You have thought about renovating that old tobacco barn for years and could certainly use the extra stall space. Or, perhaps with all the time you have spent in your existing barn, you have realized a few changes could make a big difference. Or, maybe your accountant is advising you to spend a little money before the end of the year.

Whatever the scenario, upgrading your barn facilities can bring about immediate improvements that have long-lasting benefits. Even relatively simple upgrades can improve working conditions in the barn and contribute to better horse health, not to mention increase property value. Some upgrades will even save money by cutting maintenance costs and reducing insurance premiums.

However, major renovation is not the only way to upgrade. Simple improvements can make permanent, positive changes without breaking your budget.

Renovate existing structure

Although it may be quite involved, renovation can be considered an upgrade, since you are starting with an existing structure. Depending on your specific situation, renovation can be an ideal way to update and put to use a building already on your property. In other cases, it can become a barn-shaped hole into which you pour money. Relying on professional advice in the beginning can save on both finances and frustration.

"People come to us all the time with existing barns they want to renovate," said John Blackburn, one of the founding principals of Blackburn Architects, a firm based in Washington, D.C., that handles both master planning and architectural design. Blackburn Architects specializes in equestrian design for both private and public facilities, and 70% to 80% of its work is horse-related.

The firm is opening a West Coast office in early 2002.

"Renovation generally costs more per square foot than new construction," continued Blackburn. "With an existing building, there are things you can't control. We do a feasibility study, which includes an evaluation analysis in which we walk through the barn and list all the things that are wrong or that have to change. In an existing barn, you always want to look at safety issues. A horse will find a way to injure itself, so you have to look for these things. We also consider what the client wants to do with the barn and see what the costs will be, then balance these against building a new barn, and sit down with the client to discuss the options."

Blackburn recalls converting a tobacco barn to a horse barn for a Thoroughbred farm outside Lexington, and notes that a number of farms in Kentucky have used this option.

"These barns are naturally well ventilated," he said, "and the typical tobacco barn has columns with 12-foot spacing, which works well to create stalls."

Not just any existing barn converts easily to a home for horses, however.

"Many dairy barns are beautiful old structures, but often it's not cost effective to adapt them. It's often cheaper to tear it down and build a new barn," noted Blackburn. "One of the problems with taking an old dairy barn and making it into a horse barn is that they typically have low ceilings with a large hay loft. Horses need at least a 12-foot head clearance, and we advise against hay lofts because of dust and fire hazard."

To determine if an existing structure is in good enough shape for renovation, have a licensed contractor or architect inspect it to make sure you are starting with a safe, structurally sound building.

Consider the upgrade

Turn on the light

Increasing ventilation and adding more natural light can definitely improve horse health. "What we try to do in designing a barn is to replicate all the advantages of Mother Nature in a man-made environment, and that's difficult to do," Blackburn said. "Your goal is to make the barn environment duplicate the environment of nature as much as possible. Broodmares need plenty of natural light for regular cycling. You can add man-made light, but by adding more natural light without using electricity, you make it less expensive and safer."

Installing skylights and additional windows can literally flood a once-dim barn with natural light. The up-front cost of skylights and windows may be higher than the cost of simply adding more light fixtures, Blackburn admitted but, once installed, there is no operational cost.

"Skylights can often be added without modifying the structure," he said, "but if you want to go the extra mile and really add something to the building, you may have to take it a step further and modify the structure. For example, if you wanted to have a band of skylights running down the ridge of the roof, which would add light to the center of the barn where you need it most, this may require modification of the structure for strength and safety."

Transom windows are another way to bring in additional light. They can run the length of the building along the outer stall walls, or a single window can be installed in each outside stall wall. "By putting them high, they will bring in outside light better and you won't have to put bars over them for protection," Blackburn said. "Transom windows can be glass or made from the same plastic material found in skylights. They can be either clear or translucent.

Since you aren't looking through high windows, translucent panes can be used since they diffuse light better than clear panes."

Adding exterior stall doors is a popular upgrade that increases both light and ventilation, as well as improves safety by adding another stall exit. Instead of a door, some owners are opting for steel mesh panels on the outside walls. Although this does not provide a second exit, the horse still has the benefits of added light and ventilation, plus the stall will not feel as confining.

When trying to improve air flow in a barn, remember that ventilation works from bottom to top. Cooler outside air enters at the lower level and pushes the warm air up and out of the barn. There must be an opening at the top of the barn for the warm air to escape, but to get air moving where it is need most-the stall-there must be openings at stall level. Adding exterior stall doors or panels will provide a way for outside air to enter.

If adding exterior doors is not practical, stall vents can be installed. Similar to the air-conditioning vents found in houses, stall vents are approximately 24 inches wide by eight inches tall. Situated at, or near, the bottom of the outside wall, these vents have a protective cover on both the inside and outside walls. If necessary, a screen can be installed in between the walls.

If your barn does not have adequate openings at roof level, there are several options for adding them. Ridge vents span the peak of the roof and are among the most economical to install. The opening is generally six inches wide, covered by a screen to keep birds and insects out.

Louvered ventilators can be installed in the form of dormers, windows, or o