Question about stalls.....

[iabecca]

I have a little 12'x18' barn that is all open on the inside and was wondering if it would be a good idea

to make 3 stalls in that area? I will soon be getting my first two minis and one is in foal!! I'm so excited!!

These will not be show minis but therapy minis. I have gone back and forth on trying to decide what to do

for sure before I get my girls home. All ideas welcomed and appreciated!!

 

Thank you!!

Becky

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Congratulations on your new minis!

For a foaling stall (place for the mare to have privacy and quiet for delivering the foal) you would need about 12x12, so most of your barn. She'll also need that room for her and the baby for stalling at night. If any of your other horses is a stallion, you will need a seperate place for him; away from the others, especially the new mom and foal. She will need a place to feel safe with her new baby.

 

[iabecca]

Thank you for your reply!

 

I will have two mares....just us girls...LOL I understand them needing more room and privacy but what about later on when the foal is alot older? I don't plan on getting more minis that are in foal. I was thinking that I would make the dividers removeable so when the time comes she could have a larger area.

Then later on put the divider back up to make three 6'x8' stalls....they would be able to come and go as they please. Hmm...decisions....LOL

 

Becky

 

[chandab]

How is your 12x18' barn arranged? Is it a fully enclosed barn or an open-front shed? Where is the door located? All these things can help determine how to arrange your stalls. I do agree, at least for now, leave as much room for your pregnant mare as possible.

Mine are only in for meals, and their stalls are 6'x8' and that is plenty for what I use the stalls for; I'd definitely want more room if they were to spend more time inside. My stallions have 8x12' stalls (sheds) and those seem to be plenty big.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Really, you will need about that size to foal a mare out in. The idea of movable partitions is always brilliant, but I cannot see any way you could split this into three, not for mature animals, maybe three foals would fit.....(my smallest stall is 7 X 9 and I think that is too small)

 

[iabecca]

The front of my little barn has a 5' opening with a sliding door which closes (but I don't ever close it). I used to have a quarter horse and he could come and go in a 12x12 area then there is a wall and on the other side is a 6x12 area where I kept some hay, grain and tack.....there is a regular size door to get into that area. I was thinking of taking down that wall and putting up stall dividers.....one mare could go into her separate stall to eat only or for shelter. The other 12x12 area would be for the mare in foal. When the foal is older put a stall divider up to divide that 12x12 space for separate feeding areas but they would be free to come in and go back outside as they please. Does that make any sense? I have to do something or the one mare not in foal won't have any shelter when the other mare is having her foal.

 

Thanks again for everyone's advice!!

Becky

 

[Mona]

You could make the one stall 8'x12' (8' friom the 18' side, by the 12' width) This would leave you with an area of 10'x12'. You could leave that open for the other 2 to share, or divide it up into two 6'x10' stalls. If they get along well, I would prefer the open concept, leaving the 2 of them to share that larger space.