Keeping a Backyard Horse

Space

I'm talking about this subject here, closer to the end of the book, because most people realize that horses need more than a little space. Keeping a horse on a small city lot is not enough, and in most places, is against the law as horses are considered livestock. Mom's family home here in Missouri sits on an acre of property, and nearly half of that is devoted to my pen. It gives me plenty of room to run, to lay down, and to roll around, and to exercise myself just a bit. Too small an enclosure can lead to boredom. I also have two large trees and a stall to give me shade.

In hot weather, horses appreciate a cool, shady place to rest. You wouldn't believe the temperature difference between direct sunlight and shade! In cold, windy weather, they should have access to a place to get out of the wind and the damp. Most horses can tolerate cold to a certain extent, but wet fur on top of cold temperatures can be a disaster, and lead to hypothermia!

A simple stall can be built for a relatively minor expense. My stall is 8 feet by 10 feet, with sturdy corners of 4x4 posts sunk in concrete, with wooden wall board and a peaked sheet metal roof. Mom's dad is a good carpenter, so it has two full half-doors and a window facing north. One wall is butted up against an old concrete chicken/ well pump house that came with the property. It's not air-tight, as some circulation is necessary to help dry the floor. But this configuration gives mom plenty of options, from keeping the top half of the doors open in pleasant weather, to closing everything up tight in the cold of winter. Final cost to build was a little over $500. It's strong and sturdy, and should last for years.

If you're not that skilled (or able to get help from someone who is) a simple lean-to structure can be built. It should have four sturdy posts, and at the very least a slightly sloping roof. A single wall or two in the direction most of your bad weather comes from can be a great windbreak. Don't feel bad if your horse doesn't appear to use your new structure at first. It will take some getting used to, but the first few times your horse realizes she can get out of bad weather, she'll learn to appreciate it. I sometimes go in my stall just to get away from the flies!