Horse housing styles run the gamut and making the perfect selection that fits both budget constraints and personal preferences is a complex project to undertake. Because there are many components to a horse barn build, taking note of the smaller details can sometimes become lost in the overwhelming scale of the project.
Major factors such as the floor plan and overall design of the structure will obviously take precedence in the horse barn buying process. But it is smart not to overlook the items lower down the list in horse barn design. This is because even relatively inexpensive customizations and attention to detail can make a huge difference in the aesthetic appeal, durability and functionality of the barn.
You don’t want to be kicking yourself later about something you forgot to include that would make a huge difference to how your barn fits into your needs for horse care. The requirements that surround equine management such as bathrooms for caregivers, storage for tack and supplies and the time and motion effectiveness of the building for daily work duties are a lot to cover.
Here are a few tips to help you navigate the wealth of options available for inclusion in barn modifications and design features.
Exterior Design Flare
Every modular barn design offers an opportunity to individualize its appeal with a few simple changes to the standard plans that can make a big difference in the feel and presence of the ultimate build result.
Consider the low-profile center aisle barn as a great example of a budget-friendly horse housing design that will sit happily next to a one-story house without overwhelming the residence with its presence. A few extra feet of height added to the ridge line that slightly elevates the pitch of the roof, or a couple of feet added to the exterior wall height can make all the difference in the spaciousness that the interior exudes and improves the passive ventilation for the barn.
Shutters added to the exterior walls for each window can significantly improve the aesthetic appeal of a horse barn. If these shutters are operable, they can also be a useful adjunct for securing the barn by closing them to help ‘batten down the hatches during extreme weather events such as hurricanes or tornados.
A blank wall of windows along the long side of a barn can be unappealing to view from the house or coming up the driveway. And even non-functioning shutters can help break up the flatness of the side walls. Pretty extras such as window boxes can be fun to dress up and add to the design. But remember these boxes will likely be filled with plant life that will require regular watering and weeding care if they are to be a positive visual addition.
The lean-to or overhang is an effective and relatively inexpensive feature to add to a horse barn. Extremely useful it offers many benefits that should not be overlooked.
Color choices of the exterior siding, trim, roof, window shutters and doors can also significantly elevate the barn structure in terms of curbside appeal. The selection of colors, whether the wall is split in color, accent tones and hues, and their complementary factor to existing structures on the property, can make a huge difference in how the barn fits into the landscape. Try and pick color(s) that you won’t tire of seeing and at the same time don’t be shy to spin that color wheel.
Floor Plans and Features
The simplest of customizations can improve the daily use experience working in the barn. Consider the addition of a few extra feet to an aisleway as a prime example of how small changes can make that world of difference to the functionality of the barn. The change from a 12’ to 14’ aisleway means horses can navigate the aisleway better; there may be room for tack boxes or safe storage areas; horses may be led past each other mitigating the risk of upset; and mucking out with equipment such as UTVs becomes easier to manage.
Barn features such as the addition of windows to the top section of the entry doors to the barn can add significant extra natural light to the interior and make winter use of the barn much more pleasurable as doors can be closed without loss of light.
There are many barn building details that are worthy of careful attention. Such as the quality and design of the hardware on the doors including the stall doors; the amount of overhang on gable ends; window screens; the provision of a cover for the sliding entry doors to protect the runners from snow and ice.
A good quality modular horse barn construction company will offer many great features as standard on their barn builds but don’t be shy to ask for details of the seemingly more minor components, as both the durability and ease of use of the building can be impacted by poor substitutions in these areas.
Substandard hardware materials and finishing can leave a lasting poor impression of the horse barn build over time. Consider one of my pet peeves, poor quality grillwork in a barn. The choice of what metal is used and how it is finished, alongside how it is installed and constructed (the distance between bars especially important for horse safety), will either look almost as pristine five years later after horses have been stabled within its confines as the day it was built, or become rusty, pitted or at best discolored from the grease in the horse’s coat. The latter will require some hard graft to clean it down and the former issues will be expensive to fix.
The interior wood, its grade, size and species in addition to how it is finished, matters in regard to its innate structural integrity and its appearance over time. Rather than painting or staining old greyed out wood to renovate the interior of an older barn, creative remedies to improve the appearance include actually burning the surface of the wood for a patterned, brown finish. Naturally, this must be safely and expertly done!
It is, of course, much easier to take care of how the wood is stained or finished before you start utilizing the barn. A spend on a high quality 15-year stain for example, will save you time and money down the road trying to maintain the aesthetic appeal of the interior. Be wary of painting or staining with a light color, as this will require much attention to keep clean around horses, though it does offer a luxury ambience to the barn.
Also consider all interior walls will require periodic deep cleaning. Again, protecting the wood surface with an easy clean product will save much time and effort down the road. The protected surface that is easy to clean will also provide the benefit of good hygiene.
Inevitably at some point a horse will become sick with a contagious disease, even managing a minor infectious outbreak in the barn can be stressful. When you are able to effectively clean and disinfect all barn surfaces the chore becomes a satisfying pursuit for the conscientious caregiver.
Elegant appeal versus practicality always has to be weighed up during the decision-making process.
Most modular building companies offer a list of upgrades and customizations, helpful brochures and online featured project pages can help inspire and educate the buying process. The quality of any component of the build that’s overlooked during that process invites disappointment later.
Companies that determine that their profit margins need a boost may hide details of what is actually going to be installed quality wise. These are areas where corners can be cut to make a company profit margin larger. The unwitting buyer who believes they have secured a slightly better quote from one company over another may not truly be comparing like to like.
It is far better to work with a reputable modular construction company that clearly identifies all the components in the build and will stand behind their structures with warranties and good customer service.
There will be a need for construction companies to raise prices from time to time to adapt to market forces. It is better to pay a bit more and get better quality at the outset. It is smart to choose a modular company that offers the major advantage of the ‘to the penny quote,’ that is honored from the time of purchase through to finish set up including delivery and includes all the specifications of the horse barn.
