You’ve taken stock of your barn, and have found signs of wear and tear. Or, you finally have that slice of horse heaven and are ready to build for the first time.

Either way, this article can help. We’ll give you six barn-design basics, plus tips on how to select a builder.

Barn Building 101
Today’s barn options are many, from a pole barn with dirt floors to an insulated, padded horse heaven. You can build your own barn, buy a prefabricated model, or hire a company to custom-build your barn for you.

Typically, building your own is the least expensive choice (if you know what you’re doing), a custom barn is your costliest choice, and a prefab barn lies in the middle of the cost scale.

Which type of barn is right for you? Major considerations include type/materials, size, layout/design, cost, and add-ons. Here’s a quick look at each one.

• Type/materials. Barn type and materials go hand in hand. Consider a wood barn if you live in an area with a low fire risk, and would like to build the barn yourself or have one custom built. Note that wood — while cost-effective for small barns — costs more and is more difficult to maintain than steel models. Prefabricated barns are made from steel, which is strong, reasonably priced, a breeze to keep up, and great for areas with high fire risk. Steel barns do, however, lack the character and warmth of a wood barn.

• Layout. Next, decide how many and what size stalls you need (the bigger the stall, the happier your horse will be), how much feed and hay storage you need, and the size you’d like your tack room to be (if any). Depending on your budget, you might want a wash rack/vet-care area, storage for wheelbarrows and other stable supplies, and even a bathroom or an office.

Layout and design is the fun part of barn building, but if your “wants” exceed your budget, it’s easy to get frustrated. Stable Wise can translate your needs into barn plans and provide you with blueprints. It also offers ready-made barn plans and barn-building information. Homestead Design, Inc., also offers a wide selection of ready-made barn plans.

• Cost. What you’ll pay for your barn varies widely, depending on the type of construction you use. A no-frills pole barn with a metal shell is around $4 per square foot. Custom barns can run you into six figures. Whatever you choose, be sure to factor in materials, insulation, excavation, grading, concrete foundation, water lines, stalls (including mats and fittings), and add-ons.

Also consider location. If you build on an uneven surface, an excavator will charge more than if you build on a flat one. If you’re tapping into a preexisting well, be sure that move will meet code in your area. Consider, too, how far you’ll need to lay your water pipes.

• Add-ons. These include such construction features as overhangs, eaves, gutters, flooring, ceilings, artificial light, doors, windows, and skylights. Give yourself plenty of electrical outlets for clippers, tank heaters, etc. Also, decide if you’d like to budget for an automatic watering system, and/or fly system.

• Ventilation. Good ventilation is critical to your horse’s health and well-being. Enclosed barns harbor ammonia fumes (from urine), hay dust, and other debris. Constant exposure to such irritants can put your horse at risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (heaves). To minimize this risk, place your barn perpendicular to prevailing breezes, install a high ceiling, and add plenty of windows. Carve inlets near the ground to draw air in, and place vents and windows up high to let the air out. If your budget can handle it, install a cupola with an air turbine on the roof.

• Natural light. The more light you let into your barn, the better. The sun’s ultraviolet rays help kill harmful bacteria, viruses, and larvae of internal parasites. Again, this means plenty of windows. Another secret to good lighting is a raised center aisle (RCA) design, in which the roof is split into three parts. Two sides slope down to each eave, and a raised portion runs along the roof line. By placing windows in this raised portion, you can increase light and ventilation.

For the one-horse owner, MDBarnmaster offers this affordable model, with one 12-by-12-foot stall, an 8-foot tack room, a rear paddock, and a 10-foot overhang.

Builder-Selection Tips
Unless you’re doing all the work yourself, the next step is to select a builder. You can check out a nationwide builder. Or, you may prefer to find a regional builder working in a multi-state region. To find a regional builder, pick up a local agriculture publication, or go to a local horse expo, show, or other horse event.

You can also talk to a local builder. To find one, talk to other horse owners in your area, check tack/feed stores, hardware stores, and your phone book.

If you drive past a barn you like, ask the owner who built it. (Note: If you go with a regional or local builder, check out other barns the company has built, and ask for references.)

