need suggestions on adding stalls in barn

[Real_Rush]

OK, I’m closing in a few weeks on my new 21 acre farm, and am trying to firm up my barn plans for the property. Years ago it was a chicken farm, but all of the chicken houses have been taken down. The horses will stay out 24/7, and there’s a partially enclosed pole barn that I’m planning on letting them using as a big run-in shed.

There’s a separate enclosed barn that was used as an equipment shed that I’m planning on making my “official” barn to store feed and hay, and bring the horses in to eat, and it already has a nice concrete floor. I need non bank-breaking suggestions for how to set up stalls. Currently thinking about picking up a bunch of wooden pallets, lining them with plywood, and using those as the stall walls, and probably with web stall guards as doors. What does everyone think? Was also contemplating just using them as a dividing wall (like a wall between 2 grooming stalls/ wash racks), without fully closing them in since the horses will only be coming in to eat, not staying in. I could establish one official stall in case I have to keep someone up due to lameness, etc. My biggest thing is establishing something without destroying any concrete.

What say you, Coth?

[Calvincrowe]

How would you attach those pallets together to make them strong enough to withstand a horse pushing, rubbing, leaning, biting at one another?

As far as protecting your concrete, you’ll have to use rubber mats of some sort, as the concrete will be very, very slick for the horses to walk on/be stalled on.

My barn was a former shop, which we converted to a barn. We installed Priefert brand stall components (fronts and two middle dividers) to form two 12 x 12 stalls, using the side and back walls of the shop as the other walls. We used 3/4 inch plywood on the barn walls, and 2x6s to fill the component walls. We used the existing posts (6x6) that pole barn was made with to bolt the components to the barn. They bolt to each other, as well and are very sturdy. We used heavy duty stall mats to fully mat the stalls, and bed with pelleted bedding.

I stall mine nightly, so this was necessary, but I can’t see my boys managing even for a little while in stalls made of pallets…they are quite short, too.

[Nestor]

Ditto what CC said!

Even if you think you’ll only bring in to feed and just have 1 more permanent stall for injuries… the law of horses says you will inevitably need it if you don’t have it.

Not sure where you’re located exactly, but would you leave them out for super severe weather? Thinking hurricanes/tornados/frequent lightning… I understand they’ll have a run-in, but 3 walls isn’t enough in truly nasty weather IMO.

My impression from others has been that the general rule of thumb is one stall per horse on the property, even if they essentially never use it. Because at some point, you might need it.

If you really want the stalls to be temporary, why not round pen panels with thick plywood attached to the rails? At least that’s more horse-proof.

[Highflyer]

I agree that you will definitely want mats. You could use 4 round pen panels to make stalls to feed them in-- they are nice to have even if you eventually upgrade to something more permanent.

[Calvincrowe]

There are places to cut corners and save money…building safe, horse proof stalls is not that place. Corral panels, stall components, quality wood and mats are a good investment. While I could leave mine out 24/7 with their run in, the weather here makes that unfeasible several times a year. I invested in stalls and mats (altogether, 12 years ago, that cost around $2000…prices are much higher today on those items–and many can be found used–Craigslist is your friend).

[HungarianHippo]

You can use post bases like this that you bolt into the concrete floor-- non-destructive at all and an easy install. Depending on ceiling height, you could attach directly to ceiling, otherwise you’ll need a header beam to attach them to. Anyway, it won’t be hard to install some nice, sturdy posts that will support your stall walls.

If they’re really only used for feeding, how about these as your stall dividers?

But once you have stalls, you’ll find that you want to use them at least occasionally for stabling. Injured horse, truly awful weather, etc. So consider building at least one stall that’s really solid and safe. Design a wall that can withstand some hard kicks, a horse really leaning on it to scratch their butt, or rolls and gets cast.

[OTTB2]

Im missing the point on needing stalls to feed. We feed our school horses who live out 24/7 with a run in shed, with just buckets spread around the field. Fair enough apart mind you so that no one is jumping from bucket to bucket. If your horses is on very special feed/ diet it would be a different story then.

