- By SchwebAdmin
- In Horse Barns, Pole Barns
What are the Different Types of Horse Barns?
Horse barns are durable, custom structures that provide horses with a comfortable shelter that meets their health and safety needs. JM Riehl Builders specializes in custom horse barns, offering multiple options to make your barn run efficiently for your farm or equestrian team. While our horse barns offer numerous options for customization, several distinct types cater to specific needs. Each horse barn style will ensure your horses are happy and protected.
Types of Horse Barns
Pole Barns
Pole barns are the most popular framing method for custom horse barns. They use posts and beams as the primary structural elements, making them extremely durable for horse stables. Since they’re simple in construction, their versatility is ideal for making full-sized barns at reasonable prices. All of our horse barns start with our classic pole barn design, and then we can customize it to create your dream barn. We recommend these structures for sheltering horses or storing large equipment.
Row Barns
Row barns are an economical design, using a line of stalls with a roof overhang to protect from weather, but not a complete enclosure. It’s an open-sided structure with stalls along the sides, giving direct access to them. Row barns combine the openness of a pasture with the safety a closed structure provides. They allow the horses to enjoy the fresh air and have access to the pasture to exercise. These barns are very common, especially in warm climates, but can be suitable for Pennsylvania’s cold weather as well. Since these are budget-friendly, they’re good choices for farmers with smaller barns who are getting started with raising horses.
Open Horse Barns
Also known as run-in sheds, open horse barns provide basic shelter from weather elements. They’re an affordable and minimalistic shelter that doesn’t use a full stall, allowing your horses to move freely in and out of the barn, giving them space to exercise. Since they’re open, they provide lots of ventilation from the air circulating. We recommend building these structures for the pasture so the horses have a place to rest while grazing, then have a main enclosed barn where they can sleep and eat.
Center Aisle Barns
Center aisle barns are a classic style, using a hallway (center aisle) with stalls on either side. They are usually single-story, but offer complete interior space to work with your horses, even during extreme Pennsylvania weather conditions. It will maximize your available space, making it easier for caretakers to access each horse and feed, groom, and move them around. Center aisle barns work well with large farms with many horses, and we can customize them depending on how many you have.
Monitor Horse Barns
Monitor horse barns are similar to the center aisle barn, but have a distinctive roof design. These barns have a raised section in the middle, where the aisle is, to improve ventilation and provide an extra storage space. It lets hot air rise above the stalls where the horses stay, maintaining a healthy environment for them. The raised center aisle provides a loft space for storage, a workshop, a break room for farmhands, or whatever you need. Monitor horse barns have a functional and aesthetically pleasing design, and you can even install skylights for more natural light in the space. They’re perfect if you have multiple horses. We normally see these used for equestrian purposes.
Gambrel Horse Barns
Gambrel horse barns have a classic barn look. They have a multi-sloped, symmetrical roof that prevents snow from building upon the structure. The double-pitched roof provides a large loft and usable space on the second floor. This upper loft area gives space for extra storage so you can put hay bales, extra food, riding equipment, and more out of your horses’ reach. They have a similar style to monitor horse barns, just a different roof pitch.
Build a Custom Horse Barn with JM Riehl
Getting started with raising horses, and need a custom horse barn in Central Pennsylvania? Our team at JM Riehl Builders is highly skilled at creating a dream barn for you and your horses. We offer any custom option you may need for your horses, including tack rooms, haylofts, premium horse stalls, and more. Check out our inspiration gallery to get some ideas for your barn. If you’re ready to get started, request a free quote for your project today.