You might find that your barn builder also builds stalls, can finish your tack room, and/or lay a foundation. This may be more cost-effective than subcontracting all the work needed.

Make sure you feel comfortable working with the representative from the company you’ve chosen. Invariably, miscommunications occur, you’ll change your mind, or you’ll have new ideas for your barn, so choose someone you feel will work with you.

During construction, keep a close eye on the progress, but be flexible. For instance, if the salesman who sold you the barn hasn’t visited your premises, the builder may need to make some changes.

Finally, look for a company that will guarantee its work, and is established. A new company may give you a low bid, but might not be around later. If things start to go wrong, you’ll be out of luck.

National Barn Builders

ACE Buildings

American Steel Buildings

Ameri Stall

Castlebrook Barns

Cleary Building

Heritage Building Systems

Lester Buildings

MDBarnmaster

Morton Buildings, Inc.

Universal Steel Structures

Walters Buildings

Weldy Enterprises

Wick Buildings

How are horses like small children? With both, you must be on guard constantly against things that might hurt them. To help you keep your horses safe in their home, here’s a handy list of hazards to banish from your barn and the surrounding area.

Skimpy Allowances. Tight spaces invite trouble. Aisles and doorways should be at least eight feet wide to avoid crowding/bumping. Ceilings should be high enough to avoid contact with a rearing horse’s head ideally nine feet or more. stalls should be at least 12 feet x 12 feet to minimize the risk of a horse’s becoming cast.

Unsafe footing. Your barn’s floor must provide satisfactory traction, especially if your horses wear shoes. Texturized concrete is a safe, inexpensive nonslip option for a barn aisle. Replace or repair loose or torn stall mats.

Sharp Edges, Points. Loose or splintered boards, protruding nails or wire, damaged hinges/latches, torn buckets or feed tubs, or anything else that can lacerate or puncture flesh presents a serious danger. Make repairs or replacements in a timely fashion.

Unsafe Partitions. Any wall or divider that separates two horses must be strong and smooth, with no place for flailing hooves to become caught or hung up.

Clutter, Garbage. Barn aisles, doorways, and commonly traveled pathways around the barn should be clear of tripping hazards and obstructions. These include feed cans, trunks, saddle racks, wheelbarrows, chairs, shovels, brooms, and manure forks. Garbage should be neatly stowed in containers with lids. Detritus such as bits of plastic, wire, baling twine, and the like can cause colic or serve as the nidus for an enterolith; keep your stalls, aisles, and paddocks free of it.

Tangle Spots. Hooves can get caught in or trip over misplaced crosties, lead ropes, longe lines, wash hoses, electrical or extension cords, etc. Keep such items neatly contained/stored.

Binge Risks. Grain, concentrates, and treats that aren’t secured behind latched or locked doors invite raids that can lead to colic or laminitis. (Rodent-proof containers should be used to protect feedstuffs from contamination.)

Poisons. Toxic chemicals or other substances should never be stored where horses (or children) might be able to get to them. Plants toxic to horses should never be used as ornamental shrubbery around the barn or anywhere horses might contact them. (Check with your cooperative extension for local varieties to avoid.)

Electrical Shock. Light fixtures should be out of horses’ reach or encased in strong, metal mesh cages or, in the case of long fluorescent fixtures, plastic tubes. Electrical wiring and switches should be encased in metal, weatherproof boxes. Electrical outlets in wash-stall areas should be equipped with a ground fault circuit interrupter, and all water sources should be grounded.

Fire Prevention

Fire safety falls into its own hazard category. To make your barn as fire-safe as it can be:

• Allow no smoking in your barn, ever. Post signs and enforce them.
• Stock your barn with appropriate fire extinguishers, and know how to use them. (If you’re not sure, check with a local fire official.)
• If finances allow, consider installing a commercial sprinkling system or heat/smoke detectors, and treating your barn with a fire-retardant product. Avoid clutter, especially of flammable
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  materials like paper, straw, shavings, and oily rags. Keep your barn neat.

