Are you looking for DIY horse barn ideas? Horse riding protective gear?
When I was a novice horse owner, I struggled to find an affordable horse barn kit for my animals, so I ended up building stalls from scratch.
And I'm here to share 9 perfect DIY horse stall ideas if you want to polish your DIY skills and save a bit of money!
Just keep reading.
Key Takeaways
- To build a DIY horse barn, you need suitable wood material, free time, a building plan, and helpers for the heavy lifting.
- You can find plenty of free DIY horse barn plans online or watch YouTube tutorials.
- Always check your city's building regulations before planning your dream horse barn!
9 DIY Horse Barn Plans
Building your dream horse barn can be overwhelming, but it's not impossible! You just need suitable materials, a bit of imagination, and tools. And as many friends as you can get!
Fortunately, you can find a lot of free barn projects online, so you don't have to do all the planning by yourself. Here are my top 9 ideas for you to consider.
#1 The Pole Barn of Your Dreams
Pole barns are adaptable, relatively easy to build, and affordable. You can make it as large as you need to fit the horse stables and leave room for tack, hay, and storing equipment.
Moreover, you can find plenty of YouTube tutorials on how to build pole barns, such as this one. And the building process won't take much time, even if you do it by yourself, just like in this video.
#2 Lean-to Horse Barns
This DIY Lean-to-Horse Barn is an excellent choice for horse owners that want to protect their animals from the elements without spending a fortune.
The completed barn measures 10' x 32,' but you can modify the plans if you want it bigger or smaller. You need 4x4 oak posts, roofing panels, 2x6 rafters, 2x4 roof purlins, among other things.
It's not a beginner-level barn project, so ensure you know how to read the plans and have all the necessary tools.
#3 Jacob Reis's Mini Horse Barn
If you have a miniature horse, you should take inspiration from Jacob Reis's article on how to build a mini horse barn. He gives you good directions on constructing the stall floors, walls, and roofs.
The most important materials to build this barn from scratch are 2-by-6 floor joists, 2-by-4 wall supports, 3/4-inch plywood, and roof shingles. You'll also need additional tools to install the posts/roof.
But it's an excellent moderate-level project for DIY enthusiasts!
#4 Shed-Row Barns
A shed-row barn is an excellent choice if you don't have enough space for a big traditional barn. It offers your animals plenty of protection against the elements and won't cost much.
This shed-row barn measures 12'x24,' so it's perfect for two horses. But you can modify the design to accommodate more animals.
And what I like the most about these free barn plans is that they come with all the important measurements. But you need to figure out how to put everything together!
#5 Converted Shipping Container
Do you have a large shipping container that you don't need anymore? Then you can convert it into a horse barn if you have the welding skills to cut doors/windows into the metal.
However, you should keep two things in mind. The container should be wide and tall enough for your horses. And it should have adequate ventilation to avoid problems.
Check this video to get inspired!
#6 Highlander Horse Barn
Finding suitable materials and cutting them to the correct size can be difficult. Fortunately, you can still make a horse barn by yourself, thanks to this commercial horse barn kit.
It contains pre-cut frames, slip-free frame connectors, and roof purlings to construct a central aisle-with-wings barn, perfect for multiple horses.
I like that you can assemble these kits with common household tools and get a 20-year frame warranty! And the assembly time is a couple of days!
#7 From Scratch Ranch's Horse Shelter
This 11-part video DIY horse barn tutorial is an excellent idea if you want guidelines on how to install the posts, rafters, windows, sidings, etc.
It's also one of the few videos showing the building process from beginning to end. It's a pity it doesn't come with a material list, but it's enough to get you started.
And you also get to see how to build a tack shed!
#8 The Hobby Farm Homestead's Stalls
If you're not confident in your DIY ability to build a horse barn, why don't you start with something easier, such as horse stalls?
This horse stall building tutorial uses basic boards to fashion the stalls and has easy-to-follow guidelines. More importantly, you don't need special tools to finish the project.
#9 Stephanie Moratto's Dream Horse Barn
This horse barn video is perfect for getting ideas for your dream horse barn. The owner shows you how her barn came along from start to finish so that you can enjoy the whole process.
7 Things to Consider Before Building a DIY Horse Barn
Before you jump into building your DIY horse barn, you should consider a couple of things to ensure everything goes smoothly.
#1 Local Laws
You must research your local zoning laws. Some laws might have special provisions about animal barns, such as where you can build them, how big they can be, and what type of animals you can keep.
Moreover, you may need a building permit to construct a large barn on your property, depending on where you live.
#2 Barn Type
After researching the laws, you should choose a style. Here are some of the popular barn options:
- Run-in shed. It has three walls with an open front.
- Shed row. It's similar to the run-in shed but has four walls, not three.
- Back-to-back. When you build two shed rows back-to-back, you have a back-to-back barn.
- Central aisle. It has two rows of stalls facing each other.
Run-ins and shed rows are easier and cheaper than traditional central aisle barns, so they're an excellent idea if you want a budget horse barn.
#3 Barn Size
A barn can be a simple structure to provide shelter for your animals. But it must still be big enough to house all your horses comfortably.
You must consider how many horses you have to determine the suitable barn's size. And think whether you want a tack room, a feed room, a wash stall, or other extras.
A piece of advice from me. Even if you have one horse planning your barn to fit more animals is better.
#4 Stall Size
As Ashley Griffin from Horse Extension says, "For riding horses, the minimum box stall is 10′ x 10′." But you'll have to plan bigger stalls if you have a large horse breed. (1)
Moreover, according to studies, you should provide at least 342 m2 per horse to avoid injuries in group turnouts. (2)
#5 Ventilation
Ventilation is also an important part of the planning process. It's vital for reducing odors, keeping the barn cool/warm, and preventing mold, bacteria, and dust.
Moreover, as specialists from EquiMED say, "Proper ventilation is extremely crucial to respiratory health." Otherwise, your animals are at risk of respiratory problems. (3)
#6 Natural Light
Besides ventilation, horses need plenty of natural light because they have greater vitamin D needs than humans.
So, ensure you add enough windows/doors when making your barn design, especially if your horses spend much time inside the building.
#7 Tack Room
Think about where you're going to keep your equestrian equipment. A tack room isn't vital for your horse barn, but it's handy, while a wash stall makes caring for your animal easy in bad weather.
Moreover, you should think about where to keep the hay. Storing it in the same barn structure as the horses is unsafe.
FAQs
1. What is a good size for a horse barn?
36' x 48' is one of the most common barn sizes. But it depends on how many horses you have and whether you want an indoor riding arena.
2. What is the cheapest way to build a horse stall?
The cheapest way to build a horse stall is to use low-grade wood or repurposed material and do the construction yourself.
3. How long does it take to build a DIY horse barn?
Building a DIY horse barn can take a few days or months. It depends on your DIY skills, the type of barn, and how much time you spend on it daily.
Conclusion
A DIY horse barn can be a fun project for the whole family and an excellent way to customize your barn to fit your animals' needs. And it can save you money!
But building a horse barn takes time, dedication, and effort. So, think carefully about what you want and need before you try these 9 DIY horse barn ideas!
What do you think about these 9 DIY horse barns? Which one is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Resources:
1. https://horses.extension.org/equine-facilities-stall-dimensions/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33663718/
3.https://equimed.com/health-centers/healthy-barn/articles/importance-of-good-ventilation-in-horse-barns