Just recently purchased my first horse, a warmblood, he’s 17’2 and short backed, he’s just all legs. He wears a 78 blanket.I found a great barn in my area thats not 1000$ plus (most barns in my area charge that *sigh) but the downside is the stalls are 10x10. He would only be in his stall at night, and would get turnout all day . the stalls are airy and the horses are able to stick their heads out. That being said, I’ve leased many horses and never had to think about stall sizes, and ii just want to make the right choice as I’ve heard both yes and no to this topic. Any advice would be greatly appreciated 
I think 10 x 10 is pretty darn small and I would find it unacceptable for my 15.2 mare for half day in the barn. Is 24/7 turnout an option?
Look elsewhere.
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I think it’s too small. And where I am, all day turnout means 8.30 am til 3pm which is only 6.5hrs. That means 17.5 hrs in a stall…
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I would never again board my warmblood in a 10x10 stall. I boarded him in one, along with my 16 hand TB mare, when I and a friend made an emergency move from a horrible barn. I only spent a few months at that barn. My 2 horses were very careful lying down to sleep. My TB mare got in the exact center of her stall and lay down flat, but my warmblood, 16.2 or more (I quit measuring him) had to lie against the wall between their stalls in order to sleep so he could not lie flat until he went out each day. My horses were careful not to get cast.
I’ve had to get other people’s horses up that were cast in 14x14 stalls, so I’m not saying a 10x10 stall will contribute to casting, but in stalls, the bigger the better.
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I have kept 17+ hand horses in 10X10 and 10X12 with all day turn out. They never had an issues with the size. Know plenty of respected horsemen that have done the same. The “standard” size is usually 12X12.
I would suspect the “standard” size became the norm more because of building costs than the needs of a horse. Bigger is not necessarily better it is more expensive and labor intensive for the barn owner.
A 12X12 stall is 144 sqft of floor/bedding space. 14X14 is 196. 52 square feet per stall more to be bedded and mucked. In a 20 stall barn that comes to 1,040 more square feet. 7+ “extra” 12X12 stalls that are not generating income and 7+ extra stalls of labor and materials every day. At roughly $10 per stall of extra labor and materials comes to $25,550 in extra expenses. Plus considerable more in building costs.
If the boarding market in the area is willing to pay the additional expenses fine. Other wise one gets what they pay for. Pretty simple.
As far as a horse getting cast studies have shown horses in smaller stalls are far less prone to it. The size of the stall does more for the owner than it does for the horse. To each their own on this.
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Our 17 hand horse that wore a 78 inch blanket did fine in a 10 x 12 with less turnout as did my 15.2 mare that wore an 80 inch blanket. Just seems to depend on the horse.
there is a huge horse in my barn, most likely 17’ and he has always been stalled in a 10 X 10 stall. he even lays down with no trouble!
Based on your description, I would not have an issue with it. My bigger concerns would be overall quality of facility and the ability to be turned out for the day. And I think the stall size is even less important if the horse can hang his head out. I haven’t had issues with my 17.1h and 17.2h horses fitting in smaller stalls (mine both wore 81" blankets - so also not massively long, just tall).
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Most of the big A show’s offering stabling in my area provide 9 x 9 portable stalls. There are some pretty big horses in those stalls all summer long. Not ideal of course but seems to be the standard.
10 x 10 with full all day turnout (and bonus if the stall door is a dutch door with open top) not a problem at all.
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No way would I keep a large horse in a stall smaller than 12x12.
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I kept my 13.3H Arab in a 12 x 10 stall and it fit him nicely.
my 15.3H and 16.1H Tennessee Walkers are in 12 x 14 stalls. They have ample room.
There is no way this side of the moon and back that I would keep a 17H horse on a 10 x10 stall. Absolutely not.
If the horse ends up in such a small stall and develops behavioral issues like weaving, cribbing, stall walking, don’t wonder why.
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It would depend on how many hours in his stall for me and how much hay they have in the stall for him to eat overnight in a small hole hay net or something to keep him busy.
I kept a 17.1 TB in a 10 x 10 with no top door (could keep his head out if he wished) for about a year-and-a-half. He got a lot of turnout, but never had a problem when he was in. He was an ex-timber horse, though, and had travelled a lot and was used to the small stalls.
Absolutely not. Just because some people do it doesn’t make it ok. Also, don’t forget that those stall dimensions are outside dimensions, so it’s really less than 10x10 or 12x12. Miltary horses lived in standing stalls, so that makes it good?
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I would not see an issue with it, as long as the barns do turn out daily. Some barns say they do, but then leave horses in if it rains or snows. I think being locked in that size small for longer periods might be asking for trouble.
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This is one of those things where it sounds worse than it is. 10x10 with no head sticking out, 17+ starts to seem a little cramped. With that freedom and good turnout, I would have very few concerns. As with any horse, watch him carefully through the transition period and ensure the horse doesn’t have a different opinion.
You know what most horses do in their stalls? Either lay down or stand in one spot, typically with their head out the door or nose to nose/nose to tail with a neighbor if they have that option. That’s all. An extra few square feet does not encourage them to move around more or have any other significant impact on their lifestyle.
Are big stalls better? Sure! But I think they make a bigger difference to the owner than to the horse. I would rather have a small stall with great turnout than a big stall with poor turnout.
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There is nothing cruel about a standing stall, provided the horse gets plenty of exercise and/or turnout. Horses move about very little in stalls regardless of size/type and horses in appropriately sized “standing” stalls are fully capable of laying down and getting good rest.
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I agree that they generally don’t move around much in the stall. My stalls are open and can be used as a run-in, which is how they are used 95% of the time. During fly season (about now through October), my two residents share a 10 x 10 stall by choice. They stand side by side, facing opposite directions to take most advantage of the other’s swishing tail. Rarely do I find them in separate stalls. And all they do is stand in there catching the breeze under their nice stall fan, hanging out, barely moving.
If 10x10 stalls are the only “negative” for the facility, I think you’ll be ok.
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“If the horse ends up in such a small stall and develops behavioral issues like weaving, cribbing, stall walking, don’t wonder why”
There have been no conclusive studies that I know of that state this as fact. If you know other wise please provide links. I have spent a life time of observing, working with lots of horses in all types of barn set ups and care. Breeding, raising, training etc. Have discussed the above behavioral issues with vets and other professional. Non have ever said and or felt stall size had anything to do with these habits/issues.
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