Hello everyone! I was curious as to if anyone had any design ideas for a stall door. I would love for it to be pretty inexpensive, therefore, it doesn’t have to be fancy. Pictures and links would be great if possible! I also have a couple of questions. How wide should the door be for a 14.3hh horse? I also will have a Miniature Horse soon so I was wondering how tall the door should be for the mini and also how tall it should be for the 14.3hh horse. I would like for them to be able to put their heads over the door, but I don’t want it too low. I also would like the stall door designs to be easy to make. Thank you!
Stall doors are typically 4’ wide, though some might be slightly smaller.
There really isn’t a “cheap” way to build a sturdy, attractive, safe, long-lasting, wood stall door. That’s why the pre-made ones you see online cost $475-$800 a pop. By the time you have all the needed tools (saw horses, circular saw or table saw, hammer, screwdriver, drill, etc,), the hardware (heavy duty hinges, stall latch that can’t be opened by the horse, since you want the top open, nails/screws, etc.) and the wood (2X6s + 1" thick exterior/bathroom grade plywood or 2X4s + exterior grade 1X8’s) + the time it takes to construct and put it all together…
Trust me when I say simply going to your local feed store, Co-Op or TSC and buying a 4’ tube gate (just a miniature version of a gate used on a horse field) that comes with the needed hardware (except the entire latch) is a much better way to go.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my wood stall doors that I built myself from 2X4s and rough hewn 1"X8" lumber direct from a local saw mill. But if I were doing it over, I’d just go get 4’ tube gates or the 4’ mesh gates they have at my local TSC - very sturdy, a small pony/mini can see through them, they last forever, and they cost about the same as making one yourself from scratch.
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this a 12by12 stall that we subdivided into two 6by8 stalls with a 4by8 hallway for a couple of our miniatures… the tube gates allow their feeder to be hung on and then taken off as needed (center divider is just a stock panel that is attached to rear wall with conduit U clamp) . Everything is screwed into place so can be easily removed to have the 12by12 stall back again
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That’s a nice setup @clanter . I’d love to hug whoever designed those two-way gate latches you’re using there. I have them on all my gates. Love them.
@4LeafCloverFarm @clanter I love that idea and and thank you for the picture! I have considered using gates because I have a few extra laying around however, the stalls are out in a pasture and not in a barn. Therefore, I’m worried that the wind will just whip through the gates in the winter but it would be nice in the summer. I was wondering if you all think this might work. What if I took a 4x4 (or something around that size) piece of plywood and framed it with boards for structure? (Just around the front edges) I can try to get a picture if I’m not explaining it well. I could just attach it with hinges and it should be fairly cheap but would it be durable enough?
@mills.horses4 - My horses live outside (now) in large pastures with a 3-sided run-in shed 24/7, 365. So if your sheds are 4 sided with a small “door” opening, I’d not give using a gate a second thought… unless you are in like Alaska or Canada and get tons and tons of snowfall, and a true door would keep the snow out of the stall.
@4LeafCloverFarm I live in the south so I think I’ll probably use gates. Would a door make them too hot in the summer?
@mills.horses4 - I think that depends on which way the door opening on your sheds face. And yes, since we are talking a 4-sided shed with just a door, blocking more air flow of 1/2 that space with a solid door will reduce air flow/circulation.
I had originally thought you were talking about doors in a regular center-isle horse barn. But it seems maybe you have a shed-row barn in your field? Or is each shed separate? I’m just trying to get the correct mental image. A picture would be helpful. 
If you do the gates, buy the ones with the mesh on the bottom… less likely to get a leg in there. Also, you can easily add a piece of ply wood to the gate in the winter to block with wind/snow/rain,
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If you are concerned about wind and the gates, why not attach a tarp to the OUTSIDE of the gate using grommets and zip ties?
We have wood doors that are solid on the bottom half with bars on the upper half. My mare hated being completely closed in the stall, so I got the 4’ pipe gate at TSC and hung that. She loves it because she can hang her head out, and I like that it’s much more secure than a stall guard or stall chain set up. It was much cheaper than a stall gate with a yoke. After I put mine in a few of my friends decided to do the same.
I agree with Mellsmom re the wire mesh gate & add plywood for the winter. But I wanted to say do the standard 4ft wide door, its a nice size to get wheelbarrows or muck carts in and out. Also at some point the occupants of those stalls may be bigger horses who need the size.
If you are looking for stall doors, check this site. They have many stall doors where you can get inspirations
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I’m perfectly happy with my stall gates that are just like Clanters.
Sorry for such a delayed response, I think that I will be two 4’ gates and make plywood covers. Does anyone have a good and safe way to do that?
I’ve seen people drill holes in the plywood and ziptie it to the outside of gates. If it’s painted, it looks decent. You don’t really want any exposed wooden edges that horses can chew on.
