Run-in sheds provide a safe place for horses and other livestock to shelter and rest. These sheds are great alternatives to keeping your horses in stalls all day. Whether you’re deciding between a barn or a run-in shed, or you’re unsure if you should add a run-in shed when you already have a barn, check out the top benefits of these worthwhile structures below.
Safe for Livestock
The walls of Space Makers’ run-in sheds are durable and built to withstand kicking and rubbing from livestock. Space Makers ensures that all their run-in sheds are crafted to avoid injury and come with a five-year warranty. In addition to having kick-proof walls, these sheds won’t have any loose fasteners sticking out that could injure your livestock. There’s plenty of space inside these buildings so that horses can stand, turn, and move around without feeling crowded. Because run-in sheds are built specifically for sheltering livestock, you can be sure your animals will be comfortable and shielded
Protection From Weather
A run-in shed has a roof and 3 surrounding walls that provide protection from the weather in every season. These sheds effectively shelter animals from heavy winds, rain, sun, and snow. Likewise, your horses can find respite away from flies and annoying insects in the shade of a run-in shed and keep their hooves on dry ground. With the shed’s front opening, your livestock has the option to come and go whenever they want. This saves you a lot of time as you don’t have to worry about locking and unlocking a barn door when bad weather comes.
To best protect your livestock from bad weather, the open side of your run-in shed should face away from the direction where storms generally blow in. To make sure the ground inside the shed stays dry, place the shed in a location that easily drains water. You don’t want to put a run-in shed in an area that gathers water when it rains or snows, so you’ll find high ground to be the ideal spot.
More Freedom for Horses
Run-in sheds don’t confine livestock. Horses can choose to come and go as they please. These buildings give horses shelter while simultaneously providing fresh air and space to move. The ability to come and go as they please keeps your horses freely roaming and moving throughout the day instead of being stuck in a stall. This means your horse is staying exercised without extra work from you. These structures are also great additions if you already own a barn and have a large pasture. By installing a run-in shed, horses can rest, get water, and eat without needing to return to the barn.
Less Cleaning
Run-in sheds take less work to clean and maintain than barns and stalls since horses use these shelters as needed. Because horses aren’t spending all day in their run-in sheds, you don’t have to muck the shed out every day like you need to do with stalls. The consistent airflow from the shed being open means you and your livestock are breathing in clean, fresh air that’s free of ammonia and dust. You’ll also find that your livestock’s food and water are kept much cleaner when they’re placed in a shed instead of outside. You can count on water staying cooler in the shade, as well as any food and hay remaining dry when it rains or snows.
Can be Relocated
These shelters are portable and can be relocated. Whether you’re rotating the shed’s spot based on seasonal weather or so grass can grow back, you can move a run-in shed whenever you’d like. These buildings are durable and sturdy while still being portable. Anchoring your shed will keep it from being moved in high winds without taking away the structure’s ability to be relocated. If you have multiple horses, especially if you have horses that don’t get along, installing more than 1 run-in shed will ensure no horses are bullied out of shelter or at risk of getting injured.
More Affordable than Barns
Run-in shelters are less expensive and easier to install than barns. These sheds are also smaller than barns and take up less land. Even better, these structures have more than one use. Run-in sheds can be used to shelter all different types of livestock, not just horses, as well as large equipment. For example, you can park tractors and other equipment in a run-in shed to keep rain and snow off them. These buildings are also incredibly convenient when you are tacking up your horse, having farrier work done, grooming your horse, or completing other barn chores.
Tons of options are available for you to create your own custom run-in shed, even down to the color of the siding. At Space Makers, we can match any color so that your run-in shed will complement your barn and other outdoor buildings. Interested in adding a run-in shed to your property? Get your free estimate or contact one of our specialists to get started.