Advice please -Stable dimensions...

[Sauchentree_lady]

I'm lucky enough to be getting stables built at my new house - yippee!

They are being built within an existing U-shaped barn/steading so I am limited by the width of the building and where the external doors of the steading are.

I need to get two stables in an area that is 10' x 30'
for two 16.2hh horses (but both take 6'3" rugs so not the longest of horses!). Obviously though the stables will be there forever so need to consider if I ever had a longer horse! The stable doors will be going on the long side of the stable (not the 10' side).

Do you think 10' x 12' is too small? Just thinking that would leave an area at the side of stables to keep wheel barrow / feed bins inside.

Other option is to make them 10' x 15/16' but I think they would look massive! When my horse was on livery he was in a 10.5' x 13' stable and that was more than big enough!

I know 12' x 12' is the "ideal" size but like I mentioned I'm limited by the shape of the existing building.

Any advice welcome

 

[martlin]

I would go for 10' x 15', the bigger the stable and bed, the less mess they make when in.

 

[FleabittenT]

I would go for 10' x 15', the bigger the stable and bed, the less mess they make when in.

Ditto this!

My 15.2hh mare is in a 10' x 14' stable. Means plenty of room for haynets & water at the front, so she isn't standing in her bed & messing it up when eating

 

[Rainbowrider]

I would agree. Make them as big as possible. I hate to see horses in small stables. If we have a horrid winter and they need to be in for longer at least they have a bit more space.

You could put a garden shed at the end of the block to keep your bits & pieces in, or put a small lean to on the end maybe.

 

[bensonthewonderhorse]

I would go 10x15, you don't need to have the bedding across the full floor space, this way they can have hay away from the bed and tend to make less mess!

 

[Gilbey]

Definately 10 x15. Agree with everything above. Ours are in a 10 x 15 and it doesn't look huge when you get used to it. I would only put a pony in a 12'.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Im with the others, my big chap takes half the time he used to now he's in a bigger stable. And his puffy fetlocks are largely a thing of the past. Im also in Aberdeenshire and I reckon big is better given the winters and long nights!

 

[3DE]

I'm with the bigger is better crowd. My stables are 12x16 - I have bed halfway across and the rest bare. It means you can feed hay from the floor as no bed to get it mixed up with and as the horse is stood eating it poos on the floor not the bed. My stables never have pooey beds, just a bf of wet. It's dead easy to much out, you just pooper scoop the floor then take the wet out of the bed, no filtering through shavings or straw for the last few nuggets

 

[gina2201]

As everyone else, 10 x 15, would it also mean only building one dividing wall aswell? If so, great for whoever it building it!

 

[juliette]

my cob (who takes a 6'3" rug) is in a 10 x 12 field shelter and whilst it is adequate i would prefer it to be bigger. You need to be very organised with a small area and it is difficult for the horse to be clean.

 

[amandap]

Another 10x15 recommended here too. I had 10x12 once and they were just ok imo for 15hh but I would have liked bigger even for him.
How exciting, good luck. I use my old cow barn as a through shelter onto a closed yard. All but one of the divisions have been removed and the drain filled with stones... great drainage.

 

[Sauchentree_lady]

Thanks for your helpful comments everyone. Final decision made! 1st will be 10'x16' and 2nd will be 10'x14'.

This way the bigger one will incorporate a "window" that looks out into our wee yard - made out of an existing blocked up hole in steading wall. That means I'll be able to see the horse in that stable from my living room - LOVE IT!

Since we had snow last night - yes SNOW in Aberdeenshire we'll need to crack on and get them done ASAP.

Thanks again for your help

 

[capall na hÉireann]

Just make sure these dimensions are the internal dimensions and not the outer as you will need to allow for the width of 3 walls within the 30 ft and 2 walls within the 10 ft.