Stalling Miniatures

[Relic]

The only time ours are stalled is if there sick ready to foal or clipped for show season...all are out with run in sheds which looks to me are usually just a giant outhouse for them no matter what the weather. l have noticed most seem to not like being out in wind not just breezy but big wind..then it looks like no horses live here..

OMG l couldn't even imagine cleaning out 40 some stalls a day even if l wanted them kept in the barn nights...unless l had a full time hired pooper scopper on hand.

 

[wingnut]

Here's how it works for us.

# of horses: 4 (all mares)

# of stalls: 2

stall size: 12'x6'

99% of the time, the stalls are open for them to come in and out as they wish. Our "farm" is small and right now this is their only available shelter. Our oldest mare (12 in April) is also our "hard keeper" and she is far thinner than the rest. She also has less coat then the rest. She will get chilled easier than the rest. On days when we have a combination of cold temps and consistent rain throughout the day, she gets stalled. The other three still have access to the second stall. We frequently find the three of them in that stall during foul weather anyway.

On really cold nights, especially when the winds are high, we stall all four of them - 2 to a stall. We also do this on days/nights when we're expecting significant snow fall.

In our case, we have NO stallions or colts, so we don't have to worry about accidental breeding or a need to keep them separate to avoid this. Additionally, our herd gets along very well and we pair them up in the way we feel suits them (i.e., minimal fighting likely). We keep a very close eye on them and let them out as soon as it's possible.

In time, we hope to add at least 2 if not 3 more stalls. That would give us one stall per horse and if we do get a 3rd additional stall (total of 5), that would allow one more horse to be added to our herd. 5 is the maximum we feel we can manage at this point on many levels.

 

[little lady]

Here is my 2 cents for what it is worth. We have converted our barn from a big horse barn to mini. The barn also had to have multiple uses(hubby rule). Ventalation, ventalation, ventalation.

I have one stall that is my foaling/rehab stall/if have to confine big horse stall about 10x16, two stalls about 8x10 that can become 1 10x16. I keep my horses in at night and out during the day. Each has their own stall for the night. This way I can manage feeding and keep an eye on poop piles. (I can tell you how many and what each minis poop looks like...I know sounds gross but sure helps to red flag when one isn't feeling good)They do have acess to a 8x10 three side stall during the day. The one thing I would change would be that each horse would have a run off of each stall so they could come and go as they please. (this is a future project

) When the barn was built it was bulit with the weather in mind,we have nice southern breezes lots of the time and terrible west/north winds in the winter. So we bulit it to block the cold air but to allow good air flow in warmer weather.(but the summers around here not much of any air moves so I do have fans).

I pick the stalls each night so not too bad really.

Would like a dry lot area which seems really strange wanting because as long as we lived here with the big horses it was a constant struggle to get grass to grow.

 

[Sandee]

Just like so many others, I only have 4 but then I only have 4 stalls. Hubby likes it that way so I can't go "overboard". Mine are in every night and in the winter since my run in shed gets lots of snow build up, they are in part of the day too. In fact, today I didn't even open the barn door as our high was 7 degrees. It's a pole barn with aluminum siding so it only serves to keep the wind off. But today INSIDE my barn was 20 degrees instead of 7.

Oh, mine are in every night and fed in the stalls morning and night so I can keep track of food going in and pooh coming out. I have been able to catch a couple of colics before they got very bad. All of mine are used for show or parades and we haven't been breeding so I keep close watch on what they eat and that's easier when I control the food supply. In summer they are out in dry lots with run in shelters and on pasture only about 1 hour.

 

[kaykay]

I guess Im the oddball as we try not to stall anyone. I prefer they all be out and they all have shelters.

We only stall

Horses actively showing

Mares close to foaling

Stallions when we have to

weanlings

 

[RhineStone]

I guess Im the oddball as we try not to stall anyone. I prefer they all be out and they all have shelters.

You're not the only one. It's 0 out right now with little wind and ours are outside. They were in last night with a -20 wind chill, but that is a rare occurance.

I would rather drive my horses than have to spend hours cleaning up after them. We have a tractor for that for outside.

 

[shadowpaints]

wow i didnt realize so many stalled at nite. now i kinda feel like im neglecting my minis! lol

we only stall when a mare is close, or if we have someone hurt

i have everyone divided into their own groups

the 2 stallions have thier own runs and sheds

the brood mares are together

yearlings and 2 year olds are together

geldings and the young stud colts are together

every pen has a shed. we clean them weekly

we havent had a problem yet, i know my horses very well and can usually catch when some one is off.

 

[GrullaBlue]

kaykay,

You're not an oddball..... I don't stall either. I have two big horses and 5 minis (three donkeys, two horses). I have two stalls (well, four, but the partitions are out to make them two big stalls. I also have round pen panels where I could make more stalls if needed temporarily, but I never have. I do occasionally bring my big horses in when the weather's bad...only reason I do is because i have a 26 year old Arthritic Arabian who could use a night in a stall here and there (hers is matted and heavily bedded), and I'll bring my QH in just because she'll be bellering for the other one all night long. They share a 40' long by 15' deep lean to attatched to my barn. My minis have a run in in the barn itself. If need be, I could put a partition in one of the stalls, put the two mini horse geldings together in a stall and leave the three mini donkeys in the run in and close the door....but I've just never had to do that. My older donkey is blanketted when it's real cold....other than that...they all do fine being able to come and go as they please!

Angie

 

[midnight star stables]

We stall ALL our horses too - Big and small. They go out in the days and in at night and bad weather.

 

[Minimor]

We don't stall either--our horses are all out 24/7 with run-in sheds for shelter. Sheds are well bedded with straw this time of year. Most are cleaned daily; those that don't get cleaned for some reason get cleaned out later--weekly, monthly, whatever, and in the meantime get fresh straw added so the horses still have a good bed when they want to lie down. They're happy this way and do well; we have them divided up into groups that get along, so that no one is being chased out of the shelter. Each and every horse can get inside if/when he wants to.

 

[Jill]

We've not done much showing the past few years.

The only time we've stalled on our farm is the night before shows and when we are watching pregnant mares (with a camera and halter buzzer). We stall the night before shows really only to keep them clean and their slinkies and sheets on.

We have one 8x8 stall and the rest are 8x12.