Building a barn and getting horses.

[lifeisgoodsteve]

I totally understand about being in/out of horses. It's so easy to think of it in terms of finances of buy/maintain/rent etc. or the amount of work it adds to hunt trips, etc.. The bottom line seems to come to an understanding that it's a lifestyle.

Some people certainly use horses as a tool for a few months a year, and then I'd certainly recommend renting or paying an outfitter for a guided trip. From my experience and observing many friends, worth going into it knowing you're good with and enjoy the process, the journey and all that goes with it.

Trailer Tack Room instead
I found it was much simpler to just keep my tack in the trailer's tack room as it saved me from always having to ferry it back and forth. It's always there so you don't forget things, plus it was a tighter seal than my shed for the mice who had started to eat away at the straps.

I'd think about having a parking spot right next to a catch area where you could keep the horses/mules the night before heading out on a ride or trip. Then if you've got a round pen, doing some ground work or small area riding training it's easy to access the tack for any on-site activities too.

Around here very very few places have actual barns with stalls where the horses spend much time, but most of the properties have a few to a couple dozen acres. IF you have some pasture land, you might just consider a run in shelter to get out of the rain, wind or snow if they feel like it. Often enough they're hanging outside anyways.

Recommend attending a Pack Clinic
I attended a super basic intro clinic with mules, but Royal Tine also offers a 3 day more in depth clinic every year people have said great things about. Think he's based near the Phillipsburg area.

 

[Southern Elk]

I've been stewing on exactly what I want to do since starting this thread. Right now I'm leaning towards doing a separate barn and shop instead of putting it all under one roof. I would build the barn first. I'm looking forward to starting on some fencing when the ground thaws in a few weeks.

 

[Southern Elk]

What would y’all say is the ideal size for a tack room that has enough room for tack for 3-4 horses?

 

[FrozenTexan]

Don't know where you are at on this and haven't read all the way thru, but there is no way I'd want a horse barn without water in it.

Even if they drink from creek, you will need water for something, cleaning, washing a wound, drinking water for a horse that has to be kept in a stall for whatever reason.

We bought our place in 2012 and have 4 horses and first thing I did was run a waterline. Never regretted it.

as far as design, I'd make sure all stalls had doors that opened to the outside loafing area and that all outside stall doors were large enough to get a loader bucket in and out of.

And last(for now), I see lots of barns with poor drainage. Set the floor elevation higher than you think you need it, then add 6-12" more fill, then put a floor in it. You only get one shot to get that right and it is hugely important to making life easy and clean for you and the horses.

Good luck, sounds like an exciting endeavor.

 

[BrentD]

Don't know where you are at on this and haven't read all the way thru, but there is no way I'd want a horse barn without water in it.

Even if they drink from creek, you will need water for something, cleaning, washing a wound, drinking water for a horse that has to be kept in a stall for whatever reason.

We bought our place in 2012 and have 4 horses and first thing I did was run a waterline. Never regretted it.

as far as design, I'd make sure all stalls had doors that opened to the outside loafing area and that all outside stall doors were large enough to get a loader bucket in and out of.

And last(for now), I see lots of barns with poor drainage. Set the floor elevation higher than you think you need it, then add 6-12" more fill, then put a floor in it. You only get one shot to get that right and it is hugely important to making life easy and clean for you and the horses.

Good luck, sounds like an exciting endeavor.

What he said.

I like Nelson Automatic Waterers'. Good in the coldest weather we've had in Iowa over the last 20 yrs.

As for a tack room, ride bareback and save on the tack and tackroom costs.

 

[FrozenTexan]

Before we got our 4th horse, we used an extra stall for the tack room. It was 10x12 and worked OK, but 12x12 would have been better. Tack and supplies just start taking up space quick.

All our stalls are 10x12 and offer enough room to move around with a horse in there. Clean hooves, brush, blanket them, etc... I would go smaller than 10x12, but bigger would be a luxury for us.