Question for those with stables at home...

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luckyjac

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I am hoping to have stables at home, subject to planning (house isnt even built yet) but trying to get ideas together, would love to be able to see horses in stables from the house but was wondering about everyone elses experiences with distances, obviously horsey smells etc dont bother me but for rest of family, visitors etc. (Flies will bother me) What are everyones thoughts??? Thanks.
 
I have stables at home, to be honest we never had a problem with flies. inside a stable is darker than outside. Flies don't usually go into darker places. I went to all the trouble of building 7 stables we used them for about 3yrs only to have them live out all year round now :rolleyes: I have 3 inside a barn and 4 around the back. Never had a problem with smells probably about 70 of 80mts from the house. Ours actually do better living out. They only come in for vet a farrier visits or if they're sweated up in the winter.
 
When we had our house we did our own stables. The land extended to the back of the house but the house did have a defined 'garden' area. We positioned the stables the other side of the garden, partitioned off by a tall hedge with the school the other side of a track which led down to the paddocks. We could see the horses from upstairs but couldn't see downstairs past the hedge anyway. Our main consideration when planning was making it as easy and accessible as possible and security but our own land was only surrounded by other land anyway. The muckheap was behind the stables so far enough away we didn't notice and smells never bothered us at all- never even thoguht about it!
 
I have my horses at home, they are in stables on the other side of a pretty small garden. Can't smell any smells from house, muckheap is on other side of stables.

The only time I could smell muckheap was in a converted hayloft I lived in years ago, the muck was put on a trailer parked at the back or our little house and we could smell it. The muck trailer was far closer than I eould have parked if it had been my property, Landlord was just a rather thoughtless person! :mad:

Also, if your anything like me you will want your horses behind the house, ie, drive, house, stables, or in a wrap around type courtyard at front of house. Used to have my horses half way down my drive, with a pretty long drive the going to house, and was always worring about them!
 
Ours are about 70/80 metres from the house where my distictly anti horse brother lives. He can't smell them at all and isn't bothered by flies. I lived in a mobile home parked up against the stables for several years, again, no problem at all. Our set up is a nice airy American barn - maybe that helps?
 
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Stables are 25ft max from Kitchen/conservatory door - no prob with smells or flies - will create a photobook accout later and post pics from conservatory
 
The only problem I have with having my stables near to my house is that you can hear every kick, every neigh and every playfight the boys get into and after 14 years I still hop outside to check on them if the noise is a bit too loud or carries on for slightly too long. Only once has there actually been a problem when my mare colicked so it was very handy for that.
 
It is usually best for security if visitors have to pass the house before reaching the stables. Also fence the stable yard off from the garden (to protect your lawn from the horses and the horse from possible poisonous plants) and ensure that there is a gate to prevent the horses escaping onto the road (obviously!). Take care that the horses can't reach plants over fences.
Smells are not the only consideration in positioning your muck heap, you must make sure that it doesn't pollute nearby streams and if you're going to have a trailer ensure there is turning space and a decent surface to drive over before committing to the stable's position.
Remember a tap positioned on a southfacing wall should defrost quicker in winter.:cool:
 
Mine are about 20 feet from my back door. I can see them from my kitchen table and also from upstairs. No problems with smell or flies, it works absolutely brilliantly.

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******* said:
When we had our house we did our own stables. The land extended to the back of the house but the house did have a defined 'garden' area. We positioned the stables the other side of the garden, partitioned off by a tall hedge with the school the other side of a track which led down to the paddocks. We could see the horses from upstairs but couldn't see downstairs past the hedge anyway. Our main consideration when planning was making it as easy and accessible as possible and security but our own land was only surrounded by other land anyway. The muckheap was behind the stables so far enough away we didn't notice and smells never bothered us at all- never even thoguht about it!
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Exactly the same as me! We have behind the garden and hedge, 3 stables and tack room working back and then a hay barn and then another 4 stables and then the muck heap, right down the bottom! Opposite the haybarn we have the menage and then the fields surround the menage and back. The only problem I have is although I can sort of see the horses in stables, I can't see them in fields which I would rather.
 
Ours are right next to the house and stables are next to the house, have not noticed problems with flies. As has already been said you can hear every knock and bang, and shouting you because you are late for feeds/bedtime loo
 
I designed a barn which could be left open to lead directly into a paddock. This meant I could like in bed for hours knowing the horses could let themselves out. I would certainly suggest a barn or stables within a barn rather than traditional stables as you ALWAYS get wet in winter with traditional stables whereas a barn or stables within a barn is a lovely environment to just sit in an chill with the horses whilst the rain is hammering down on the roof.
I am about to move to a house which has traditional stables and the first thing I want to do is rent out those and keep my own horses in the barn I propose to build!!
It must be exciting for you!
 
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No problems with smells or flies at all.

If you are planning to build your own then having a door, or even a second door (could be at the back, or side if that is more convenient) opening into a paddock, or turnout pen, is an excellent idea.

I would never have traditional stables where I live, in fact, I don't know a single person who has one! Nothing worse than having to dig a stable door open!
 
We have ours about 200m from the house, but in sight. We thought about having them at the end of the garden, but I'm glad we didn't. I like that the house is seperate and we keep the gorgeous view we have. It also is nicer for the non-horsey visitors that we have, and we are told it makes the property more valuable as it is an equestrian property, but if someone un horsey was to buy it, the yard and land could be rented seperately if need be, without much disturbance to the house..

We have three stables in a barn, and six traditional outside on a yard. I prefer the outside yard. We faced it away from prevailent winds, so the rain hits the back of the stables, and they are in an L shape
(four stables) with two portables facing. The horses get better views and don't seem as dependant on each other as they were in the barn. In summer, if they are living out, we can electric fence the yard so that they can wander in from the field, and the shape of the yard gives shelter from sun and rain whatever the direction.. The only time that I really get wet is going to the muckheap, which I did too when they were in the barn..

I love that their field backs onto the end of the garden. (Well, one of them!)
 
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