When you’re at the planning stage for a new equine stable, it might seem that pulling together all your requirements is an impossible task. At Scotts, our 50-plus years of experience has seen hundreds of clients through this process, and we are well-placed to advise. Every stable yard project is unique and our bespoke timber stables are designed and built for each individual customer. In our blog, we look at the features of the best type of equestrian stabling so you can be confident that you are making the right decisions and leaving no stone unturned.
Considerations to feature
When you start with a blank piece of paper, it’s best to record the fixed variables that you need to accommodate. The size, location and position of your plot will be influenced by the impact of the prevailing wind, any access issues, including to utilities, and the type of foundations that you might need. Isolate the big issues and think about how the design of the stable will accommodate your specific situation. Once you have done this, you will be able to start considering the optional features that are most important to you.
These will be influenced by factors including:
- The welfare and wellbeing of your horses.
- The quality and durability of your stable structure.
- The convenience of your stable layout and how easy it is to use.
- The added features that you might want to incorporate.
- The aesthetic appeal of your completed stable yard design.
Equine wellbeing
Your horses will spend a great deal of time inside their stalls so it’s vital to ensure adequate ventilation to reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses. Make sure that vents, windows, and grilles are controllable and keep any breeze or draft above the height of horses’ heads to reduce nuisance. Pitched roof styles help airflow to circulate and you should aim to keep bedding and feed materials separate to reduce dust particles. Ensure that you are able to control or mitigate extremely high or low temperatures within the stable design to keep your horses comfortable all year round. Think about how waste will accumulate within your stable, and how easy it is to keep clean and free of odours.
Horses need space to manoeuvre in order to feel relaxed and comfortable so ensure that stalls are designed at a minimum size of 12sqm. In an American barn, it’s with incorporating a wide aisle if you can for easy manoeuvrability. As social animals, horses’ mental health is improved if they can see and interact with others so make sure that you install talk grilles at regular intervals.
Quality and durability at design level
Stable designs that make use of the highest quality materials and are built to last will deliver much better value in the long term. It may be tempting to opt for cheaper materials for a quick and easy build, but this is almost always a false economy. Make sure that your supplier is using durable timber from sustainable sources.
Scotts’ stables are built from wooden shiplap boarding secured to a durable timber frame. Our stables are handcrafted in our purpose-built factory and every project is unique. You need to be confident that your stable supplier has the ability to deliver a high level of attention to detail to ensure that joints fit precisely, and the integrity of the structure is as strong and robust as possible.
Layout for convenience
Stable yards can be designed to any configuration and Scotts will accommodate your design requirements. Some popular configurations include:
- Straight line yard: an ergonomic design for where space is at a premium.
- L-shaped yard: popular for a corner location.
- U-shaped yard: ideal for larger, professional and commercial yards.
- E-shaped yard: offering shared central facilities for two discrete areas.
- H-shaped and quadrangles: for a bespoke set-up.
Choose the type of layout that is most appropriate for your intended use whether you are designing:
- A private yard: create a stunning feature that will enhance the value of your property.
- A professional yard: we work with specialist architects to accommodate extra facilities including dedicated space for vets.
- A commercial yard: designed with clients as well as horses in mind.
- A polo facility: accommodate ponies with lower height doors.
The configuration of the layout will depend on the number of horses you own, and whether you ride for pleasure only. If you are running a business, you may need discrete areas for different services and space for your team to work.
Distinctive features
Consider the ancillary features that you need for your stable in addition to individual stalls. To fulfil your dream of a luxury stable configuration, don’t forget to incorporate a tack room with plenty of space for all the equipment associated with equine care including tack, rugs, and brushes. Add a hay store where you can keep forage, straw and shavings bales in a dedicated dry area. Think about adding a wash bay to make it easier to keep horses clean and cool. Add heat lamps in this area to dry horses more quickly. Think about the style of flooring you prefer and consider installing rubber matting which is kind to horses’ joints and low maintenance.
Scotts can accommodate your preferences for roof style and can supply tiles with a traditional appearance for a trussed roof, long-lasting metal sheeting, or fibre cement, or felt tiles that are permissible for use in some local authority areas. Options for doors include two-part, rear top, or glazed rear top, and Scotts also offers specially designed doors for tack and feed rooms.
Design for aesthetic appeal
Your stable design must meet the practical and welfare needs of your equestrian activities. However, such a significant investment needs to look good too. We offer European Redwood cladding for exterior walls that is machined with care and fitted with precision. Alternatively, you might prefer Western Red Cedar, Siberian Larch or Oak, which offer similar durability with a different décor style. Paint or stain is applied both during manufacture and also onsite to deliver that final attention to detail at the completion stage.
Scotts can also incorporate traditional stable yard architectural features such as walk-throughs and archways, or stable clock towers. Rustic timber oak posts and hipped roofs can really enhance the appeal of your stable design. Your choice of louvred or hopper-style windows adds style and ensures maximum ventilation and line of sight for horse welfare.
Planning your stable project
We understand that there are hundreds of details to consider when you are planning your stable project, and Scotts’ expert team is on hand from the drawing board stage. With our many years’ experience of delivering high quality facilities for the equestrian world, we will be one step ahead of you, asking the questions that you may not have thought to ask.
Talk to us as early as possible in the process so we can help you to pull together your ideal brief and incorporate all the very best features that will help to bring your equestrian vision to life.
Do you want more information on how we can help? Call us on 01832 732366 or fill in the form here.
Like this post? You might also enjoy this one: Guide to designing and building the ideal stable yard