Hey all, hope everyone is staying well! 

 We have recently closed on a property and are going to be building some run in sheds in some of the pastures sometime soon (hopefully). We have 5 horses and they stay out all the time. In the winter we will probably put round bales under the sheds but plan to feed/have their water away from the run in to cut down on traffic. Haven't decided yet if we will be putting them all in one pasture or splitting them up once we move.

My main concern is drainage. The place we are keeping them now has nice run ins but it is a muddy mess all around them. That piece of land is quite flat but our new place has a lot of elevation change.  I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on how best to keep them dry?  Would you build at the top of the hill or more on a flat area on the side? Would you build  up  a little mound to put it on and put sand or gravel around? French drains or a drainage ditch around behind it? Any thoughts on size of a run in for 5 horses? We are probably going to be doing most of the work ourselves and we want to do it right the first time. 

Also, any one have any recs for good electric waterers? We are going to be moving to an area prone to EPM so I am thinking of eventually getting elevated waterers that don't have a reservoir, like Bar Bar A. It's also quite cold there in the winter so it needs to be frost proof.  Thanks!

I have the Ritchie waters and they are located in outside pens.  I have one waterer that splits every two pens.  They are heated (need electric).  I love mine and except for the older units (15+ years) all work perfect with no freezing.  There is an adjustment in the interior that allows you to set a heating mode.  I also have a couple that are in pastures and they work fantastic too.

I prefer my sheds (in pasture) to be on a slightly raised spot for drainage.

I was told to allow a 12x12 space for each horse in a run-in shed.  And, I'd definitely build on the high spot, but would have foundation work done, i.e. sand, gravel, dirt -- whatever builder suggests and set up drainage via French drains. You might also consider placing anti-mud mat or grid around the outside of the shed, then gravel, then top with dirt to avoid mud near the shed.  If you place the waterer in the shed, one horse may guard it and keep others away -- just a thought as I've seen that occur.   I don't think you will ever regret the work or cost you do on the foundation/drainage. 

My horses have two run in sheds available to them.  One has 3 12x10 slots.  The other has 2 10x10 slots.  Five of them are running together and they wnever use the space.  They will all crowd up together in two stalls.  It is not the same two stalls or even the same building, but whereever they choose they double and triple up. 

You are fortunate your herd is so bonded.  My mare will not let anyone she did not personally approve into 'her' space... LOL.  Typically, she only approves grey geldings.  That's it. 

We did not build our house and barn, and choose where everything was placed, but i did make a few changes after we bought the place.  The house is on a hill...at the hightest point and the barn actually sits down the hill a little ways and it is a lot lower than the house.  Obviously it is wetter down by the barn so I chose to put my "dry lot" pens for the horses at the very top of the hill instead of down by the barn.  This way the pens dry out really fast and the horses have a dry place to turn out as quickly as possible.  When the weather is bad, or the ground is soaked, my horses are inside [in their large indoor pens] and then i turn them out as soon as i can--when it is dry.  I don't like a soupy mess, or torn up turn outs that hold water, so i don't turn out when the pens are wet.  It is a little more work for me but i like having a nice tidy place and no foot problems, etc. with the horses.