10 Things to Consider Before Building a Horse Barn

Are you interested in building a barn or indoor arena? Whether you are building a barn right now, or are dreaming of building a horse barn in the future, you’ll want to plan ahead. There are lots of things to consider when building a horse barn, so you’ll want to spend ample time thinking and planning ahead before you actually begin constructing a barn.

When building a barn, you’ll need to make the following considerations:

Location
Drainage
Size of the barn/Number of stalls
Layout
Materials for barn construction
Cement
Cost
City/County Laws
Choosing a builder/contractor
Water/Electricity access

Continue reading for more details about each thing you need to think about when planning and building a barn.

Barn Location

Locations matters. Are you wanting to place your horse barn near the house so you can easily walk out there? House and barn placement matters to a lot of people because you will likely be going out to the barn at least a couple times a day.

You may want to allow easier access to turnout, less contact with boarders and don’t care about how close it is to the house, in which case, you should build it further from the house.

Drainage

Drainage is extremely important.

Horses need to have a dry place to stand, and if your barn ends up under water – you’ll be mad. So make sure that you either have natural slope drainage, or install some effective methods to increase drainage.

You can dig surface trenches to help drain water, or install french drains, or sump pumps to move water to another area.

Size of the Barn and Number of Stalls

How many horses do you own today? And how many do you plan to own in the future? Answering these questions will help you decide how many stalls to put in your barn. Are you running a boarding facility?

Make sure you build a big enough barn with enough stalls, but not too many that you don’t have the time or space to accommodate that many horses. The more square footage that you add to your barn, the more it will cost you, so carefully consider what size you actually need.

Another important thought when deciding on the size of your barn is what size stalls you are going to need. This really depends on how much time your horses are spending inside and what type/size horses you have. Some people think that 10×10 stalls are enough for horses, but if you have large horses, this is too small! Additionally if you have mares needing to be foaled, or horses that are staying inside for extended periods of time, bigger is better!

I am planning to do two 12×16 stalls and two 12×14 stalls. My horses are 16.1 and 17.2, and I think they will have plenty of space in these bigger stalls. Be sure to air on the side of too big versus too small!

Layout on the inside the barn

If you know anyone in your neighborhood who has built a barn recently, see if you can talk to them about the things they like and don’t like about what they have. Someone can tell you all the things that work well and all the things that don’t. If you can use someone else’s experience to create a better barn design, why wouldn’t you!

The size and location of your barn will also have some bearing on the layout of the inside of the barn. Will the stalls have paddocks off of them? Or will they just be box stalls? This will determine your layout and overall design of the barn.

Don’t forget to find a spot for a tack room, wash/tack stall, water spigots, hay storage, and any other rooms or areas you need. It is best to know what you need before you start building so you don’t realize you needed something different down the road.

Materials for barn construction

Will your barn be made of wood or metal? The materials used in the construction of your barn will also determine the cost. Metals is more expensive, but may last longer. However, wood can be replaced more easily if a horse chews or breaks something.

Also consider what the outside of your barn will be constructed of. If you choose wood siding, you will likely have to paint/stain the wood every few years to keep it looking good and to resist the weather. Sheet metal will not require maintenance, but it may not be the look you are going for.

Cement Work

Do you want cement under your aisle way and stalls? Or just dirt?

This is a big decision because it can affect your budget and your horse’s health. Is cement easier for cleanup – yes it is. However, it can be too hard for your horse’s joints and feet, even if you put mats over it.

Installing concrete will cost about $5-10 per square foot. (That means that in a standard 36×36 barn, you’re looking at $6,000-$12,000 to install concrete)

If you aren’t going to use cement, you’ll want to plan ahead for what material you’d like under your stalls. Consider using something that contains some rock or gravel to provide much needed drainage for horse’s urine.

how much does it Cost to build a horse barn?

Cost is a huge factor when looking at building a barn. You need to be realistic about your budget and what you can afford. Will you be paying cash? Or do you need financing?

Make sure you don’t explode your monthly costs just because of a barn payment. If you cannot easily afford to pay cash or finance a barn, maybe now isn’t the right time to build.

City or County Laws

Make sure you check your city and county laws to ensure you are abiding by them. Different regions can have laws regarding setbacks, number of horses per acre, and permits required. Double check that you are obeying any laws regarding building or having animals on your property.

Choosing a Builder/Contractor

Have you vetted your builder? Make sure you look for online and offline reviews. It is great if you can find someone local who comes recommended for building horse barns. You’ll want someone who has experience building barns so they can help advise you about design/layout/necessities as you are building your barn.

Water/Electricity

Do you want water and electricity in your new barn? You probably do, so you’ll want to have a plan for that ahead of time. I have learned that it is best to pull the water and electricity to where you want it before you begin building. Having water and electricity will make your builder’s job much easier!

Don’t forget about the added cost of bringing water and electric to your barn. You’ll need access to a breaker and then trenching all the way to wherever your barn is. Running water and electricity to a barn can cost anywhere from $500- $15,000 just depending on location and difficulty of accessing the barn area.

Are you currently building a barn? Or do you have dreams to build one in the future? Either way, you’ll want to spend a lot of time evaluating your wants and needs so you can plan a better horse barn.