Barn types...

What is the best type of barn? The answer to this question depends on numerous factors, all of them directly related to your own unique situation. A wooden rambler style barn works well in central California due to lumber cost and availability, and also may blend in nicely with local architecture. A metal barn may work best in wet areas of the country where a wooden structure may require a lot of maintenance due to extreme weather exposure. 

Is hay storage going to be in the barn, or in a separate outbuilding? This would answer the question of whether you need a two story barn, but the answer to the hay storage question brings up a whole new set of variables, such as "Do I have room on the property for a separate hay storage building?", "Will I have the necessary equipment to move the required amount of hay bales into the barn each week?", "Is a two story barn going to be exposed to high winds because of its location on top of the hill?", etc. 

The best type of barn for you and your area is one that is functional based upon your realistic ability to use and maintain it, safe for the type of horse-keeping you will be involved in, cost effective based upon your realistic budget and local material availability, and one that you will enjoy looking at and enjoy using every day for a long time to come.

Barn Construction...