A horse stall is one of the compulsory requirements for all horses. All of the horse stalls are made with the concentration and excellence of craftsmen. It is designed for the safety of the horse. Horses need to have peace of mind in stalls to feel safe and comfortable.
Sometimes selecting stalls can be confusing with so many options available to you. It’s a challenging job for horse owners to choose an appropriate stall for the horse. There are lots of things to be kept in mind while selecting stalls. Factors to consider when selecting the right horse stalls system for you and your horses are:
- The stall size should be appropriate for the horses. The size of stalls usually depends on the type of horse being stabled and the amount of time the horse will spend in the stall. Most horses are comfortable in pastures as it is wide. Stalls are hardly large enough but it allows the horse to move comfortably and lie down without getting cast.
- 10’ X 10’ stall size is good enough for small horses; a 12’ X 12’ stall is good enough for the 16hh of horses and a 14’ X 14’ stall is appropriate for large horses. The disadvantage of bigger stalls is that they add to the operational cost. It will require additional bedding, labor, and maintenance.
- Stall doors require adequate height so that both horse and person can pass through them safely. The minimum height of the door of the horse stall should be 48” and the maximum should be 60”. It can be either sliding or swinging and can be constructed from solid wood or steel bars, or a combination of both.
- Partitions in stalls can be designed in different ways. It should be kept in mind before partition that it should be a minimum of 96” tall. The design of the stall partition usually depends upon the type of facility the owner would like to facilitate for his horse. Most people prefer stalls to be as open as possible as it will allow a good amount of airflow to help in reducing stress. One can ask a horse architect to insure that your facility is helping in accomplishing your horse’s needs.
- Horses require proper lighting in the stalls. If you adopted artificial light in stalls then put all switchboards out of the stalls or out of the reach of horses. Windows are also significant in horse stalls as it provides proper ventilation and light in the stalls.
- The floors of the stalls need regular observation. Concrete flooring is good for horse stalls because it’s easy to wash and clean. Moreover, they are not that much slippery. The main disadvantage of this flooring is that it is harsh on the horse’s legs and feet. One can overcome this disadvantage by placing rubber mats on it, which will provide a cushion effect to your horse.
It is significant for the horse owners to follow the above-mentioned factors while selecting horse stalls as it would help them to select the appropriate stalls for the horse that will fulfill the horse as well as the owner’s needs.
See more: Horse Stable