A Stable Block For The World’s Cutest Sheep - Case Study

Olson Timber Buildings installed an L-shaped stable block, made up of two 12’x12’ stables and a 16’x 20’ corner unit on a rural property in Warwickshire. It features American barn top doors, talk grilles, a 4ft canopy, and clay tiles. The block is home to two horses and a flock of 10 rare sheep during lambing season.

The client

Richard and his wife live in an idyllic area of Warwickshire, in a gorgeous contemporary barn conversion. Their property is immersed in the countryside and surrounded by miles of farmland. “We live in the middle of nowhere,” he comments.

His wife owns two horses and breeds the rare Valais Blacknose - the cutest sheep in the world. This breed is well-known for being extremely friendly and loving. They are very easy to spot with their black faces, ears, knee patches, hocks, and feet. The flock happily shares the farm with the two pet horses.

Even though the couple already had stables on their property, they were looking to build more. A new block would offer an extra sheltered place for the horses to spend time in and a comfortable home for the sheep during lambing season.

The process

The couple decided to build new stables in April 2022. Richard first researched six or seven companies online. He chose Olson Timber Buildings because we provide an installation service. “I didn’t want to build them myself”, he comments. 

“Service, price, and quality” were also deciding factors, according to Richard. “I’m very aware of how well [OTB] build stables,” he notes.

Due to a number of reasons and unexpected circumstances, the couple couldn’t place an order for over a year. They finally booked their installation with OTB in spring 2023, so the building was erected in September 2023. 

As the timber stables required foundations, Richard had to apply for planning permission through his Local Planning Authority. To save himself some time and hassle, he hired an architect to handle the process. He’s very happy he did it.

The team “only took a morning to build [the stables] - Richard recounts - it was unbelievable. There was a real buzz and energy about. They were the most professional.” He continues: “It was a joy to watch because they were a really nice bunch of guys, really friendly, and they worked very well together.” 

Once the workers were finished, they tidied and cleaned everything up thoroughly. “You wouldn’t have known they had been here,” remarks Richard. 

The L-shaped stable block

The wooden stables are located on the property and sit in a courtyard, near the existing horse stables and a garage. Richard opted for an L-shaped block, made up of two 12’x12’ stables and a 16’x 20’ corner unit. 

The shape of the building fits the site really well; “It’s a perfect fit”, says Richard. It can easily house 10 sheep and their lambs. When the sheep aren’t lambing, the horses can use the stables to keep warm or spend time in the shade.

The couple opted for American barn top doors to allow the horses to look onto the manège from inside. The stables feature talk grilles between each bay and a standard 4ft canopy to the front to provide extra rain and sun cover. Finally, the roof is made of clay tiles to match the main house. Overall, the stable block looks like it belongs to its site.

The customer’s feedback

Richard found the whole process “very thorough” because it involved “sign offs at every stage,” leaving no room for error. “It was all very polished and pleasant,” he adds. There’s nothing he would have done differently: “The whole process was just perfect.” 

Richard is very pleased with the stables, he says he often gets complimented about them by friends and family.

If you would like a bespoke horse stables or sheep barn talk to the Olson team, we design and build unique timber buildings across the country.