For a property that is home to horses, a barn is an essential structure. This is where the horses will live when they are not outside, and it will likely hold many supplies like various pieces of tack, food, and more. If you own horses, you almost certainly have a barn, and that barn isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

With that said, you might want to consider adding a loafing shed to your property as a complement to your barn. With a loafing shed, your property will become a more versatile, comfortable place for the horses to live, and managing them might get a little easier, as well.

What’s the Difference?

Barns and loafing sheds are buildings used on farms to help care for horses and other animals. So, it might seem like they are pretty much the same thing, but that’s not quite true. With a barn, you have a structure that is typically rather large and is meant to serve a variety of purposes. A loafing shed, on the other hand, is a small building with three sides that gives your horses a convenient place to get out of the elements and rest.

You’ll likely want to give your horses access to the loafing shed during the day while they are out of the barn and roaming the land. Instead of having to take them back to the barn if you want to get them out of the sun or rain, the horses will be able to decide for themselves if they need a break. Soon enough, they’ll come to see the loafing shed as a comforting place to relax and get relief from Mother Nature.

Decisions to Make

Given the relative affordability of a new loafing shed, it’s an easy choice to add this kind of structure to your property. After all, the cost is modest, it won’t take up much room, and your horses are likely to love it. With that said, there are a few important choices you’ll need to make before this structure can be put into place.

Preparing the Site

One of the first choices you need to make is how you will prepare the site where your loafing shed is going to rest. Since this is meant to be used by your horses, you don’t want to pour a concrete foundation like you would for other buildings. You’ll almost certainly want to leave the floor of the loafing shed as bare ground, which you may cover with straw or other materials. However, there still may need to be some leveling work done to make sure it is a suitable spot to erect a loafing shed.

How Big Will It Be?

The size of your loafing shed is going to be determined by two key factors – how much space you have available and how many horses you need to serve. Take some measurements of the space you’d like to use for the shed and think about how many horses are likely to make their way into the shed at one time. Remember it’s always better to err on the larger size rather than one a little too small – the horses will appreciate the extra space.

Additional Features

The beauty of a loafing shed is that it is a simple structure with three walls and a roof. Thanks to the large opening in the front, horses can come and go easily – but do you want to add any other features to make it even more comfortable? One example is a window or two in the back of the building to promote some breeze moving through the shed on hot days.

Metal is the Right Choice

If you are going to add a loafing shed to your property, go with a metal building as opposed to wood to enjoy many benefits. You should find a metal loafing shed to be more affordable, easier to construct, and easier to maintain as the years go by. To explore our options for steel sheds try our Build & Price tool to explore the possibilities. You are also welcome to contact us if you need assistance at any point. Don’t wait any longer to add this nice amenity to your land – contact American Steel Carports, Inc. today to get started.