Stabling and shelter
Whether your horse lives in, out or a bit of both, it needs somewhere safe, dry and airy. Check the minimum stable size, work out how big a field shelter should be, compare bedding, choose how to muck out, and run through a safety check of your stable and yard.
How big should a stable be?
The British Horse Society's minimum sizes, which the government's code of practice quotes.
3.05 m × 3.05 m
10 ft × 10 ft
- These are minimums. Some horses need more room: every horse must be able to lie down, get up and turn around in comfort.
- Doors should be at least 1.25 m (4 ft) wide, with a top and a bottom bolt. A standard 1.32 m (4 ft 6 in) door is too high for a small pony to look over.
- Leave at least 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) of clear space between the eaves and the horse's ears.
- Keep one window or the top door open at all times.
Field shelter size
Horses that live out need shelter from wind and rain, and from sun and flies. Work out how big a shelter should be for the horses sharing a field.
- Put the shelter on hardstanding, or at least on a free-draining site.
- Leave at least 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) of clear space between the eaves and the horses' ears.
- Ask your council about planning permission first. It's always advised for a permanent shelter, and some areas need it for moveable ones.
- Trees that lose their leaves give little shelter in winter, and trees or hedges used for shelter must not be poisonous.
3–3.65 m wide
10–12 ft wide, by 3.65 m (12 ft) deep.
One horse needs 3–3.65 m; add 1.5 m (5 ft) for each extra horse, so they can all shelter at once.
Field shelters and living outChoosing bedding
Good bedding is comfortable, absorbent and low in dust and mould. Here's how the main types compare.
Straw
Good points
- Easy to find, fairly cheap and easy to use
- Wheat straw makes a warm bed that drains freely
Drawbacks
- Can carry dust and mould spores
- Rarely odour-free, with a big muck heap
- Not ideal for horses with breathing problems, or that eat their bed
Dust-extracted shavings
Low dustGood points
- Low in dust
- Support the feet
- Wrapped bales are easy to stack and store
Drawbacks
- Dust varies a lot between products
- Cheap sawmill waste can contain sharp splinters
Shredded wood fibre
Low dustGood points
- Low in dust and absorbent, keeping the surface dry
- Moves less underfoot
- Very little waste: one of the smallest muck heaps
Flax and hemp
Low dustGood points
- Low in dust
- Easy to store in heavy plastic bags
Drawbacks
- Often more expensive
- A few horses eat it, and it's hard to digest
Paper
Low dustGood points
- Low in dust
- Horses are unlikely to eat it
- One of the cheaper beds
Drawbacks
- Strips stick together, so it's harder to muck out
- Ink can stain a pale coat
- Soggy when wet
Cardboard
Low dustGood points
- Low in dust
- Wet patches clump, so they're easy to lift out
Drawbacks
- Moves about and can leave bare patches
- Hard to separate from droppings
- Whatever you use, cover the whole floor, especially by the door.
- Rubber mats support the legs and save bedding, but still need a good layer of bedding on top, and lifting and cleaning underneath at least once a month.
Ways to muck out
Whichever you choose, take your horse out while you work, and let the dust settle before it goes back in.
Full muck-out
Recommended by the BHSMuck out the whole stable every day, rotating the banks so they don't go mouldy.
Trade-off: Takes longest, but gives the best environment. The BHS strongly recommends it.
Bedding and mucking outPart muck-out
Take out the droppings every day in the week, adding fresh bedding as needed, and do a full muck-out at weekends.
Trade-off: A compromise when time is short.
Bedding and mucking outDeep litter
Take out the droppings and add fresh bedding on top, emptying and cleaning the stable completely from time to time.
Trade-off: Cheapest in time and money, but the worst for breathing, with more ammonia. Don't let the bed get too deep.
Bedding and mucking out
Stable and yard safety check
Walk round your stable and yard and tick off what's in place. Nothing you tick is saved.
Guides
By the numbers
- 3.65 × 3.65 mThe smallest stable for a horse (12 ft × 12 ft), says the BHSStable design and safety
- 1.25 mThe narrowest a stable door should be (4 ft)Stable design and safety
- 60–90 cmClear space needed between the eaves and the horse's earsStable design and safety
- +1.5 mExtra field shelter width for each extra horseField shelters and living out
- 15 mThe least distance between the muck heap and the stablesStable design and safety
- Nearly halfOf rural fires are started deliberately, says the BHSStable design and safety
- MonthlyAt least: lift rubber mats and clean underneathBedding and mucking out
- 18 hoursHow long a day horses evolved to grazeLife in the stable
- 10–14 daysTo move a horse gradually from summer turnout to stablingLife in the stable
Sources
- Code of practice for the welfare of horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids — Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (accessed 9 October 2026)
- Horse stables: safety, design and size — The British Horse Society (accessed 9 October 2026)
- Stable fires — The British Horse Society (accessed 9 October 2026)
- Stable management and bedding — The British Horse Society (accessed 9 October 2026)
- Bedding types — The British Horse Society (accessed 9 October 2026)
- Pasture management — The British Horse Society (accessed 9 October 2026)
- Winter care — The British Horse Society (accessed 9 October 2026)
- Stable enrichment — The British Horse Society (accessed 9 October 2026)