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

How many horses? How big is your big pole barn intended for use as a run-in? It may be most simple, safe and cost effective to simply divide the run-in with a gate(s) that flattens against the back wall when not in use.

This was the set-up at a place I leased for a couple years and it was very convenient. The run-in opened to a gravel paddock, which was divided by Horseguard electric fencing that ran from the center support post of the shed to the paddock fence. There were two gates from the gravel paddock out into the pasture, one on each side of the electric. When the gate in the shed was pinned back against the wall, the horses could use the full span of the shed and enter/exit from either paddock side. That prevented anyone from getting trapped. When the gate in the shed was used to divide the shed, you could keep one horse in (close the paddock gate to field on his side), or both horses in (close both gates to field). Each side of the shed had a water and feed bucket, and there was additional water in the field.

If a horse had to be locked in to his side of the shed/paddock (whether to eat peacefully or to restrict grazing), he was still able to see what his friend was up to, and still had room to move around the paddock (which most often resulted in clean stalls and easy-to-pick-off-the-gravel poop piles outside). Absolute stall rest was never necessary during the time my horses were there, but it would have been simple to close the front of one “stall” in the run-in with a temporary gate.

While feeding in an open field with feed pans works for many people, it never has for me. I always seem to have one timid, slow-eating horse who will get chased off and/or one bold, fast-eating horse who will harass the other. So I do like separation at feeding time.

[Doctracy]

[QUOTE=OTTB_;8408780]
Im missing the point on needing stalls to feed. We feed our school horses who live out 24/7 with a run in shed, with just buckets spread around the field. Fair enough apart mind you so that no one is jumping from bucket to bucket. If your horses is on very special feed/ diet it would be a different story then.[/QUOTE]
Depends on where you lived. I’ve been in areas like NE CO where the hay would just blow away most days. Here in NC, I only use my stalls for cold rain although I will be adding a fly spray system and using it to keep the horses out of the gnats and horse flies next summer.
I do feed outside most days with three horses. Although, once my barn is finished I will put the seniors are up so they get there own food. My pony steals from the oldies,big bully!
One simple system that I had was tie stalls plus a couple of stalls made of the green panels. The tie stalls were great with limited space and funds for feeding and stormy weather. The panels were good for a hospital stall.

[js]

Pallets are not suitable for stalls. Buy some round pen panels as suggested and rubber mats. Check Craigs list in your area, people will often be selling panels and or rubber mats at good prices. If you can put posts in your barn, either attaching post to floor by bolting them or getting a jack hammer and busting a hole in the floor for the post (we did this in our old barn, a big pita but it worked well); then buy lumber and make stalls that will hold up and be safe.

[SonnysMom]

You do not want to go cheap on the stalls. I was at a barn recently that had a stall that was originally built as a temporary stall. Now the are using it all the time. The walls are chip board or flakeboard/ OSB. http://www.lowes.com/pd_12212-44903-646214_1z10t8h__?productId=50382768&pl=1

Earlier this week the mare living there kicked a big whole in it. Like a 2’ x 3’ hole. She kicked out the 4" thick Styrofoam insulation and bent the outside metal sheeting. It was a good thing she didn’t kick through the metal. She had lived there for 7 months with no issue before this. Going cheap the materials could have been disastrous.
I knew one place that would tie the horses to the inside wall of the outbuilding to feed. They would just space the ties far enough apart to prevent kicking. They had 2 stalls and a feed room in one end for emergencies.

Put down some mats, troll Craigslist for heavy plywood, and lumber that is inexpensive and build stalls when you collect enough wood to build sturdy stalls.

[Trails]

Lots of people have built palleted sheds and they are strong if you follow the right plans. Google step by step palleted sheds and you’ll be surprised how much you’ll find. Look through as some are not very good but I know you’ll find what you are looking for.