Our 2 stall backyard barn has 12 by 12 stalls with a partial partition between the stalls that is quite high–6 ft–rather than all the way to the top, or bars. It works for airflow and works for the horses having contact without competition–they can eye each other if they try hard enough, or just touch muzzles! But no aggression is possible. (food related only–our two are friends but do get mad about food…) It works beautifully.
I prefer bars for a closed, stable herd. Although, if you know you have strong personalities or will have a lot of turnover, you will likely prefer solid walls.
I currently have “social stalls” with only a 4ft solid half wall and nothing above. The horses reach over and groom each other all the time. I love that they are still “together” even when they are separated.
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I have bars on the back 8’ of the divider walls. My 3 mares love this. They all have privacy when they are eating (I use slow feed haynets).
The “bar” part is framed with wood, so if I ever needed to, I could put up a piece of plywood easily. I think it is much easier to cover up the opening later vs trying to add bars down the road.
When I weaned my filly, not one whinny from mom or baby. A few months after weaning, filly had an accident and needed some staples. Mom watched through the bars to make sure that her baby was fine.
My horses are definitely more relaxed.
I hope the OP now has enough ideas to decide what will work best for their barn and horses.
My neighbor and I are building our own and we were discussing to maybe make windows between stalls we can leave open for some horses, close up for others, which would be a way to have the best of both, as needed.
We were going to make some solid partitions, some partially open, but maybe we could have the options of windows.
We have young horses and horses in training that change who those are, not a stable herd that adjusts to each other and little changes in their lives.
Horses in training and competing have to get used to changes, but in their own space, we need to see that they are happy there, if that is with neighbors to socialize with, or a place to have their quiet, safe time without others watching them, whatever makes them happy.
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For open stalls, I think it depends on your situation. I have worked at boarding barns that have had the open bars along the top and they do allow for great air flow. But some of the horses hated it. At feeding time they would nash their teeth along the bars and kick the walls. So badly on one mare that we had to put up gym mats along all of the walls as she was injuring herself.
My ponies at home all get along and would love the open concept and would love to see each other, but I didnt want that. We do show our ponies and I want them to be used to not being able to see each other. I have open bars along the front but thats it.
As for size of stalls, if you are a boarding barn, I would think a minimum size would be 12 x12. I have ponies and my stalls are an odd 8.5’ wide by 11’ deep. It works for them but I wouldnt want anything larger than 15h in one.
If you would like bars along the sides for air flow or light, I do like the partial walls, where its solid near the front (so no fighting during feed time) and open near the backs. They are a nice option.
I know this is probably a freak accident, but a friend had her horse get a foot caught between the bars on the top half of her stall walls. He was lying on his back and kicking his feet in the air and managed to slip a back hoof sideways between the bars. Where naturally, it got stuck when he tried to pull it back. Luckily the farrier was there that day and had tools to take the bars apart, but it was still a pretty serious injury.
I own a horse who used to work at the local Dixie Stampede. Those stalls were separated only by bars, IIRC, and you never saw such evil faces at feeding time! My own little guy still makes them, purely through force of habit since he’s fed alone. He’s such a sweetheart that it’s sort of funny to see him put on his fierce face - like a homicidal Teddy Ruxpin.
Horses can get hurt in any place, but putting those vertical bars at 2-3" is something many people just will never do, because they have seen that happen once too many.
I rather have the horizontal bars that are further apart than the vertical bars any day.
Even with any kind of cross mesh wire you can have a horse hang by a shoe there, have seen that too.
I would never build or sable in a wood barn, after being in two barn fires made worse because of the wood structure.
I would never put a horse behind the standard many vertical bars as so many stalls have.
Then, in our large pastures, we have barbed wire, is what makes sense here and in over 100 years and thousands of horses, we have only had a handful of horses hurt on them, none badly, but have seen other horses that were.
Each one of us has to do the best they can manage with what they have or can do.
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I know my two would like to have one big stall for the both of them. Most of the time they are together. But at night I separate them as they get different feed. It’s a long lonely night. But there is Joy in the morning when they get to be together all day!!!
We started out with bars between the stalls but even in my stable herd there was too much worrying at meal times. So, we put up solid partitions. All of the stalls do have runs off the back so they are able to see each other but they seem to appreciate their personal private space as well.
Thank you everyone for all of the replies so far!
I think I have decided to do solid partitions for all of my stalls. Even for the horses who feel the need to see their buddies, it will probably be good for them to get used to a bit of separation.
I may leave one stall with an open partition, just in case
Thanks for starting this thread, I too think that solid partitions may just be better, for most horses, where they can go out to their outside pens at will.
Will be what we do, don’t need to teach them barrier aggression while in the stall, if in play or seriously annoyed.
They can do plenty of socializing outside.
Letting them have their peace in the stall seems like a good idea.
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I have open bars between the stalls.
One horse is in her stall overnight in the winter, but the rest are only shut in the stall for feeding time.
The rest of the time they are out, with free access to the open stalls.
It is a stable herd, and I have never had any problems with fighting between the stalls.
My only concern would be nose-to-nose contact if there were “strange” horses coming in.
