Size Matters ~ When Designing Your Horse Stalls

The trend in horses to larger sizes in general, especially for competition horses in English disciplines has tasked show organizers, barn builders and equestrian property developers with building bigger and bigger stalls to accommodate the larger breeds such as Friesians and Warmbloods of all varieties. Even the once breed specific sizes for Andalusians/Lusitanos and Lipizzaners have been magically melded in the DNA system and deemed acceptable by the registries and the breeders are now producing 16.3 h.h. competition sized Spanish line horses. But this bigger is better trend has been going on a long time. Well relatively. So why are show organizers adding new knock up or temporary stalls that are 10 x 10 and calling that good? Many competitors won't entertain bringing their expensive horses to temporary stabling that is that small for fear of damage via the horse either becoming cast in the stall, or neighbors too close for escape or both or just the lack of comfort for the horse to lay down and get back up. Especially those with the larger breeds of horses which make up the majority of the showing community.

The issue with temporary stalls being larger in lay out brings with it the increased issue of strength of the walls. A tenacious horse who dislikes his neighbor or any upset horse can bang almost any temporary stall into his neighbor or to the ground. A 12 ft. spread rather than a 10 ft. would seemingly increase the risk. But the stall systems do exist to address this issue.

A very beautiful multi-million dollar farm located here in the Catskill Mountains and currently on the market has a wealth of horse barns. Something for the stallions, mares in foal and working horses. Buildings everywhere. But all the stalls are 8/8 or at best a whopping 8 x 10 ft. Why? The owner had a Paso Fino breeding business. Now of course it is hard for him to sell because who can use those tiny stalls? Not many horse owners are solely pony owners/breeders or Paso Fino breeders.

Many converted dairy barns came with low ceilings and even if the concrete floors were drilled out the stalls were made to 10 x 10ft. How useful is that when you come to resell?

There are the other extremes of course. Stalls that are built to 12 x 16ft or 18 ft with modern low bowed double front doors. Perfect for the amiable mellow horse but what about when you introduce a new horse that is nervous, or a mare and foal. We all know foals will rear and jump and will many anxious horses of any age.  How safe are those doors plus with all that space to get up to speed even horses not adept at jumping from a standstill will have a good go at it, hanging stifles and shortening their careers as a result. So yes, stalls can be too big and of course, doors too low.

In days of yore barns came with hay above, high beamed lower levels for draft horses that came in from a day of toil and were rested on thick straw beds with headroom. No poll evil to worry about there.

Draft Breeds of Yore

When buying a trailer we worry over size. Well I hope we do.  Unless ponies is all you do then why buy a diddy ( little) sized trailer with a low ceiling height and narrow width. A full size trailer does not cost that much more. When designing stalls, or adding temporary ones there seems to be a flawed mentality i.e. 'the horse(s) I have to-day is  a 15.3hh horse so I will build a small stable and that will suffice'.

Stalls of a good size i.e. 12 x 12 help your horse in so many ways. He can lay flat out. He enjoys better air circulation. If dividing walls are grilled he can avoid his neighbor if he wishes. If you are in the stall working on him you have safety room whether to skip out the stall, groom or blanket him. He can turn around without bumping into something. He is less likely to get cast and if he does get cast he is much more likely to be able to right himself.

So if you are entertaining a barn conversion, a renovation, a new build or are addressing temporary stabling for an event please consider the size of the stall. Your daily life using the facility, your horse's well-being and comfort and your show/event entries will be much improved by making a prudent choice.