• If possible, avoid storing hay in the same barn where horses are housed. If you must do so, make sure the hay is properly cured and not stacked too tightly; overly moist and/or crowded hay can cause spontaneous combustion. Don’t overuse extension cords; hire a licensed electrician if need be to add more wiring and electrical outlets.
• Keep your barn roof in good repair; water leaks into light fixtures or electrical outlets can cause shorts.
• Don’t store gasoline or diesel fuel in your barn. Store any other combustible liquids (such as oil-based cleaning supplies, alcohol, clipper grease, etc.) in a metal container with a lid.
• Develop and post a fire-escape plan, along with all relevant emergency numbers.

Here are four stall-bedding materials that might be a good fit for your horse, as well as your barn-management and budget concerns.

Bedding #1: Wood Pellets

Wood Pellets

Photo by Susan Raymond, PhD

Description: Wood pellets are fine wood shavings compressed into pellet form.

Pros: Because the pellets are compressed, they rapidly expand to absorb urine. They also make it easy to sort out manure, minimizing bedding waste. With proper management and by wetting it down, pellets have minimal dust, so is a good choice for horses with respiratory problems.

Cons: By weight, wood pellets are more expensive than traditional bedding, but ease of cleaning cuts down labor. Less waste means less material to haul away or otherwise manage.

Available from: Equi-Litter, www.equi-litter.com.

Bedding #2: Peat Moss
Description: Peat moss is a genus of moss (sphagnum) that grows in peat bogs and mires.

Pros: Peat moss is readily available in lawn and garden centers. Horses with respiratory problems benefit from it, as its dust particles are large and can’t easily enter a horse’s airways.  Peat moss is also highly absorbent, so can help combat ammonia odor in barns.

Cons: Large dust particles can collect on window ledges, buckets, and other surfaces. Since the moss is dark, it can be hard to tell what needs to be cleaned and what doesn’t. The moss can leave a stain on haircoats.

Available from: Lawn and garden centers.

Bedding #3: Shredded Paper
Description: Shredded paper is made from recycled newspaper and other recycled paper products.

Pros: Shredded paper is highly absorbent and can eliminate ammonia odor. Using recycled materials is a “green” choice.

Cons: Shredded paper tends to cling to the bottoms of boots and hooves, then travel throughout your barn and surrounding areas. You must find paper that was stored properly, so there’s no mold. Any dye used on the paper must be vegetable-based. Also, the paper needs to be free of other substances, such as heavy metals (used in glossy paper), and glue (used in book binding).

Available from: Your own recycled/shredded paper bin; recycling centers; local trade shows/equine expos.

Bedding #4: Hemp

Hemp

Photo by Susan Raymond, PhD

Description: Hemp is a stalk plant harvested for several industries, including construction, gardening, and animal bedding. The inside of the stalk is processed for use as stall bedding.

Pros: Hemp is low in dust, so is ideal for horses with respiratory problems.

Cons: It’s illegal to grow hemp isn’t grown in the United States (as it’s related to marijuana), which means it must be imported from Canada, adding to the cost. However, it’s easier to manage than shavings and straw, so it’s use cuts down on waste and labor.

Available from: Stemergy, www.hempline.com/stemergy/.

Katie Navarra is an avid rider, and freelance book, magazine, and newspaper writer with more than 250 bylines to her credit.

Is your barn safe for your horse? Take a look at the following six barn hazards, then tour your barn. If you spot a hazard, fix it today!

Hazard #1: Sharp protrusions. If there’s anything sharp in your horse’s stall — such as nails, splinters, or sharp edges on a broken plastic manger — he’s likely to scrape, puncture, or lacerate himself. His eyes are particularly at risk. Action steps: Visually scan stall walls, then run your hands over all surfaces, including feeders, waterers, and feed buckets. Check the ceiling, too. Remove splinters, and replace any broken boards. If the sharp object is hard plastic, remove it, replace it, or wrap it in duct tape. If you find sharp nails, pull them out, or whack them in.

Hazard #2: Unsecured feed. Rodents and birds can contaminate feed with urine and feces, which can make your horse ill. Mice might chew on the insulation around any accessible wiring, which can cause a barn fire. And if your horse gets into the grain, he could colic, suffer laminitis, or both. Action steps: Keep pellets and grain inside heavy metal containers. Make sure the lids fit tightly. Look for locking lids. For maximum protection, keep feed in mouse-proof cans inside a horse-proof (closed and locked) feed room.

