So, should you add shade to your stall kit now—or later?
That’s one of the most common questions we get.
And the answer isn’t always straightforward… because it depends.
It depends on your space, your budget, and how you’re planning to use the stall.
But if you walk through a few scenarios, it’s fairly easy to figure out what makes sense for you.
A Few Ways to Think About Shade for Horse Stalls
It really comes down to a few factors.
How You're Planning to Use the Stalls
Makes sense right? How you're using it is the biggest consideration.
If the stall is going to be a significant part of your daily routine—feeding, long stretches in the stall, separating for meds and injury recovery—shade will be a significant consideration.
If it’s a simple add-on to an arena or turnout, something you’ll use for shorter periods, it’s easier to get by without it.
How Much Sun You're Dealing With Daily
Some stall setups sit in full sun most of the day. Others get a break depending on buildings, or how the property is laid out.
If you’re in a place where the sun is constant—especially through the summer—shade becomes less of a “nice extra” and more of a must-have.
If your climate is milder or you’ve got shade from the hay barn or house, it might not be as urgent.
How Many Natural Shade Options You Have
Adding to that thought.
If your stalls are setup in open pasture with no real shade, adding shade to your stall setup makes a big difference.
If you’ve already got trees or built-in coverage, the stall doesn’t have to carry all of that on its own.
How Much Installation Help You Have
You can install the shade kits on your own—but it’s definitely faster and easier with another set of hands.
So sometimes the decision isn’t just if you want shade—it’s:
“Do I want to install it right now on my own, or come back to it later when I have more help?”
That alone is enough reason for some people to phase it in.
How Quickly You Need Your Stall Up
If you’re in a time crunch, this can matter more than anything else.
You can have a 20x20 stall kit clamped together and usable pretty quickly. Under 30 minutes generally.
Shade can be part of the second pass—once you’ve had time to square everything up and set it how you want it long term.
Sometimes that’s just the reality if you’re:
- moving to a new property
- dealing with storm damage
- or bringing a new horse home
How Tall Your Horses Are
Most horses are just fine with a standard setup.
But if you're working with larger breeds—Clydesdales or other drafts—this is something to think about.
The shade kit gives you 8.5 feet of clearance under the trusses. That works well for the majority of horses, but won't work for the big guys.
Planning Your Stall and Shade Options
Still working through your setup?
We put together a simple Stall Kit Workbook that walks through layout, spacing, and how most people plan their setup.
It’s an easy way to think through everything before you commit to anything.
If you’ve already got a pretty good idea of what you need, you can take a look at the different stall kit options here: