Stable and turnout, step by step

1. Siting the stable

A horse doesn't need a palace, it needs air, a dry floor and company.

1. Dry and free-draining — The stable and turnout go on the highest, driest part of the land, never in a hollow where water collects.
2. Back to the wind — The open side faces away from the prevailing wind. In Britain and Ireland that usually means south-east or east, with the back to the westerly and northerly winds.
3. Near, but not against the house — You want to hear the horses at night and see them from the window, but the household doesn't need the flies and dust. Roughly 15–30 m (50–100 ft) from the house.
4. Muck heap away from water — The muck heap must be well away from and downhill of any well, spring or stream. In England the Farming Rules for Water set at least 50 m from a well or spring and 10 m from a watercourse. Rules differ: check with the competent authority.

Why: Most illnesses of horses on a small farm come from poor stabling: coughs from dust and ammonia, thrush in wet bedding and injuries from a cramped stable. A donkey is even more sensitive to wet.

• A tractor or a trailer with hay must reach the stable: a track at least 3 m (10 ft) wide, a gate 3–4 m.
• For a new stable or a larger shelter, check whether you need planning permission or a building permit.

2. Barn and stable

For a small farm the best choice is an open barn with turnout, where the animals choose for themselves whether to be in or out.

1. Open barn — For two animals: an open barn of roughly 7 × 3.5 m (23 × 12 ft), with a rail partition in the middle that makes two stables in a couple of minutes.
2. A stable for a horse — For a 500 kg horse a stable of roughly 3.2 × 3.5 m (11 × 12 ft), ceiling 3–3.5 m.
3. Doors open outwards — Doors 1.2–1.3 m wide and 2.3–2.5 m high, opening outwards or sliding, never into the stable. The bolt must be secure.
4. Hay low down — A horse eats with its head down. Hay in a small-mesh haynet (3–5 cm) at chest height or in a tub on the floor, never in a rack above head height.

Why: Each side of the stable is at least 2 × height at the withers, the ceiling at least 1.5 × height at the withers and never lower than 2.5 m. A horse and a donkey can share a barn but are fed separately, otherwise the donkey gets fat.

• Donkey: a stable of 2.5 × 3 m or a shared shelter of at least 10 m² for two.
• Door and partition edges with no nails or sharp sheeting; bars closer than 5 cm (2 in), so a hoof can't get caught.

3. Floor, bedding and muck heap · Locked

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4. Air, winter and water · Locked

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5. Mud-free turnout · Locked

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6. Fencing and fire · Locked

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