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Gwen Robison
Member
Username: Gwen
Post Number: 16
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, Jun 5, 2004 - 1:35 pm: |   |
Does anyone know which direction to face a run-in? I know that the prevailing winds are a factor, as well as sun light. And I think that it varies based on where the barn is being built. Is there someone I should contact in my region that will tell me the best direction? |
Wendy Parker
Member
Username: Nightwin
Post Number: 11
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, Jun 5, 2004 - 9:04 pm: | |
Hi Gwen: I just built a run-in. I contacted my local extension agent (ag agent) and he told me that during the winter in Va. cold prevailing winds are from the north/northwest. Since the purpose of my run-in was protection in winter, I placed the back wall facing due north. It worked very well this past very cold winter. I built it deep enough (12') that it also provides enough shade for the horses to get out of the sun and away from flies. I'm putting a ceiling fan in it to facilitate that this summer. |
Wendy Parker
Member
Username: Nightwin
Post Number: 12
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, Jun 5, 2004 - 9:12 pm: | |
Hi Gwen: I just built a run-in. I contacted my local extension agent (ag agent) and he told me that during the winter in Va. cold prevailing winds are from the north/northwest. Since the purpose of my run-in was protection in winter, I placed the back wall facing due north. It worked very well this past very cold winter. I built it deep enough (12') that it also provides enough shade for the horses to get out of the sun and away from flies. I'm putting a ceiling fan in it to facilitate that this summer. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 10581
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Sunday, Jun 6, 2004 - 5:50 pm: | |
The correct answer Gwen depends on your climate, location, and to some degree the topography of the land where you want to put the shed, can you fill us in?
DrO |
Wendy Parker
Member
Username: Nightwin
Post Number: 13
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Jun 6, 2004 - 8:48 pm: | |
DrO: By offering the "correct" answer I assume you judged mine as being "incorrect." Didn't think my answer was "incorrect" as I prefaced it by stating that I contacted my local extension agent, and then gave my circumstances as an example. If you truly want to foster communication among your paying clients, you might want to consider coaching you responses in a manner that encourages just that. |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 511
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, Jun 6, 2004 - 9:37 pm: | |
I did not interpret Dr. O's response in the way you did, Wendy. In my mind, he was answering Gwen's inquiry apart from your response. |
Kellie
Member
Username: Kel4s
Post Number: 22
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, Jun 6, 2004 - 10:11 pm: | |
Wendy,
As one paying customer to another, I did not find Dr. O's response untoward. He was simply responding to the original poster's question.
Kellie |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 10590
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 7, 2004 - 7:51 am: | |
Wendy your answer sounds correct for your location and conditions but would not be for all situations. Even at your latitude and longitude there might be occasional exceptions to the southern facing rule. If your shed were on the side of a moderate slope facing North that you could only do a limited amount of earth moving on, the opening would then face uphill which would discourage drainage out of the shed so perhaps a more easterly direction would allow for drainage while at the same time blocking the north wind and still catching the morning sun.
I apologize if you considered my response rude, I was not thinking of your response when I wrote it. If I had found your response wrong, I would have addressed that directly.
DrO |
Bonita
Member
Username: Bonita
Post Number: 492
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 7, 2004 - 8:32 am: | |
It definitely depends on your land layout & the way "weather" moves thru your area.
I have neighbors who automatically & strictly placed every horse building on the property facing "south", since this is what so many horse-owning guides preach. What they didn't realize is that all our major storms - summer & winter - blow through here from north/northwest or south/southwest. In the 7 years we've lived here, I can count on the fingers of one hand the times weather has come from the east (very few "nor'easters" here), so that is how I plan my buildings.
However, this can be completely opposite to someone else's situation. You really have to sit down & think about where the prevailing winds & weather most commonly come from in order to position your buildings to your horses' best advantage. |
Gwen Robison
Member
Username: Gwen
Post Number: 17
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 7, 2004 - 8:59 am: | |
Thanks everyone, for your responses. This requires a lot more thought than I anticipated! I live in Southeastern Massachusetts, and the current cleared area is only 72'x160' with pretty thick woods around it. The area is quite flat, and we did have someone come out and mark the corner best for drainage. Any other info. that you need? Thanks! I will also try to contact that ag agent that Wendy mentioned. (If I can figure out their contact info.!) |
Wendy Parker
Member
Username: Nightwin
Post Number: 14
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 7, 2004 - 10:47 am: | |
It's not like me to get my pants in a bunch. My apologies to Dr.O! |
Bonita
Member
Username: Bonita
Post Number: 493
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Jun 7, 2004 - 2:56 pm: | |
Oh yes, that's another thing - that old bugaboo: drainage.
We have other neighbors who have somewhat hilly land, & lo & behold situated their run-ins at the very bottom of the hill facing up. Needless to say, the run-ins are almost constantly covering a sea of mud that the horses don't want to deal with, so the protection never gets used & is virtually useless. |
