Wondering how to design your own stable yard where horses thrive? Meet the trainer who did just that – and find out how you can do the same
Miri Hackett balanced equine psychology with practicality to create her ultimate stabling solution for her holistic training yard
Designing your own stable yard – and doing it well – means considering what your horses need and making that top of the list.
We know that the happiest horses have the three Fs – freedom, forage and friends – in abundance. But how do you replicate these welfare pillars in a traditional setting where horses have their own stables?
Working with Monarch, Hertfordshire-based holistic horse trainer Miri Hackett forged an innovative solution.
“Horses are herd animals, and it was very important to build spaces that enable herd dynamics while still offering a level of individuality,” she tells Horse & Hound.
“In an ideal world we wouldn’t have stables at all; we would have big barns where horses come and live in herds together.”
However, like many yards, Miri has a high turnover with horses coming in for training and rehab for short periods, so a large herd would be frequently disrupted.
“My reality is that horses often come in with injuries, or underdeveloped social skills,” Miri continues. “So, I needed to balance building a training facility that gave horses their own spaces with fulfilling their social needs.
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“Monarch totally delivered my vision – it’s the first design they have done like this.”
Miri’s stables feature a curved partition that is low enough on one side to allow horses to touch noses and groom, then slopes up to full height gradually so horses have free choice to interact – or not – with their neighbours and form important horse friendships.
“When we moved the whole herd to the new place, they settled really quickly because they could all touch, mutually groom and stand with each other.”
The curved partitions allow horses to interact while remaining safely in their own stable
Miri says the stable design has contributed to an oasis-like calm in her barn.
“The most of the stables are 14x14’, so they have plenty of room,” she explains. “I think that’s part of it. And I’ve never known horses sleep so much as they do here.
“At the moment, they stay out all night and come in during the day, and once they’ve been fed and done their training, they will often lie flat out snoring. It’s so unbelievably peaceful.”
How to design a stable yard: focus on facilities
The success of Miri’s design comes from thoughtful planning of her stable design ideas and lessons learned from experience.
“I’ve been on quite a few yards, so I know what works and what doesn’t,” she explains. “For example, one place had the tack room miles from the stables. It was nobody’s fault, it was just how it was set up, but it was awkward if you forgot anything.”
Miri’s tack and feed rooms are placed at the front of the barn (left in the image below) with the stables around the edge and in the middle, meaning feed and equipment are always close at hand, and the walkways are wide and inviting.
“I think this helps make it all feel very safe,” she says. “There isn’t anywhere that a horse might feel confined.”
An overhead view of the yard layout showing the wide walkways with stables in the centre and around the edge of the barn
Creating an open and inviting wash bay was another important point for Miri.
“Wash bays are often put in a dark corner out of the way,” she continues. “But I wanted it to feel like this big, lovely, open, safe space right at the front of the barn.
“I worked with Jelka who supplied a lot of rubber matting. We’ve put down this matting that’s grippy but porous, so you don’t get water sitting on top.
“The aim was make sure that horses feel able to rest while they have a bath, not just have to put up with it.”
Sustainability as a horse owner is another of Miri’s priorities, and her arena surface is plastic-free.
“This means we aren’t leeching microplastics into the environment and it is watered from the bottom, so the surface is really consistent.”
What are the challenges faced when designing your own yard?
In Miri’s project, the principal hurdles included:
Finances
“I didn’t want to just go for the cheapest option, and if you want to create something that meets your needs and is built to last, it is going to be expensive.”
The weather
“Building the arena was difficult. We were having to construct it in January and February, which is about as bad as it gets and the mud was terrible.
“As long as you have someone reliable, dedicated and ultra-professional to do your groundwork – we used Elmtree construction – they will get you through it and keep you on top of things.”
Hindsight
“There’s always something you wish you’d thought of, and for me that’s including a grass-free track turnout system. It’s something I want to build in the future, but I just wish I'd included it in the original project.”
Miri Hackett is a fan of horses spending as much time as possible outside, but her future plans include a grass-free track turnout system
Tips for designing your own yard
Miri says that it pays to dedicate a lot of time to planning the yard design.
“If you have an opportunity, really sit down and plan. For years, I hoped I would get the tenancy of this farm. I spent all of that time thinking, ‘OK, where would this go? That could go there, that would go here’.
“If you can, make the stables bigger than you would think. For me, there is no such thing as too big a stable, especially if your horse spends part of his day in there regularly. Making it so horses can touch and be social will make a difference, too.”
While she acknowledges that budgets can be restrictive, Miri says that the cheapest option isn’t always the right choice.
“Get multiple quotes, have conversations, and get people to come and visit and see the site to gain an accurate picture of what they can do. There are so many amazing people out there with a wealth of knowledge and ideas if you let them give their opinion.”
Miri believes her stable yard design helps the horses in her care relax and rest
It also pays to be thorough – the right company will relish this.
“I spent a long time going backwards and forwards on things. Monarch went above and beyond when it came to showing me why they were worth what they were asking for.
“They let me go to their factory to see how things were made. They took me to a yard they had built that they thought I would like to see. Most importantly, they came out so many times and looked at the layout, and we played around with it; they were so open to every idea.”
Miri’s ultimate tip is having sight of a prospective company’s existing work.
“There are people out there who will do the work you want for a fair price to a high standard. Having proof of this before you proceed will fill you with confidence and set you up for success.”
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A horse owner and rider with more than 20 years experience, Bethany has been writing for equestrian publications since 2017. Over the course of her career, she has reported from major British Riding Clubs and British Dressage championships, covered Badminton Horse Trials and interviewed equestrian sport’s best athletes. Her work can also be found in Country Life, The Field and Breathe magazine.