Hazard #3: Improper hay storage. Hay dust interferes with your horse’s breathing and can harm his respiratory system. Hay is also a major fire hazard. Action steps: Store hay away from your horse, preferably in a separate, well-ventilated building. Keep hay on pallets to keep it safe from ground moisture. Stack bales on their sides, and leave spaces between bales to promote air circulation, which helps keep the bales dry. If necessary, make a “floor” with pallets, stack the hay, and cover just the top two-thirds of the stack with tarps, so air will circulate.

Hazard #4: Electrical wiring and cords. An exposed electrical cord can electrocute your horse or cause a barn fire. Horses will chew anything. Action steps: Enclose your permanent wiring in PVC conduit. Use extension cords

Photo by Heidi Nyland Melocco

only when absolutely necessary, and then use only heavy-duty models designed for outdoors. Be very careful with fans and water heaters, and protect these cords with conduit. Avoid heat lamps, which can start a fire. Don’t overload your circuits.

Hazard #6: Cobwebs and dust. The cobwebs that accumulate in barns are dangerous because they’re flammable, and they trap dust, bits of hay/straw, and bedding particles. Action steps: Routinely dust and remove cobwebs. A long-handled feather duster is ideal for dusting light fixtures; a light broom is useful for stall grilles, walls, and corners. Pay special attention to light fixtures, outlet covers and switches, and panel boxes.

Jessica Jahiel, PhD, is an internationally recognized clinician and lecturer, and an award-winning author of books on horses, riding and training. Her e-mail newsletter is a popular worldwide resource.

Rubber stall mats are excellent for your horse’s health, as they provide a dry, level surface for him to stand on — much healthier for hooves than holes, rocks, and wet spots. Stall mats also have a good amount of cushion, which is important for joints and soft tissue.

Using rubber stall mats also makes chore time much simpler. They offer a firm, level surface that allows you to easily scoop up manure and soiled bedding, leaving clean bedding behind.

You can reduce the amount of bedding you currently use, or bed only in “potty spots,” minimizing bedding use and the amount of stall waste. You may even be able to eliminate bedding entirely, especially in the dryer summer months.

Stall mats should fit snugly in a stall, from wall to wall, to avoid urine seepage underneath.

Here’s how to install stall mats for optimal use and longevity.

Stall-Mat Supplies
First, gather your supplies. You’ll also need a helper. Note that if you have concrete floors, you’ll just need the materials from stall mats, down.

For dirt or clay floors, you’ll need enough gravel (crushed rock, sized 3/8" to 5/8") to fill the stall area up to about 1" below the desired level. Don’t use pea gravel or sand; these footing types are too mushy and won’t compact.

• Two 2" x 4" boards — one that’s treated and long enough to install across the front of the stall door, and one that’s 6' to 8' long.
• Metal garden rake.
• Carpenter’s level.
• Hand compactor (you can rent or borrow this).
• Stall mats (enough to cover the entire stall).
• Long-pry bar or metal T-post.
• Two vice grips (four are even better).
• Tape measure.
• Chalk (or chalk line) to mark the mats for cutting.
• Straight edge at least 3' long.
• Carpet knife (also called a utility knife).

Installation Technique
Here’s how to install the mats. (If you have concrete floors, you can skip to Step 6.)
Step 1. Attach the treated 2" x 4" board across the inside of the stall doorway (Note: Skip this step if your stall already has a lip or an edge at least 2½" high.
Step 2. Gradually add 5/8" minus gravel (spreading as you go) up to the top of the 2" x 4".
Step 3. Use the garden rake to smooth and do a rough leveling of the gravel in the stall.
Step 4. Use the 6' to 8' long 2" x 4" board and carpenter’s level to move the gravel around until it’s level throughout the entire stall.

