Wife wants a horse PLS HELP

[1eyejer]

Thanks for all the valuable info everyone

 

[debiraymond]

Most horse stalls are at least 10 x 10 but that would only be for a small horse. Rule of thumb for acreage, 2 acres per first horse, 1 acre each additional horse.

Things to think about building a barn: feed and hay storage, tack storage, other storage for wheelbarrows, pitchforks, etc ... Where will the manure pile be? Is runoff from horse manure go into any waterways? What kind of fencing do you want/can afford? Wood fencing looks nice but is expensive and high maintenance. PVC fencing is gorgeous and no maint. but is VERY expensive. Electric is cheapest. What kind of charger will you use? Do you get enough sunlight for solar? Where will you get water from? Haul from house or do you want the convenience of a hydrant?

Food for thought.

Also have wife take horse friend/trainer/ and or farrier with her when she looks at horses.

YIKES!!! We have two horses and 2.5 acres. They seem fine here. Damn it now I have to move to a bigger place

 

[ducks4you]

<<<<< Wife

I want the barn to have a natural floor. I don't want cement floor or anything like that. So how do you build a barn with no floor without using cement?

You need to visit stables and find out what everyone has in your neck of the woods and WHY, then run the costs. It is REALLY worth your time--I learned a lot by looking at places for 12 years before I bought my property, and would have used this knowledge if I was just building a barn, instead.
MY barn would have a mud floor this time of year, if it wasn't cement. Mine is cement about 3 foot high, then the wood starts. Even show stables with dirt floors cover them with rubber mats, like my floor is covered with 1/2 inch rubber mats in the walkways and 3/4 inch rubber mats lining each stall. Every time you clean up your floor of your stalls,, you'll be digging up the wet dirt BELOW the wet bedding and you'll have to continually replace it. If your horse gets an abcessed hoof or thrush or an injury that requires stall rest you will WANT to be able to keep that stall clean. A plain bare floor with dirt cannot be kept clean. Just FYI.