Ask SAM: Location, location for horse barns

This column is provided by Larimer County Extension's Small Acreage Management (SAM) Program to assist rural residents.

Dear SAM,

I am planning to build a small barn to house two horses. What should I consider when choosing a location

Bob B.

Dear Bob,

The answer to your question might be blowing in the wind.

Your horses are likely to spend a majority of their time in or around the barn. Ideally, you will have a corral adjoining the barn. The corral serves as a holding area for horses while pastures recover from grazing.

Vegetation in the corral disappears quickly, leaving you with bare dirt and manure. The manure attracts flies and could create odors. When the wind blows, dust, flies and odors become airborne.

Our predominant winds are out of the northwest. To avoid dust and flies blowing into your home, look for a suitable site south or east of your home. Avoid building a barn in a location that will negatively impact neighbors, as well.

Orient your barn so stalls open to the south or east. The building will act as a windbreak and provide shelter for your animals. An easterly or southeasterly orientation captures the warmth of morning sunshine while providing shade from the afternoon sun.

Drainage is another consideration. A barn and corral in a swale will catch runoff and become a mud pit. Look for an uphill location.

If you have a choice, build on well-drained soil. On poorly drained sites, some landowners excavate the stall and corral area and refill with coarse materials such as sand and gravel.

If creeks or ditches flow nearby, protect surface water from manure-contaminated runoff. Keep clean water clean by installing gutters and downspouts from the barn roof. Direct the downspouts into a grassy pasture, away from the corral. Maintain a healthy, dense strip of vegetation along creeks and ditches to catch runoff water.

Your barn location must also be convenient. Build it close to a driveway and turn-around area to facilitate hay delivery. Consider manure storage locations, as well. You probably won't want the manure storage too close to the back door of your home.

Building a barn provides an expensive and permanent addition to your property. Careful planning of location, styles and building materials will help you design the best possible facility. Don't hesitate to ask neighbors and friends what they like about their barns and what they wish they had done differently.

SAM

Have a question about rural living? Write to Ask SAM, Larimer County Cooperative Extension, P.O. Box 543, Fort Collins, CO 80522.