Owning horses is a great pleasure. Not only are these animals beautiful to look at and wonderful to ride, but they are also capable of performing many useful tasks on a farm. If you enjoy owning horses and need a reliable shelter to keep them safe, using a metal building is a great option.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the basics of building a metal shelter for your horses. When you are ready to get started, head toward our Build & Price tool to check out the possibilities and request a free quote. You can also contact us if you have any questions about the process or our products. We would love to work with you on this exciting job!
Choosing the Perfect Spot
Before you start constructing your horse shelter, carefully consider the site location. After all, building a great structure in the wrong location won’t serve you well at all, and you might need to have it moved. Here are some essential factors to keep in mind for site selection –
- Accessibility. Select a site that is easily accessible for both you and the horses. The shelter should be located close to the pasture or paddock area, ensuring easy access for your horses to seek shelter as needed. If the new shelter is too far away from where the horses spend their time, you might not use it often.
- Drainage. Avoid low-lying areas that may collect water or become muddy during heavy rainfall. This should be a comfortable place for the horses to be, and it won’t serve your needs if it often has standing water in the bottom.
- Wind Direction. Position the shelter to block prevailing winds so the horses can tuck in away from harsh weather conditions.
- Sun Exposure. Think about where the sun will be during the day in the summer months and try to position the structure so it can provide shade.
It’s entirely possible that picking out the right site will be the longest part of the planning process – and that’s okay. Take your time to work through the various options available on your land, and make sure you get this choice right the first time.
Tailoring the Shelter to Serve Your Horses
The design and dimensions of your metal shelter should be based on your horses’ specific needs. As a starting point, you’ll need to think about how many horses you have now and how many you might have in the future. It’s important to have enough space for all of the horses to stand within the shelter, move around, and even lie down.
As far as dimensions go, you can use the guideline of having a 12’ x 12’ square for each horse as a starting point. So, for example, if you wanted to build a shelter that would be comfortable for three horses, you might want to build something that is around 36’ long and 12’ deep. Of course, you don’t have to stick tightly to that guideline, but it can help you understand how large this building should be. Also, make sure it’s at least 8’ tall inside so the horses don’t feel cramped from above.
Types of Structures
One of the best things about building a shelter for your horses with the help of American Carports, Inc. is that you will have plenty of variety to pick from in our selection of buildings, and all of those buildings can be further customized to serve your needs. If you have a lot of horses to care for, a traditional barn design might be your best bet. With a barn, you’ll not only gain space for the horses to live, but you’ll also have room for storing equipment and supplies.
For something smaller, you could opt to use a basic carport with a wall added on one or more sides to create shelter. This will be an affordable choice if you simply want to put a roof over the horse’s heads while they relax and escape the elements for a bit. Also, if you have an existing structure in an area where the horses already hang out, you might be able to use a lean-to design to add covered space around the outside of that building.
Build a Metal Shelter for Your Horses Today
One of the many great things about metal buildings is the speed with which they can be created. When you work with American Carports, Inc., you’ll have the ability to design your own custom structure and have it manufactured and then installed on a short timeline and for an affordable price. What’s not to love? Get started right away, and your horses will thank you.
