# stable yard designs



## ivandenisovich10 (1 February 2012)

Looking for ideas for stable yard designs, what works well what doesn't. We are putting in planning in the next month or so, and have a basic idea of what we want but just wondered if any of you had any must haves. We will want 3/4 stables, store room and tack room.  OH is putting presure on for some ideas and drawings for what I want, and as these are going to actually be mine, want it to be perfect!! So if you would be kind enouigh to share your ideas/pictures it would be really helpful


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## ivandenisovich10 (1 February 2012)

I will send send home made marshmallows and honeycomb to any suggestions


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## tonitot (1 February 2012)

I have no suggestions but good luck with it!


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## Flight (1 February 2012)

Ooohh honeycomb yummmmy.  I have 6 stables, 5 12x12 and 1 corner 16x12, hay barn in other corner same size and a 12x12 tack room in a 3 sides of a square type arrangement if that makes sense.  I built it that way to give most shelter as we are in a very exposed position.  I would think about which way the wind blows and think about getting as much space as you can as its amazing how quickly you fill it all up with bedding and feed etc.  Good luck with the planning.


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## juliette (1 February 2012)

I'd agree that you need to allow more hay / bedding / tack / feed storage than you think you need. My friend has 2 doors into her barn area (one each end) and we were only saying yesterday what an excellent idea that was, makes everything so much more accessible, and stops you tripping over each other!

I would also plan for extra large stables if room allows with plenty of ventitilation.

Finally I would have hard standing outside that was divided so that stable doors could be left open allowing horses a little area to wander in if you want to have that available. I'd have bars between stables to allow horses to be sociable!

Oh I'd love to be planning my ideal stables, shame I have no land!!!


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## GinaGeo (1 February 2012)

If I were re-doing my yard I'd have as bigger stables as the space allowed. I'd have a bigger tackroom, kick my father out of the store room and barn that were intended for our hay and feed. Have as much space around the stables as possible. I'd have a hard cored area for turnout in winter if the ground is very wet. A covered grooming area, or a spare stable.  I'd have the muck heap, much closer but still out the way. A covered area foor tools and somewhere to park our trailer under cover.

The space and the layout of the land didn't allow it for us, but I wish we'd taken a bit more space now. But it'll be very hard to extend, so whilst what we have is lovely, we weren't thinking well ahead.

I would have an L-shape block again, preferably facing south...


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## ivandenisovich10 (1 February 2012)

Its is exciting, I feel very lucky to be able to do it, just hope the planning people are kind. Definatley having lovely big stables and two doors on storage room sounds like a sensible idea.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (1 February 2012)

Just remember to site the muck heap where it can be easily accessed by muddy tractor to be removed..... 
Its always in the worst muddiest/wettest spell when you finally get it shifted (despite asking for previous fortnight) and boy, can even the smallest bit of muck get everywhere  

Also make sure that a big vehicle can access the main yard in any sort of weather - you never know when you might have to get transport up to a stable door.

Have essential services easily located - water/electric & have more lights & sockets than you think you might want.

Allow plenty of air, but ensure shelter from prevailing winds & try to avoid direct midday sun from scorching down onto concrete yard or into stables.

Hope it works out for you


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## kerilli (1 February 2012)

have as much space as possible, you'll use it!
I have 3 stables and a tackroom in barn, room for 2 more stables (used as feed area and storage at the moment). Two stables are 15' x 15', I much prefer the really big stables and so do the horses. All floored with Mayomats cowmats, which are great.
a wash box is always really useful.
muck trailer close really helps, mine's about 15m away.
L shape or U shape works well.
make sure the concrete is roughened, and contains the stuff that protects it against horse wee! the drainage has to be right too, ideally, although mine isn't (barn was already here with powerfloated perfectly flat concrete) and we manage it just fine.
my tackroom's 12' x 10' and nothing like big enough, I'd go for much bigger next time, or a small secure area just for tack and another lockable area for rugs etc etc.
Hay & bedding storage fairly close by but totally separate building in case of fire. (mine's the other side of the muck trailer)
i could go on and on...
if you contact good stable manufacturers they'll advise on design.
good luck with your project, very exciting!


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## lachlanandmarcus (1 February 2012)

If budget allows, go for the cast iron drain channel covers (they are like the ones used at petrol stations and lorry yards, can take mega weight) rather than the very thin steel clip in and ping out ones, which have sharp edges and can easily cut a horse if he treads on it and it pings out. The heavy ones also give a much better look to the yard and will last a lot lot longer.


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## ivandenisovich10 (2 February 2012)

Thankyou all for your ideas, so handy having other peoples thoughts, few things I hadn't thought of so very helpful


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## Booboos (2 February 2012)

A couple of other things to consider:
- access for feed lorry for hay, bedding, etc. - if needed.
- proximity to turn-out and while you are at it it's worth putting in hardcore walkways to fields and hardcore around gates.
- my horses are happier if they can see the arena.
- main thing for stables is ventilation, so think about windows that create cross drafts (you can always put external shutters if it gets too cold) and roof vents.


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## Tinsel Trouble (2 February 2012)

Remember with planning you can build an extra 10% bigger than you get permission for! If you think the barn won't be big enough you can increase the size under GPDO regs!!