After the gravel is in place, leveled, and compacted, position all mats that don’t require cutting. Photo by Alayne Blickle

Step 5. Compact the gravel with the hand compactor. The compacted gravel should be about 1" below the desired finish line.
Step 6. Use a long pry-bar or metal T-post to carry the mats to the stall area. Two people can carry the bar with the mat draped across it.
Step 7. Position all the mats that don’t require cutting. Using vice grips as handles, maneuver the mats into position. Then determine how you should cut the remaining mat(s). Note: This step is critical. You want to minimize the number of cuts you have to make, and you don’t want to have small pieces of mat filling in gaps, as this won’t hold up well over time. (Less than a two-foot-square section is too small).
Step 8. Measure the space remaining, and mark the mats with chalk. Leave about 1/8" to 1/4" space between mats.
Step 9. Use the straight edge and the utility knife to cut the mats. (You’ll need to make multiple slices to cut all the way through the mat.)
Step 10. Fit stall mats snugly together, leaving about 1/8" to 1/4" space between mats.

Around midday on January 19, 2012, breeder and trainer Julie Winkel looked out from her office at Maplewood Stables in Reno, Nevada, and saw a thick haze of smoke to the south. The wind was strong and the area had seen little rain or snow, so she was on alert for wildfires and realized that this one could blow her way. She immediately called her barn staff and told them to get ready to evacuate the 150-acre property.

“Within five minutes, we saw the fire coming over the hill,” Julie says, “and within half an hour my house had burned to the ground.” But Julie, her staff and her horses were safe. Thanks to good planning, quick action and support from the Reno horse community, 50 horses were evacuated from the property.

If fire breaks out at your horse’s barn, will he be so lucky? Barn fires spread so fast that there’s often not enough time to halter horses and lead them to safety. “Firefighters tell us that many times by the time they get to the fire, the barn is totally quiet because the animals are overcome by smoke,” says Rebecca Gimenez, who trains firefighters for emergencies involving horses. Planning and prevention are essential, fire and safety pros like Rebecca say, and in this article they explain how you can keep your horse from becoming a casualty statistic. Even if you board him at someone else’s barn, there are steps you can take.

Fire Facts
There were more than 200 fires in U.S. and Canadian horse barns last year, ­according to the log kept by barn-fire expert Laurie Loveman on her website, www.firesafetyinbarns.com. Among them was the Memorial Day-weekend blaze that killed six horses and destroyed eventing trainer Boyd Martin’s barn at True Prospect Farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Boyd’s Olympic prospect Neville Bardos was trapped inside until Boyd and True Prospect owner Phillip Dutton dragged him, burned and choking, out of the burning barn. Four other horses also made it out.

The first months of 2012 brought more disastrous stable fires. Twenty-two horses died in January when flames destroyed an indoor arena with attached stabling at Heritage Acres in Lafayette Township, New Jersey. By the time the predawn fire was discovered, the metal doors were too hot to touch—rescue was impossible. In February a fire killed 27 Thoroughbreds—yearlings, 2-year-olds and stallions—at Campbell Stables in Grass Lake, Michigan. Firefighters arrived to find the barn engulfed in flames; the horses trapped inside had no chance.

Like most barn fires, these fires started accidentally. A typical horse barn is stuffed with everything a fire needs, including plenty of fuel (hay, bedding, wood timbers) and, often, materials such as gasoline and aerosol cans that act as accelerants, speeding the spread of flames. All it takes is a spark to set it off.

Electrical problems—faulty wiring or misuse of electrical equipment—are the most common cause, Laurie says. Lightning strikes, sparks or heat from machines and equipment and heat buildup in stored hay or straw can start a fire. So can careless acts like smoking in or near a barn. The wildfire that swept through Maplewood started accidentally when an elderly man living several miles to the south put hot fireplace ashes outside. Fanned by near-hurricane-force winds, it ripped across more than six square miles and destroyed 29 homes before firefighters brought it under control.

Once fire starts in a barn, it can spread incredibly fast. “Most barns are fully involved within seven to ten minutes from the initial outbreak of flames and on the ground within fifteen to twenty minutes,” says Rebecca. The True Prospect fire followed a common sequence. Chester County fire officials say it started accidentally at ground level, traveled up into the hayloft and from there quickly raced through the structure.

To give your horse a chance against a threat like that, his home should be designed, built and run in ways that minimize fire risk.