Author: Lisa Smith
A well‑designed stable sets your horses up for healthier, happier lives and makes daily care easier. You should consider the size and features you need such as gear & feed storage, wash down areas, float parking and grooming. In New Zealand it is important to think about how the weather, building consent rules and animal welfare standards may influence the design and location.
What size do you want your horse stable to be?
The most important consideration will be how many horses you will be stabling and how much space will each horse need? In most cases, 3m x 3.5 m for one horse and 3.5m x 4.8m for two horses will be a good size for your horse stalls. These are big enough for your horse to move comfortably and for you to work safely beside them.
If you’re planning to store feed or gear, think about adding a tack shed or storage bay into the layout. These areas simplify management and keep daily chores flowing smoothly.
For more information about the size of stable you will need, take a look at our guide on horse shelter sizing.
What flooring should you have in your horse stalls?
Horses that are kept inside have to stand still on whatever is on their stall floor for long periods of time. This can be hard on their legs and so for this reason, the floor material needs to be chosen carefully to protect leg health.
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Crusher dust or compacted gravel: Excellent drainage on wet NZ sites, but harder to clean.
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Rubber mats on concrete: Easy to clean and stall-safety friendly.
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Soil, Sand or Clay Floor: Ideal in dry regions but can become muddy in high-rain areas of New Zealand.
For more information on stable flooring see our blog Choose The Right Floor For Your Horse Stable
What features & fittings do you want inside your horse stable?
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Stall kickboards: These are important for the safety of your horses and also for ensuring your stable doesn’t get damaged by horses repeatedly kicking stall walls.
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Anti-weave grills: Help reduce repetitive head tossing in stressed horses.
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Lighting & ventilation: Windows are worth considering for large stables to help with light & ventilation especially in walkways and areas where you might be grooming your horses that you need good light in. Adding adjustable vents or windows to improve airflow, is essential for ensuring good animal health. Outpost Stables feature a panel of clear Top Glass roofing over each stall and in tack shed areas to let natural light in.
Pictured here is a Homestead stable with centre Tack shed from Outpost Buildings. This design includes two separate horse stalls and a tack shed in the middle. Click here for more information on this design.
Stay Compliant with NZ Animal Welfare Standards
Under the MPI’s Code of Welfare: Horses and Donkeys, owners must provide adequate shelter, proper footing, ventilation, and freedom from distress. Key minimum requirements include:
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Safe, well-constructed shelter from cold, wet, or extreme heat.
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Enough space to lie down, stand comfortably, and move easily.
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Effective drainage and regular cleaning to prevent waste buildup
Choose the Right Spot on Your Property
Choosing the right location makes daily life with your horses easier and can even save you money in the long run. Here's what to consider:
Accessibility & Convenience: Easy access for you and your horses will make daily routines much smoother.
Natural Shelter & Drainage: Trees and other landscape features can provide valuable natural shelter, shade, and windbreaks. You'll want to pick a flat, well-drained site to avoid issues with mud and potential flooding.
Water & Electricity: Don’t forget about water and power. If the site’s far from existing services, you may need a sparky or plumber to extend things, which can add costs.
Road Access & Parking: Make it easy for your horse float and other vehicles to come and go. Allow ample space for parking near your stable so you can conveniently load and unload feed, equipment, and anything else your stable needs.
Navigating Building Consents
In general a farm building is exempt from needing building consent if it is a single-storey detached building less than 30 square metres in floor area and constructed of lightweight building products. However there are exceptions and so the best move is to check with your local council or look up building consent exemptions on the MBIE website.
The horse shelters offered by Outpost Buildings meet the lightweight building requirements as the walls and roofing are built using timber or steel for the structural framing, not heavier materials such as concrete blocks or panels. Most of Outpost’s designs fall under the 30sqm category but some of our larger horse stables and custom designs may require a consent. The Outpost team can help you through the consent process if you do need to get one.
Choosing the Right Builder:
Choose a builder that offers you good service, is easy to communicate with, and can provide you with a clear timeline as to when they will fit your job into their schedule. A local builder will decrease the travel distances which can impact the cost of the build because your builder won’t need to charge for the extra time & fuel they’re spending on getting to you.
Outpost Kitset Stables offer a great alternative to building from scratch. They pack everything you need into a comprehensive kitset from the sturdy timber framing to every last fixing. Then, they ship it conveniently to a transport depot near you. Inside, you'll find all the materials, along with clear, step-by-step instructions to guide your build.
While the Outpost kitset approach is designed for straightforward assembly, if you are not comfortable taking on the project yourself, it is recommended to have a qualified builder or experienced tradesperson put it together for the best possible result. The Outpost team can put you in touch with someone to provide kitset assembly services.
The stable pictured above was custom designed by Outpost Buildings. It has 2 large fully enclosed horse stalls with barn style doors and a tack shed with double doors.
Final Thoughts
Building a horse stable in New Zealand is a big project, but it’s worth taking the time to get it right. Whether you’re building from scratch or customising a kitset, thinking ahead about layout, materials, compliance, and location will save you money and a lot of stress down the line.
