American Barns-what You Need to Know!

Today we will talk about how Internal stabling can be achieved by either having a purpose built American Barn or by way of conversion of an existing building. In both cases, you will probably require planning permission to stable horses. A quick phone call to your local council planning department will clarify this. Converting existing buildings, with internal stable partitioning, should be more economical than erecting new purpose built barns. The unexpected planning regulation that catches most people out is the requirement for a change of use of a building. If you wish to change the internal structure of your building and not outside you will probably still need to apply for planning permission. When converting older brick built buildings, ceilings are usually higher, which is helpful to your horses needs, as larger volumes of air will aid ventilation and will be a benefit to your horse’s general well being. It is important to have sufficient airflow serving the stables themselves, badly designed indoor buildings can become unhealthy in the summer and dank and oppressive in the winter. Additionally, good ventilation will also help deter any contagious infections that can spread rapidly in a shared airspace. It is always advisable to have alternative arrangements for isolating animals when necessary. When looking at designs for American Barns or when converting existing barns for equine usage, it is important to be aware of the fire hazards. Ensure that you have large Barn doors that can be opened quickly and are sited at either end of your barn; so as to ensure a swift exit by all occupants should the worst happen. Most of us aren’t aware how poisonous the air can become, especially to our horses, to drive a car or tractor through our enclosed equestrian buildings. We tend to do this for easy access to deliver hay, straw etc or removing deep litter. The fumes from the vehicle exhaust are highly toxic. Try and use large hand pulled trailers, they are more environmentally friendly and safer for your horses. Should you be considering installing an American Barn or converting an old Farm building, Contact the Prime Stables team, who will guide you in the right direction. Click here for more information on American Barns