STABLE DESIGN
If you had an unlimited bank balance you could, of course, afford a perfectly designed stable yard for your beloved horse, but that is not the case for most people.
Below I have outlined an ideal yard and the points you should take into consideration, but you will have to make the best decisions with what you have available.
Safety for yourself and the horse is always the priority.
THE SITE
Ideally your yard should be on a very gentle slope for drainage and so it does not flood.
The stables and buildings should have their backs to the prevailing wind. Trees are an excellent wind block but should be positioned far enough away so as not to pose a threat in strong winds.
There should be hard standing for all the yard, parking and areas used. Tarmac is too slippery, grooved concrete, although not slippery, can be bone breaking. I like gravel as it drains well but can cause a nasty graze if fallen on, and is very difficult to sweep up. You must investigate and make the best decision for your circumstances.
The big dutch barns are very popular and I think they are amazing as everything can be done in the dry, out of the wind and in the eyesight of your lovely horses (it’s amazing how much trouble they can get into while you are filling your nets). The disadvantages are:
A- by being enclosed it can be dusty and diseases spread quickly.
B- stable vices such as weaving, cribbing and box walking could be copied as there is nothing much to see other than the other horses.
C- some horses become more nervous in nature, as they feel enclosed and can not see the outside, so worry more about all the noises.
D- by being able to see their feed and hay being prepared, it may make some horses agitated and demanding.
THE Stables
The stables should be designed so that the horses can see each other, but be able to move about the yard without being in biting distance to the other stabled horses.
They should be a minimum of-
3m x 3m for up to 14h
3.6m x 3.6m for up to 16h
4.6m x 4.6m for 16h +
4.8m x 4.8m for foaling
and be at least 2.4m high.
The isolation stable should be within eyesite of others, but on a completely separate air flow, so as to prevent diseases spreading.
The floor should be gently sloping to the back of the stable to avoid the urine running to the front and the horse standing in it. It should also be non slippery.
The walls can be:
A- wood, which is easily put up, but needs maintenance and is not as strong as brick. There should be a brick base to stop the wood rotting and vermin chewing it.
B- brick, which is harder to put up but strong. This must be lined with kickboards up to 1.2m to prevent the horse hurting itself.
The roof should:
A- be sloping and extending to 1m beyond the stable to prevent the rain blowing in.
B- have guttering to stop pools of water outside the stables.
C- have vents in to aid air flow.
D- tiles are expensive but aid airflow and have excellent insulation properties, keeping the stable cool in the summer and warm in the winter. They are also fireproof.
E- metal or plastic sheets are cheaper but can be heating in the summer and cold in the winter. They can also be very loud in the rain.
The door should be:
A- 1.2m high on the bottom section and at least 1.25m wide.
B- split so you can have the top of the door open.
C- both doors must be able to be pinned back to stop them blowing shut and hurting the horse.
D- the bottom door should have a bolt at the top and a kick bolt on the bottom. It is not unusual for these clever horses to work out how to undo the top bolt and this will stop an escape attempt.
E- metal strips on the top of the door and around the frame are a good idea to prevent chewing and make cleaning easier.
Fittings:
A- windows are great as they allow more light in the stable. They should:
i. be on the same side as the door to prevent a through draught.
ii. be made of safety glass and have a wire mesh protection.
iii. if they can be opened they should be hinged at the bottom and open outwards to stop draughts. The louver types are good.
B- The tie ring should be eye level and if used to tie the horse up have string or a quick release attachment on them.
C- Any other fittings such as a haybar or rack, water systems, buckets and storage boxes must have no sharp edges or catches. I prefer to keep the stable as free as possible from any extras and anything in there, like buckets, are made from the flexi plastic with no catches or metal handles.
D- A lot of stables have metal bars separating them. If you do have these they must have maximum gap of 10cm to stop any feet getting stuck. I have a nightmare when I go into these stunning barns with gaps in the bars large enough to fit a hoof. I also feel these bars between stables, although lovely to see, can be very intimidating for the quiet, reserved or bullied horse. I prefer, and find, horses are much more settled when they can see each other, but their space is their own.
Additional Rooms
The extra rooms you need will depend completely on your circumstances.
You will need to consider areas for each of these:
A Feed Room
This should have:
A- storage bins that will be dry and vermin proof.
B- shelves for additives.
C- somewhere to store clean feed buckets.
D- drawing boards so everyone will know what each horse has and how the feed should be fed, for example soaked.
A Hay Barn
This should be:
A- well ventilated.
B- have double doors to allow easy access for large bales.
C- well placed for vehicle access.
D- large enough to hold bedding, hay, hay nets, preparation areas and space for mucking out tool storage.
A Tack Room
This should be:
A- water tight with good ventilation.
B- have racks and hooks to put the tack on so they can air while not in use.
C- have shelves for cleaning equipment, vet box and first aid.
D- be very secure and have a good lock on the door.
THE MUCK HEAP
I have covered this in more detail in level 3, but briefly this should be:
A- divided into 3 sections- the new part being added to, the rotting sectionand the well rotted section waiting to be removed.
B- downwind to the prevailing wind.
C- on hard standing.
D- be easily accessible to vehicles.
THE SCHOOLING ARENA
This is an essential part of the yard and if you are lucky enough to have one it should:
A- have good flat access with a gate easily operated by someone on a horse.
B- be at least 20m x 40m.
C- have a well draining surface that is firm but avoids concussion. Rubber and sand mix seem to be having good reports at the moment but, if designing your school, you must investigate all the surfaces available to you. Go to forums to get all the advantages and disadvantages as it is very expensive to put in, and if done incorrectly, can easily become unusable and unsafe.
D- the fencing should be sturdy, clearly visible and be high enough to stop horses easily jumping out. If you have eventers this could be an issue. Post and rail is good but needs maintenance and does not provide a wind break. If using this you must make sure the rails are attached on the inside to prevent the posts sticking out, just right for a toe or knee to be knocked on.
Final Thoughts
If you are buying a yard, moving your horse to a new yard or lucky enough to be building your own, then safety must come before anything else.
After that consideration to how the yard will work on a daily basis is the main factor.