While a big, luxurious 12-stall barn with exquisite stall fronts and beautiful barn doors is what we all dream of, if you have limited finances keep that vision, but start with the basics.

If you someday plan to have a 12-stall barn, yes, you should build the framework for that size at the beginning. But remember, you can add more stalls or another aisle later. It is typically more expensive to have a builder come back and redo it than to have it done to your ideal dimensions initially.

However, it may not be necessary to have all the stall fronts, stall dividers, and doors put on initially. These can be added later at additional cost to install.

Here’s an example: A horse lover wanted a small barn for her two horses. Her goal was to eventually take in boarders for additional income in two years. Her two horses were very compatible and did not have to be kept separate. Initially, she built a six-stall barn – with one designated for each horse. With no stall fronts or dividers, her barn was initially a large run-in shed for her horses, separated when needed, by stall guards.

When she began receiving inquiries about potential boarders, she added the stall fronts and dividers and upgraded the tack room. By then she had saved enough money to get the stall fronts and other things that met her “dream barn” vision.

The same thing occurred with her fencing. Situated on five acres, she initially fenced off 2 acres of her property for her two horses to graze, leaving the remaining three acres unfenced, but still useable for riding. With the arrival of her boarders a year later, she fenced and cross-fenced the remaining acreage.

The result was that she had what she needed when she needed it. She also had some “breathing time” between the initial barn build and finishing the inside for boarders, which helped financially.

So if you are interested in building a barn on your property, don’t despair about having one because of the overall cost. Just remember to keep your dream big, but start small. This also goes when you are doing a barn remodel. Tackle what you can – dream about the rest.

Contact the experts at Classic Equine Equipment and we can help you put a plan together.