Stables from scratch...

G

gingerspice

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 August 2007
Messages
154
Visit site
All being well, I'm going to be able to bring my horse home this winter. We have no stables, but an old barn with two stable doors that I plan to convert to stables over the next few months!

But I need help on where on earth to start...!!! The barn is about 35 x 17ft, I have a 16.1hh horse and an 11hh companion that I would like to be able to stable as well. The barn has a dirt base but I was thinking maybe get it concreted so can have rubber matting and straw ontop. The barn is in a yard with water etc so thats not the issue -

does anyone know of any good companies that could either come and look at it and advise me (air flow concerns me a bit), or just bring internal stable partitions to section off two stables? Haylage and straw storage is sorted, but do you think I could make a smaller stable for the companion and use some of the barn for storing wheelbarrow, forks etc?

Any advice really welcomed - thanks!
 
Lucky you, what a nice project. You definately need a new concrete floor in there. Try to get a recommendation from a loca builder to do that for you. You will probably also find that the companies that advertise internal stables in the back of the H&H will do it for you.

If the barn is listed, you will need to check with your listings officer at your local council, as they are very funny about what you can do with listed buildings.
 
i think i'd prob make two large stables, and have a passageway/storage space for other stuff (depends where the door is in relation to the length, obv). i have Bradmore internal partitions in my barn, which are lovely, but they took longer than promised tbh, i wasn't too chuffed about that.
concrete floor with proper drainage is a good idea, make sure you get a good soak-away put in so it doesn't get wet and smelly from urine etc.
re: advice on airflow etc, it depends where you are in the country, i'm sure firms local to you would come out. most of the stable manufacturers do partitions too.
 
Check on the price of partitions as you will probably be able to build your walls from concrete blocks & then use 'shuttering' or sterling board for kickboards around the bottom 4' of the wall a lot cheraper than bought partitions.

As for doors, they're normally 4' wide, thick. heavy & quite expensive. You can make the doors very easily. Buy an 8' x 4' sheet of 18mm or 22 mil plywood for each door. Cut them in half then glue & screw then two halves together & you will have a sturdy stable door 4' x4' & about 1 3/4" thick. Use quality galvanised fittings & hang the door. You will save a fortune doing this & they will last a long time providing you treat them with preservative. Good Luck with your project.
smile.gif
 
Thank you all - great help and gives me some direction!

Re. airflow it was the article on H&H a few weeks ago that got me thinking, the barn is cobwebby and a bit musky but I'm hoping its because its part shut up and the air vents in the walls are blocked etc. A good steam clean and clear out should help! I'll ask the stable manufactors if they have any advice as well.
 
We got 4 stable doors (top and bottom) from eBay which were £50 each and built like a fortress! So worth looking for second hand ones as they can sometimes be a lot better built than cheap new ones.

Def would concrete the floor, my 2 are in a barn temporarily until the new stables go up and you use a lot more bedding as the damp gets sucked up from below. BTW Im only building stables as the barn is going to be my kitchen soon! and the roof leaks :-( and the pony has to go behind the horse as its narrow! otherwise would be quite happy for them to stay there!

I dont know where you are in the UK to recommend a stables company, most of them are sort of regional.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top