# Stable Sizes



## Kenzo (19 September 2011)

What size (in correct measurement terms) would say is an average horse size stable and what size would be suitable for larger horses between 17 and 18 hands.  Also Ive noticed at racing stables that they have higher stable doors (as in the bottom half) do these particular doors have a known sizing?

I know by looking at a stable whether the size would be suitable or not but I just want to know the exact dimensions in measurement terms.

Thank you


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## stencilface (19 September 2011)

Average horse stable is 12' x 12' - its how big ours are, and is the norm for most stables I think.  I would think a 17 would be comfortable enough in a 12' x12' but not sure about the bigger one (although depends on build too) You can get bigger stables, and I think some of the nice old fashioned english barn style ones are bigger, but we just have the wooden ones. 

Don't know about the doors, but I wouldguess its to stop exuberant horses thinking there is a way out?  We have a mini door that sways inwards and attaches to the inside of the stable in my horse stable, he has a normal outward swinging door - the mini door was for our donkey so he could see over


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## Kenzo (19 September 2011)

Ok, thank you Stencilface.


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## lachlanandmarcus (19 September 2011)

One thing, my 17 hander was sooooo messy in his old 12x12 stable, looked like he pooed through a sieve and then danced on it :-O) We put him down as a messy horse. But then we moved him to home and he has a 16x12 stable and he is sooooo clean and tidy - I think before, he just didnt have room to walk round except by dragging the mess, but here he can. So you may save a lot of ££ on bedding in the long term if you can make it bigger even if it costs more to lay the initial bed. Also it makes it more flexible eg as a foaling box or for a couple of small ponies.


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## PennyJ (19 September 2011)

I went to a beautiful yard this weekend that had what you would just look at and describe as "proper big horse stables".  We worked out they were 15 x 15.  and there was loads of room in there for 17hh plus horses, bit like looking at my 13.1 in a 12 x 12 stable, plenty of room to stretch out!


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## Toby_Zaphod (20 September 2011)

Most wooden built stables are 12' x 12', but that is the external size. By the time you subtract the thickness of the framework & then the kickboards around inside they are nearer 11'04" x 11'04" which is considerably smaller. 

We were in these type of stables with 2 x 16h2" horses & whatever bedding we tried they were messy............they couldn't help it because as soon as they turned around they would mix poo into the bedding, it was a nightmare.

We are now in stables that are around 14' wide x 14-15' deep (converted milking shed) & the horses are happy & the beds are so much cleaner. We can muck out far quicker & have saved loads on bedding as we don't have to discard anything like as much as we used to.

In short I think the standard wooden "12' x 12'" (alleged size) stables are too small for large horses & need to be at least 2' (60cm) on each measurement larger.


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## Kenzo (20 September 2011)

Execellant, thank you everyone for your feed back.


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## hayinamanger (20 September 2011)

I'd say 12' x 12' is ok up to 17 hands, but bigger horses would need more room.  We use the foaling boxes 15' x 16' for the Shires.


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## Magicmadge (20 September 2011)

We were lucky enough to build a new row of stables at our house i had a space roughly 75 ft long by 40ft wide so i built out of blockwork two  boxes of 14 x 12  these were for my bigger horse a 16.3 ID and a foaling box. Two boxes of 12 x 12 for my youngsters and a 10 x 12 feed room. Behind this we built 2 10 x 8 shetland boxes and a hay store. 14 x 12  is ok but if i had the time again i would make them bigger for big horses probably 16 x 16 but the larger boxes do take some mucking out.


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