First time owning a horse and taking lessons.  We are going to fence in about 2 acres for our horse.  We are going to build a 36 X 36 barn within the fenced area.  3 12 x12 stalls, a center lane, and feed/tack with a wash area.

The question is:  Should we allow the horse to roam in the pasture all day and at the end of the day put him in the stall for the night?  Or would it be better to allow the horse to come and go to the stall as he pleases?  We do plan on buying a second horse in the future.

Sincerely, Elicia      

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Ahhh the building of the new barn! An exciting and wondrous time. Also will be the time in which you will gain appreciation for your previous boarding barn managers.  

 I have housed horse both ways and it is a matter of preference, and environmental factors (wind, cold, insects, heat). Most horses prefer to be outside as much as possible. My horses sometimes don't have the sense to come in out of a bad storm even hail - so even though they probably know something I don't  - like a tornado could sweep the barn and them away - I put them in when it's bad, especially in the winter with the doors shut the horses stay warmer if it is very windy and very cold, otherwise they stay warmer moving about. Fresh air is essential - when you build - get as much ventilation as possible open stall fronts (mesh or bars). I put gaps between the boards dividing stalls down low where they may not be inclined to hook their teeth into a board and chew it to smitherines. Oh - and when you build you nice new barn - try not to hate your horse for attempting to destroy it in the first day. They are terribly destructive critters. Mine were not happy til each peice of brand new steel siding had a scratch or dent in it - all wood had to be tasted also. Dutch door are pretty, but mine have been rehung 2-3 times per set, not to mention damage to latches etc....

If I had it to over again I would build all run in sheds. Big enough to clean out with a loader. I started with 3 horses in my new barn and when I let them come and go - they all 3 go into 1 stall together (and get along fairly well). But get this, the stalls are 10x12! One of the horses is an Irish t-bred that is 16H2". The others are a bit smaller (15H). If your herd is balanced mentally - things go much better for them - outside in a herd eating as much pasture as possible is definately when you get the best mental balance in your horses. My horses prefer to hang out in the barn all day and graze at night when the flys aren't so fierce in the summer. In the winter - they like to group together in the cold - I think they share heat that way. Good luck - it is a learning huge horsemanship skills to house your horses at home.

 

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Follow your bliss!

allow the horse to com and go as he pleases!

We have a barn and a run in.  If it's severe weather we give them a free choice of coming into the barn stalls.  Otherwise they only come in to feed.  The barn stays a lot cleaner that way.  Also, our mare has pinned the gelding in the stall on occasion. 

We used "barn top" under the barn.  It's comprised of layers of fine gravel and course stone.  The top layer has a tar type mixture poured over it.  You end up with a drain field under your barn.  It soakes water and urine down through the gravel and away from the surface.  It has be be cleaned a couple times a year to remove the fine paritcles from straw, shavings, manure etc but I'm really glad we invested in it.

Best of luck to you in your barn building endevor! 

 

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