CHAPTER 3 Building Your Barn and Riding Ar our Barn and Riding Arena The type of barn you build should be appropriate to the purpose it will serve, now and in the future. A barn to accommodate 17 hand thoroughbred broodmares and foals obviously has different requirements from a barn to house several 14 ½ hand Quarter horses for family riding. The most important thing about the housing and protection of your horses is to provide a healthy environment. An environment that provides fresh air free from germs and pathogens. Ventilation and proper air flow is the key. The style of your barn is mostly determined by the pitch of your roofline and your finish materials (wood, steel, stone, etc.) It is an aesthetic choice and should complement your other buildings and your budget. Wood and steel are both fine building materials. Steel is strong and can span longer distances between supports than wood but requires specialized foundation construction, which increases cost. Wood truss systems work for most barns and riding arenas up to 100 feet in width, after that you should switch to a pre-engineered steel building.
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