If you're on facebook look at William Fox-Pitts pictures for tackroom ideas!! Lots of space, wooden saddle racks and it's well set out! 

For the stables- make sure they are sheilded from the wind by using a U- shape design and the dirty water drainage is compliant. You may have to put in dirty water treatment for the muck heap area!!


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## ivandenisovich10 (2 February 2012)

Will take a look a WFP facebook, if I can't have horses as good as his, least my tack room might be. And ddint realise you could do 10per cent bigger that's handy to know. Thankyou all


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## Garnet (2 February 2012)

Your farrier will love you for ever if you have a covered area with room to move all around the horse i.e. bigger than a stable.  It can also double as a washing down/grooming area.


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## Shazzababs (2 February 2012)

I would make the overhang at the front of the stables large enough to stand a whole horse under easily in the rain, even if it meant I had to have some support posts along its length.

Also put the tack\feed room in the middle of the run of stables rather than at one end.  Much less walking!

I'd like to put 'top door' windows in the back of my stables, which are at the end of the garden, so that in the summer the horses can hang out of them and I can see them, and in the winter I have the choice or leaving them or the top doors open for ventilation.

Make sure you include space for drying rugs and storing all the dirty stuff, tools, barrows etc. that is separate from your nice clean tack.


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## D66 (2 February 2012)

Put a gully near/under your tap. Put a tap outside your tack room.  Have waterproof sockets at waist height outside - easier to access -less likely to get wet or damaged.
Think about a washing machine in the tack room.
Look at your insurer's requirements for security before specifying construction and door furniture and call them to clarify if necessary.


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## ivandenisovich10 (2 February 2012)

Thankyou for all your excellent idea guys they really are appreciated


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## sarahann1 (2 February 2012)

I have my horses at a great indoor barn, the only thing that bugs me is the corridor between the stables, its wide enough for a horse to be tied up, but not quiet wide enough to get horses past tied up horses who don't move their butts, with space to spare. So nice big wide middle bits  

Oh and I'd like fractionally bigger stables too, maybe 14x14 instead of 12x12.

Oh and a rug hanging up place 

Otherwise its fab


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## ofcourseyoucan (2 February 2012)

i would allow for a tack room for tack. a rug room (only needs to be 6by 12 or stable width) as easy to heat if you fancy it, and space to rack rugs up, and dry rugs if req, and a separate feed room to keep feed separate from tack/rugs to prevent mouse damage. i would also put an alarm system in for the tack room and rug room. a fire exit in one stable is always good too esp if in a courtyard or l/u shape. if having 4 stables make an allowance of 200 bales/winter/horse so build one big enough to store 800 bales then you can buy it off the field, which is so much more cost effective.plus space for bedding. look into a muck trailer as easier to keep on top of muck removal. good lighing is also useful in the winter. auto waterers will save on time and water consumption fit tracer cables on pipes as you fit them(expensive but worth it!!) and cheaper to fit as you install than adding later. i like a wash/clip/heat box too .. so useful when getting ready to go anywhere. Oh i couold keep going for ever, so much fun planning. Good luck with your new project. most stable manufacturers will happily give advice, site visits draw up plans etc. watch your siting for prevailing winds/sun/rain etc.


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## Aoibhin (2 February 2012)

the best yard ive ever been on was a block stables looking out over working area /school/bad weather turnout (woodchip & sand mix on a decent base layer) with tack room one end & feed room the other. it had a wide (10ft) arch in the middle that was access from yard to the barn & used in wet weather for grooming, the barn ran parrallel with the stables behind & had a small sliding window/hatch thing so you could pop haynets & bales of straw/shavings through from barn without lugging them about. It was bliss on cold wet days.
the muck heap was at the far end of the site right near the road (& layby   well planned or what!) but we had a small trailer in the yard that you put bedding ect in & it was emptied 2/3 times a week.

oh how i miss that place (but not the hell on earth owner!)


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## ivandenisovich10 (2 February 2012)

Thanks for all suggestions, if any of you are in kent I can hand deliver some of the marshmallow


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## kajabe (3 February 2012)

Sorry if the picture is a bit big lol, but here's one I thought of when i was looking at getting some land and building stables


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## BBH (3 February 2012)

I have 8 stables 3 of which are 15 x 15 and the rest 12 x 12, a 15 x 15 tackroom and 20 x 12 haybarn all arranged in a u shape.

Works really well for me and the best thing I did for the horses was give them back windows so cool in summer and an extra view.


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## BBH (3 February 2012)

Tinsel Trouble said:



			Remember with planning you can build an extra 10% bigger than you get permission for! If you think the barn won't be big enough you can increase the size under GPDO regs!!

If you're on facebook look at William Fox-Pitts pictures for tackroom ideas!! Lots of space, wooden saddle racks and it's well set out! 

For the stables- make sure they are sheilded from the wind by using a U- shape design and the dirty water drainage is compliant. You may have to put in dirty water treatment for the muck heap area!!
		
Click to expand...

Does the 10% extra have to join your existing yard or can it be separate as am gonna divide my yard in two ?


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