Building your own yard - what would you have

[abbijay]

No one is to get excited at this stage! But there could be potential for me to build my own set up at some point down the line and I'm a construction girl so obviously designing, planning and drawing something up is a very fun way top daydream away a few hours.
My preference would be to NOT have traditional stables. I'd like a barn set up where horses can socialise and move around with dry storage in the same building.
Currently I have 2 horses (both biggies) but in dream world I would like to plan space to add to the herd so it needs to accommodate 3-4 horses, possibly with the option to split the area if anyone doesn't get on or to tie up separately for farrier, grooming, etc.
What else would I need to remember to include as well as the stables? Feed store, hay/haylage/bedding storage, secure tack room, wash area with running water and drain. How big would these areas need to be? How could I keep costs down?
Sign post me to any internet resources, fun ideas, old threads or FB groups...
Go on HHO, help me wander off into dream land!

 

[Goldenstar]

Have you looked on you tube there’s videos of some lovely Semi open communal barns with bedding areas and loafing areas have a search about on there .

 

[Abacus]

If building from scratch I think I would look at having a covered open barn the length of 4 stables and a bit wider than normal, with doors as though you have 4 stables - in case you want to partition them later or need to, say, put one on box rest. Then I'd add more covered space (behind?) for storage and tacking up undercover.

Ideally the barn 'stable' doors would open onto an all weather turnout with mud mats, which they can mooch on in winter.

Not sure if that makes any sense...

 

[Surbie]

Over on insta I really REALLY love Matilde Brandt's set up, with flexible stabling if needed. She has some handy construction videos too from building it.

I would be thinking through winter a lot, and depending on the land you have, would invest in a heap of mudslabs.

 

[Polos Mum]

Where in the fields is a big one for me. Magic wand time and I'd have each field opening onto a central yard so with one gate open I can rotate them around all the grazing and always let them have access to shelter
I find mine come in more away from flies than snow !

Some of the track facebook groups are good for ideas. I like the use of plenty of 13/14 ft gates that can be all open to make one big barn area or all closed to make several stable sized pens - for feeding separately or I guess for one off box rest that sort of thing. So the pens aren't separate spaces, just usually all opened up. I'd imagine that is quite cost effective as You'd only need outside walls not all internal partitions

for your open area you need two entrances / exits so if you have one that bosses the others s/he can't trap any of the others in.

Small wooden retainer / step so you can bed an area but not all of the barn

 

[GypsGal1718]

Having the ability to let them in barn and field freely so they can wander for shelter is good

 

[asmp]

If building from scratch I think I would look at having a covered open barn the length of 4 stables and a bit wider than normal, with doors as though you have 4 stables - in case you want to partition them later or need to, say, put one on box rest. Then I'd add more covered space (behind?) for storage and tacking up undercover.

Ideally the barn 'stable' doors would open onto an all weather turnout with mud mats, which they can mooch on in winter.

Not sure if that makes any sense...

All weather turnouts attached to the stables for me too (like Michen has). We had these in Germany where the horses could be in or out whenever.

 

[blitznbobs]

I have literally got the planning in pretty much for my dream yard … so that in the winter i never need to go outside one a wet day … fingers crossed

 

[Northern Hare]

If you take a look at @Michen 's "Boggle -USA Bound" thread, you will see some photos of really stunning Barns over in Denver - it is real barn-envy time!!

 

[Cloball]

There's so great ideas on Pinterest. There was some stables around here for sale that had 2 internal stables that could be folded away when not needed to have an indoor shared barn space, I presume in case you needed to box rest.

 

[SEL]

I love my hay barn. It can store big bales of hay undercover delivered by tractor - much cheaper than loads of small bales.

If I was designing from scratch I would have a barn the horses could access from any of the fields with hard standing.

 

[millitiger]

This is the sort of thing I'm looking to build, but bigger and with a bigger overhang.


Split into separate stables with gates rather than solid partitions, so the 'walls' can all be pushed back to create a large, shared area.
Horse side will open onto surfaced track that will take them to the winter field.

Hay and straw in the covered side- I want my barn a bit bigger than this one!
Concrete block tack room at the back and under cover cross ties at the front.
More electrical points than you think and an insulated roof for temperature control.

 

[marmalade88]

Something a tractor can deliver into and stack hay/beddin.
Water points in useful places, and somewhere you can protect from frost.
I have an open yard they wander into, I’d design a floor which is easy to sweep hay off. I Inherited gravel and it’s a pain to rake up but I’ve never thought about alternatives because it a low priority problem.
Good lighting. I’ve just upgraded all mine ready for next winter, a game changer.
Where’s the muck heap? Would you use a trailer and get it removed, where is this in relation to the most mess?
What direction does the wind come from? A breeze is nice in summer but a pain in the wither so think about door placement.
Where will you park lorry/trailer?