there is very little space either end of her! Always make things as large as you possibly can, you never know when you might need the extra space - someone on box rest through illness or injury for instance, or even for an area of safely closed off extra stoage space?

As I said - just my opinion! It sounds like an exciting project, so much fun when you have the opportunity to design a new barn from scratch.

 

[MindyLee]

Here at my farm...

Foaling stall in barn 9x12

Normal stall 8x8

Mares dry lot 100 x 150 with a 8x17 4 sided walk in barn

Another dry lot 65x100 with a 6x8 4 sided lean too.

Mares grazing pasture is a huge "L" shape that wraps around both their dry lots.

Studs each have 75x100 dry lot with a 6x8 4 sided lean too. Boys have only tie out off their lots to graze in yard.

Everyone lives outside unless sick training or foaling.

I like my set up and so do most folks that see it.

 

[minister man]

I live in Canada, so the snow can get pretty deep, which is why I am thinking housing. I would probably not keep more than 3 mares. As far as a stallion goes, I would not keep one, IF I can find one near by that would be an appropriate herd sire to use as a stud.

How do you fence the stallion's run? I know that he wouldn't be as strong as a full sized stallion, but I am sure that there are some special requirements.

 

[MindyLee]

All my fencing is a 4ft tall x 330ft long field fence. Cost $149.99 at tractor supply company.

The stallions (2 here) have a 22ft turn a round space between their pastures. Because the pace and hang on the fence line, I do have cattle pannels there to make sure the fence is strong enough to keep them in.

 

[minister man]

Your set up sounds like a beautiful place. Do you have any pictures? I love to see other people's set up.

 

[MindyLee]

When I get home and play on the computer I will post some pics for ya to see. Also my lil barns.

 

[Miniv]

We've always had a minimum stall size of 12x12....and used the U-Channels to fit the boards into, which is handy so the height of the dividing walls can be adjusted.

The barn that we built ourselves had sliding "back doors" off the stalls that went out to run-out paddocks. Our current place doesn't have that and I miss them. The paddocks also had back gates that led out to a larger area...One side of the barn was a drylot and the other was a short-cropped pasture.

The aisles were wide enough for a pickup truck to drive through.

 

[Jean_B]

Personally - and just my opinion - a 6x8 stall is plenty big, even for a mare with a foal (just an fyi - I do not keep my horses inside unless sick, holding for the farrier or vet, getting ready for a show, etc.). However, that doesn't lend itself to resale - so in a perfect world I would go with exactly what Miniv had with 12x12 with 2 doors so that it could be divided.

 

[wingnut]

Since becoming involved with minis, one thing I've kept in mind with most of our non-horse purchases was this: who would be interested in buying this down the road? If I go with a mini-specific sized item, I'm limiting myself to that pool of potential buyers. In our case, that meant purchasing a full size 19' stock trailer (because it came up for sale at the right time for an incredibly right price!). Its really overkill for us, but I know that I could easily transport all 5 horses at once if needed and resell it to any horse owner because even a big draft horse or two would fit.

We purchased full size run-in sheds (w/tack rooms) as our "barns". We divided the 12x12 and 12x10 stalls in half, added doors/gates and have nicely sized stalls for the minis. Yet, we can easily remove all of this and it will again be usable for a full size horse without any problem.

So when it comes to these bigger ticket items, I always look at the "down the road" potential. So in your case, I would determine how best to make it a barn that can be re-purposed by a future potential owner. Even possibly one who doesn't have a single horse but maybe another form of livestock or none at all...using the building for storage or workshop space.

ETA: We spaced the buildings facing each other at 12' so we could put a 12 foot gate at one end of them as the main entry point. A tractor or pickup can easily fit between them which was by design. We can pull down into that space with a load of hay or straw or stone or whatever. Pulling the manure spreader between is also a piece of cake and makes stall clean up (especially after a show when I bedded 3 of the 4 stalls with a deep layer of straw) so much easier.

 

[Tab]

10X10 or 10X12 with dividers, so that you can divide them into two mini stalls. Also 4 ft tall fencing, that way the next homeowner can just add a line of electric to the top. Good fencing is a selling point. We have field fence, too. I love it.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

my stalls are 15x10 and they are considered normal. i would not go smaller honestly.

 

[HGFarm]

My minis run out all the time, but I do have two stalls for foaling, etc... I would not have anything for a mini smaller than 12 x 12 and I wish I had had them made 16 x 16, but they will do. The more room the better. Horses need space and I dont think like being housed, even if overnight, in a shoebox. Small stalls also risk the issue of horses being cast, etc... while there.