Build the better barn

[3nutmeg]

I would like to build my own farm, I don't know how much it costs to build a barn,but how would you design your farm and barns, paddock, pastures, training and exercising areas? What materials would you use? What would you add that you wish you had? Suppose you had broodmares, yearlings to horses in training to stallions. How would you design it to make it easier for horses and people. It doesn't have to be a showplace, or cheap either. I would be interested from everyone from different parts of the country or the world. I live in central NY, we have wet Springs,humid and hot Summers, and very cold Winters sometimes with heavy lake effect snow.

[RandomThoughts]

Built one from scratch in Ocala about ten years back and I am familiar with the conditions in upstate. A few thoughts:
1. Allow 1 1/2 to 2 acres per horse that go into each paddock.
2. Build paddocks of varying sizes such as a)100x100 ft for a sick/injured horse or a mare and new foal close to the barn; b) several 3-4 acre paddocks for two horses each; c) a large field for mares and babies with dimensions as cited in 1.;
3) An indoor covered shed connected to the barn with a high ceiling where a horse can get some exercise while you're cleaning its stall on bad weather days;
4) Most stalls that are 12x12 are adequate. Build two 12x14 stalls for a foaling mare and for her pal who already foaled. Either stall doors or screens should have a U that allows the horse to look out.
5) Run water lines to the tank in each paddock obviously deep in your climate. Also run electricity to heat the tank.
6) Have a comfortable size wash stall in the barn that can be used to wash off mud or vacuum horses particularly in the cold months.
7) Place the barn at an intersection point of two or more paddocks and fence the barn area.
Ideally you should put a perimeter fence around the entire farm.
9) Consider putting a small catch pen just inside the gate so you can separate two horses when they are eating.
10) Build shelters backing to the prevaling wind direction in the winter that are sized consistent with the size of the paddock. For every day that you can leave them outside it will save you $10/horse in stall cleaning and straw.
11) Have a plan for manure removal if possible, perhaps by a mushroom company. The faster it is moved out, the less flies.
That's a start.
Good Luck

[3nutmeg]

Great ideas! Thank you. If you were raising your own yearlings would you have them in stalls or out in pastures? Was thinking of a small run in barn, connected to the pasture,with individual eating standing stalls.

[RandomThoughts]

I favor leaving horses out as much as possible, at least when it is above the 30's in windchill. With babies, particularly if you have the labor or the energy, I favor bringing them in twice a day to eat. The handling will pay dividends in their later behavior on the farm or at the track.
As an alternative, outside stall feeding is far superior to trough feeding. The latter arrangement typically means that the younger/smaller ones never get to eat or they are under stress when they are eating. That leads to all kinds of eating disorders for the rest of their lives, like aggression while eating, bolting their grain, ulcers, etc.
By the way I should have mentioned the importance of shade in paddocks. Either build your fences so they can get under overhanging trees trimmed up to 10 ft. or box trees in the paddocks so they don't eat the branches or bark or poke out an eye.
Good luck.

[madelyn]

1. Know your land - The barn needs to be well situated, on land that NEVER floods, with the largest openings (ie end doors) facing the two directions of the prevailing winds on your property. That way, you can leave the barn doors open when you want AIR.

2. Best materials - in my experience concrete block, Vobb block, or Stone or Brick would be best. The limitations would be that changes, adding windows, additions, restructuring is much more difficult than with straight wood siding. For the stall walls, concrete block walls need to be really SEALED with several coats of concrete paint. If using wood - mine are built of 2" thick rough sawn oak. Again, it is easier to disassemble, restructure, etc., wood walls than concrete.

3. Ventilation - The "big" stud farms and also vet clinic recovery barns etc. usually have a "door" to the outside in each stall, which is not actually a door. Well it does have a door on the outside (sometimes a dutch door) but the inside has a heavy grate door that is meant to stay fastened and used entirely as a full length "window" for ventilation. Nothing gets a sick horse sicker than a tightly closed, damp, stuffy barn. I am in the process of adding these, at least to the west facing long side of my barn at this time. IN ADDITION, you have another exit from the stall in case of fire. The roof needs to be really well ventilated, whether or not you have a hayloft. My barn has a really nice hayloft with holes cut in the floor and heavy iron bar hayracks in the corners of the stalls, so that hay is fed from above which saves a TON of labor. Cupolas are very pricey - your roofer can run a vent ridge down the apex if you are using metal, and leave the rafter gaps open all the way down to give the rising heat and moisture somewhere to go. A hailstorm and my insurance company gave me a new barn roof last year and this was a much needed improvement that I got with the new roof.

Hope these thoughts help.

[3nutmeg]

Thanks every one, keep it coming. Does anyone have any recommendations on builders and companies who design and build farms in NY area, northeast? What kinds of questions do I need to ask them? Are there any gadgets or equipment or routines you have or wish you had that helps save time and labor? Do you have any warm areas for people in the barn,tack room? How do you heat it?

[xfactor fan]

Then there's always the time consuming route of visiting neighbors and asking them what works and what doesn't. And who local works and who doesn't. You may find that there are some ideas that are great for your climate, and others that miss by a mile.