How Wide Should Your Barn Aisle Be?

October 05, 2022

While often an afterthought, the aisle way is an important piece of real estate in any barn. It's where our horses are led in and out of their stalls. It's where we socialize with our fellow friends. In short, it's where all the day-to-day action happens.

Depending on the barn's age, older barns tend to have more narrow aisles while newer barns tend to have wider aisles. As you look to build your barn, we strongly recommend to build it right the first time.

On the surface, aisles can seem like space that just adds square footage to a barn. In today's world, that often means more construction costs since the building is widened. As a result, we often hear about the clients reducing the aisle width to cut construction costs.

Whether you have Hinged Horse Stalls or Sliding Horse Stalls, we recommend a minimum aisle width of 12’. We believe that this width is a minimum. Wider is always better! Why do we believe this? It's because a 12’ aisle will allow:

1. Emergency Safety – During an emergency, a wide aisle will allow humans and horses to move to safety with efficiency. 
2. Everyday Comfort – In a normal environment, a wider aisle allows you to enjoy the barn. The thinner an aisle, the less space there is for you to move if a horses acts up. In contrast, a wider aisle allows horses are able to comfortably pass each other. We are also able to comfortably turn our horses in and out of their stalls in a safe manner. The above photo is a great example of a commercial thoroughbred barn in New York with a wide aisle. This allows our clients' team to comfortably provide care to horses.  
3. Vehicle Access – Wider aisles allow vehicles and machinery to easily pull through the barn. This applies for vehicle such as a tractor, a pick up, or anything in-between. This allows our clients to have quicker, more efficient cleaning. This point is especially helpful for veterinary facilities who need access for deliveries.
4. More Choice in Stall Fronts – This benefit is especially important if you are building a new barn. A narrow aisle (less than 12') will often limit you to just Sliding Horse Stall Doors since sliding doors save space. In contrast, wider aisles allow you to explore European Horse Stalls. Whether you choose Sliding or Hinged, a wider aisle also makes it more comfortable to have stall fronts where horses can hang their heads out. For example, a yoke opening in a sliding horse stall door or an open European horse stall design. This way, you can lead a horse without getting pestered by a horse with its head in the aisle. The below image is a great example of a custom hinged horse stall that has ample space to swing outward to the aisle. 

The above list is far from an exhaustive list on the benefits of wide aisles. In our barn projects, we work with clients to ensure their barns promote airflow, natural sunlight, and overall comfort. We strongly believe that thoughtful aisles are critical to achieve all of those 3 factors.

Do you have any questions on this post or simply need help with your barn project? You can reach us at sales@americanstalls.com or a call at (855) 957-8255. Alternatively, you can also complete our Contact Us Form. Our team looks forward to helping you with your stabling equipment project! 

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