Horse farms are certainly unique spaces. The buildings on the property must be built not only to accommodate humans, but also horses. You'll also have other outdoor amenities to work around, such as the pastures and riding rings. To some degree, every farm needs its own design. However, there are some general tips that come in handy whenever you're designing farm buildings.
Place doors in the opposite direction of the prevailing winds
You don't want the doors of your horse barns blowing open and shut in the wind. Not only will they make noises that could spook your horses, but this is hard on the hinges. Plus, the wind blowing into the barn will kick up a lot of dust from the bedding and shavings, and it may scatter bedding and hay all over the aisle. So, pay attention to which direction the prevailing winds blow in your area, and put doors on the opposite sides of your barns. For instance, if your wind blows east to west, place doors on the north and south sides of your barn.
Allow for high ceilings
The taller the ceilings, the better. This is true in your main horse barn, but also in any out-buildings. If you have a run-in shed, it should have a tall ceiling. If you have a separate hay storage building, you want that to have a tall ceiling, too. You don't want a horse to risk banging their head in the ceiling if they rear up. And in the case of a hay building, a tall ceiling gives you more vertical space to store hay.
Choose non-slip floor materials
You never want a horse to slip when standing in or walking through a building. So, always design your buildings with non-slip flooring. If you opt for concrete, have rubber mats put over it. If you choose crushed stone, make sure you choose a larger stone so it does not become too slick when it compacts. Some people like to put rubber flooring in their horse barns. This can work well as long as you choose textured rubber.
If you keep the design ideas above when planning for the buildings on your horse farm, you should be in good shape. Remember, these spaces need to be safe for your animals — that is your number one priority. With the safety steps having been taken, you're then free to focus on looks and function.
