The shed roof is often used for three-sided shelters or small stables or as an addition to an existing building that has a gable roof. The monitor is essentially two shed roofs with a gable in the middle. This is good for long rows of stalls. The area under the upper gable roof can be windows, vents, or clear panels. Commonly horse barns are of pole, frame, or masonry construction.
Pole barns are quick, economical buildings.
The poles are set at from eight to sixteen foot intervals and have trusses attached to support the roof. Since the need for vertical support beams in the center of such a building is eliminated, the result is a clear inside span which makes for very flexible barn planning, the possibility of indoor riding spaces, and ease of expansion. Frame or masonry barns require footings and foundation walls which extend out of the ground. Concrete footings are formed and poured in the bottom of the trench to transfer the load of the structure to the soil. The foundation walls of concrete block or poured concrete sit on the footing and extend about 16 inches above the ground level.