By Abby Stilwell 

Six years ago, we purchased 10 acres of land and began creating an acreage oasis where we could live with our horses. At the time, I was recovering from a very recent head injury, and I would learn years later that my family was incredibly concerned that my husband was allowing me to make such big life decisions in that state. 

I knew that building a barn was a top priority, but, as always, so was staying within our budget. So, come along as I share the story of how we built our little four-stall barn with hard work, a little luck, and a whole lot of determination. 

The first decisions involved planning the layout of the acreage. The land we purchased was a blank slate, so we needed to determine the overall design and building placements before we could go any further. I mapped out a plan on my computer and then worked with a local heavy equipment operator to make the necessary changes to the topography. This included levelling certain locations for buildings and preparing another area where we could build up a pad for the riding arena. One priority for me was to create a layout that would one day — if we won the lottery — allow us to seamlessly add an indoor riding arena. 

The layout of the acreage. 

Next came the building design. Obviously, having a barn was super important to me, but a shop and storage space would also be important for logistical reasons. After considering a few different options, we ultimately decided to construct one large structure that could serve as the barn, storage area, and shop, with dimensions that would allow us to add an indoor riding arena in the future. 

Grooming space and the door into the shop. 

We had a post-frame building erected that was 40 feet long, 70 feet wide, and 18 feet high. The 18-foot height and 70-foot width were key to planning for that future lottery win… which we are still waiting on. We then divided the building in half and added a loft over one side, which was slated to become the barn. This gave us a space 35 feet wide, 40 feet long, and 10 feet high in which to create our little equestrian haven. 

The post frame building that serves as our barn, shop, and loft. 

Watching Kijiji paid off when a lovely family nearby held a dispersal sale. While at their place purchasing some miscellaneous items — shovels, pitchforks, feed tubs, and so on — I discovered that they had five fully constructed, brand-new 12-by-12-foot box stalls that had never been used. I made an offer to buy four of them — that was all I had room for in my design — and they accepted! 

Those stalls became the foundation of my barn plan. Decisions about beam placement, aisle size, the feed room, and overhead doors were all made around them. Did I mention that the stalls also came with brand-new rubber floor mats? It was honestly the deal of the century! 

Stalls set in place after the concrete pour. 

We decided on a concrete floor to ensure everything would be level and to make constructing additional spaces within the barn as easy as possible. We planned to eventually install in-floor heating on the shop side of the building, so before pouring the concrete in the barn, we had lines for in-floor heat run through the tack room area as well. 

Framing the walls of the tack room. 

In-floor heating lines in what will become the tack room prior to the concrete being poured.  

The finished tack room. 

Using leftover metal siding to finish the interior with my two helpers. 

The sliding door I built myself using plywood and scrap 1x4s. The finished tack room. 

From there, it became a labour of love. We used scrap materials left over from the house and shop build, leveraged local connections with electricians and contractors, and made the odd trip to the local building centre. Whenever we had extra time, we spent it working on the barn. Within the first year, I would say it was mostly finished in terms of usability, but it took closer to three-and-a-half years to complete it to its current state. 

Things I would do again: 

• Plan for the future. Having the building ready for the addition of an indoor riding arena is something I really hope will eventually pay off. Currently, my outdoor arena is located on that pad and can be used six to seven months of the year. 
• Install spray foam insulation. It does an incredible job of keeping heat in — or out — reduces noise, and significantly strengthens the walls. 
• Install in-floor heat in the tack room, along with a mounted electric heater, which we used before the in-floor heating was ready. 
• Build 12-by-12-foot stalls. I am so grateful for the size of these stalls. 
• Use linkable LED ceiling lights. They are super bright, energy-efficient, and make it very easy to add more lighting when needed. 
• Include a designated grooming space in addition to the aisleway. 

Things I would do differently: 

• I would enclose the feed storage area and align it with the door leading into the shop. 
• I would ensure that the concrete in the aisleway was properly roughened or brushed so that it wasn’t slippery. This was attempted during our pour, but the surface ended up being too smooth and can be slippery. 
• I would run water to the barn right from the beginning. We installed a nearby hydrant that I thought would be sufficient, but packing water in the winter is miserable. We have since run water to the heated shop, making it more accessible from the barn. 
• If money wasn’t an issue, I would add a wash rack and laundry facilities. 

My best advice to anyone looking to build or renovate a barn is to talk to lots of people, visit a variety of barns and setups, ask questions, and do your research. Then, prioritize your needs and wants. Most of us can’t afford to make our entire wish list come true, so prioritization is key to creating a space you’ll love for years to come. 

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Photos courtesy of Abby Stilwell