How Much Space Does A Horse Need

Before you decide to get a horse, inevitably you should be wondering on how much space does a horse need. This is actually a legit question. Unlike most other animals, the horse is comparatively larger. Unless you have the space to accommodate a horse, we strongly discourage you to own one. This is unless you decide to house the horse in your living room. Nonetheless, we will figure out how much space does a horse need in this article.

When you decide the amount of space that your horse needs, you will need to figure out what exactly is the purpose of your horse. Are you trying to own a single horse, or you intend to breed a series of them? Do you intend to rear them for competitions, or is it just the random riding around the yard thing. Having a purpose will really determine the size of the space that your horse needs.

Before you construct anything, do ensure that you check out the building code. Some areas require a space of at least 400 sq feet. So do check out your local building code before you decide on anything.

In all honesty, I would think that the amount of space your horse needs really depends on its size. For example, a pony or a mini needs at least a 6 square feet or 8 square feet stall. This is seriously all they need, since the pony is not that big in size. If you are looking at the regular horse, then perhaps a maximum size of 12 square feet will do fine.

For a pasture, I would go for an acre and half per horse. So if you have 3 arces of land, then the maximum number of horses is just 2. Do note that they are rules for that too, so do check it out before you decide on anything.

If you have a mini, then you can consider halving the size. Meaning, should you own 2 minis, then an arce of land will be enough. (Do note that the area shouldn’t be full of grass.Should you have an area for them to pasture on, do let them out once in a while. We generally advise people to provide hay all year round for minis)

If you intend to keep the horse in a shed, then the space considerations that the horse will need is vastly different. You will need to ensure that the horse has enough space to turn around. Also, we generally recommend owners to have at least some space in the shed to allow you to walk the horse around a little. This also ensures that you have enough space to do any handiwork, if ever, to your horse.

In the example of the horse being kept in a shed, we recommend a lot size of at least 100 x 100 feet. If you need to add additional horses, then think along the line of an additional 20 feet for each horse. If the horses are meant to be facing each other in a stable, then the sides should house the horses, and the middle should be the pathway. For this case, each individual horse lot should follow the sizing below.

• Pony or mini – 8 x 8 feet
• Regular horse – 12 x 12 feet

As a guideline, you can really consider having the 12 x 12 feet stall for your shed or stable. This will ensure there is ample space for each of the horses.

So, how much space does the horse need then? Well, as mentioned above, it really depends on your intention. There are some guidelines that you can follow, should you decide to have an area for your horse to pasture on, or if you decide to construct a shed or stable for them. Also, it really depends if you decide to rear just a horse, or if you decide to own multiples of them. However, do check with your local jurisdiction regarding rules that might govern the construction of shed.

Another aspect to consider is how much daily exercise or attention are you able to provide to them? Also, the purpose of the horses will come into play too. For example, if you intend to rear horses for races, competition or other purposes that require them to work their muscles, then the stable should be bigger to allow movement in the shed itself. This will prevent the development of aggression in your horse.