There comes a time when you've enjoyed horse ownership so much that you contemplate taking your equine involvement a step further by setting up your own breeding operation. Perhaps you have an impeccable colt that shows promise as a stallion, or maybe you have a string of mares you'd love to see produce foals. Whatever your motivation, it's easy to get caught up in pastoral visions of pregnant mares and adorable foals populating your farm. But before your stallion services a lineup of mares, carefully consider the facilities and equipment needed to set up your brand new breeding operation.

Safety First

Safety is the most important quality in a breeding facility's design, according to Linda Royer of Equine Facility Design in Oregon City, Ore. "Breeding animals are bigger and stronger than we are, and when they are breeding they can be overcome by instincts that make humans insignificant," she says. "Even the most experienced breeding stallion can become unmanageable at times, so control and escape measures are important in design