New Horse Barn: What Features Do You Need?

If you’re anticipating building a new barn or remodeling your present structure, you need to consider lots of factors: size, location, orientation to prevailing winds, stall dimensions, water and electricity, storage areas for feed and equipment, and future uses.

To be sure all important points have been considered, it is suggested that prospective barn builders take the time to assemble a planning checklist to organize their thoughts and remember all the important features that should be included.

A helpful idea for horse owners is to list three things they feel they couldn’t live without in a barn, and also three inconveniences they find most annoying in barns they have visited. Jotting down these answers might trigger ideas that would not immediately have come to mind when designing a barn.

Whatever the final design, remember that fresh air is important. Building an airtight barn is generally less desirable than using a plan that allows frequent turnovers of interior air, both for the horses’ respiratory health and to prevent a buildup of moisture within the structure.