Posted on February 25, 2009 - by DIY Dave

Horse Shed

Indeed, ponies and horses need a “house” that is dry, clean and capable of protecting them during foul weather. It could be a stable or a horse shed, and there are pros and cons in both kinds. However, if after a serious contemplation, you have decided to go for a horse shed, here are some serious things for your consideration.

Tips to remember in building a horse shed

• Put the horse shed in a place that would not get flooded.
• Place the shelter away from fences/gates, for it would make general cleaning much easier.
• Make the design big enough so that your horses could stand or lie in comfort. Experts give this as a recommended dimension: 100 sq feet per horse (of average size), and about the same dimensions as a box stall. Take note, if you have a lot of horses, a few of them would be bullies, that is, dominant. They might make it hard for other horses to stay put inside the horse shed if the space is quite limited.
• If the horse shed is portable, then it has a great advantage. It could be moved to other places in the property if the need comes up. Thus, if you thought the location would never be flooded and you erred in your assumption, then the family could simply relocate the shed to a safer area.
• It would be good if the entrance is big enough so that a tractor bucket could get in for cleaning purposes.
• Make sure the ceiling is high. The last thing on earth you would want is for your horses to bang their heads on it.
• When the structure is permanent, consider brick or concrete for the floor. If you want earth flooring, it is warmer for the horses, but cleaning is more laborious. You would find that you need to replace the earth after some years, but of course, the personal preference of the owner could simply decide the issue.
• A structure could be very noise during windy days, if there is loose metal siding, the horses might be uncomfortable with all the noise. (Not to mention the physical dangers it may pose to the animals.)
• As early as the planning/designing part, think of an eavestrough over the doorway. Thus, icy patches would not form at the entrance, and the horse would not be inconvenienced by cold drops of water as it enters and exits the shed.
• When the horse shed has finally been finished, there is a last check to do. See if there are nails, lumber (protruding), or screws that could wound or hurt the horses. This is particularly true if the horse shed is a very big one.