Manufacturer example shown above: Tarter Excel stall front with optional wood infill. Your quote identifies the components included in your order.
Planning a Tarter horse stall layout starts with the space you have: measured openings, existing posts and walls, aisle access, and the way you want to feed and care for your horses. Put those details on a simple sketch before choosing fronts, side panels, lumber kits, and brackets.
You do not need a finished barn drawing to begin. A phone photo of a labeled sketch can give us a useful starting point. At Flint Hills Barns & Buildings Co., I help customers work through the equipment choices and turn those details into a project-specific Tarter quote.
Tell Bobby about your Tarter stall project, even if some measurements are still missing.
1. Measure the usable barn space
Start inside the barn. An exterior building dimension does not tell us the clear space between the surfaces where a stall system will sit. Existing posts, wall framing, doors, and equipment can all affect the layout.
Write down what each measurement represents. “12 feet between the inside faces of these two posts” is more useful than “12-foot bay.” Photograph the same opening and label it to match your sketch.
- Openings: Measure between the actual posts or walls you plan to use, and identify those surfaces.
- Depth: Record the space from the proposed stall front to the back boundary.
- Height and obstructions: Note low beams, braces, overhead equipment, and other features above the proposed stalls.
- Floor: Describe the existing surface and note changes in level that need review.
- Access: Mark barn entrances, aisle space, and anything that narrows the route to the stalls.
Use feet and inches consistently. Mark an estimate as an estimate. If you cannot reach a measurement safely, leave it as an open question rather than treating a guess as a final dimension.
2. Sketch each stall and its shared boundaries
Draw a simple view from above. Label the proposed stalls A, B, C, and so on. Mark the aisle, the fronts, the partitions between horses, and the outside ends of the row. Then distinguish existing walls or panels from components you want to purchase.
For a three-stall row, for example, label the A/B and B/C partitions individually. Draw the two outside ends and the back of each stall too. This helps explain whether you want new panels at each boundary or hope to use an existing surface that still needs to be checked.
A stall count alone does not provide that information. Two barns with the same number of horses can need different panels and connections because their existing structures and layouts differ.
Give the sketch a date. If you change a doorway or move a partition, update the drawing so the measurements and component list refer to the same version.
3. Place entry doors and feeding access
Think through an ordinary day: bringing a horse in, carrying feed, filling water, and moving a wheelbarrow or other equipment. Mark where you expect to stand and move. Show any nearby tack storage, wash area, or barn doorway that could affect access.
Tarter offers several stall series with different access features:
- Excel: A sliding entry door, gossip gate, and small grain opening. The entry can be configured on the right or left.
- Elite Excel: A sliding entry and E-Z Feeder Door for feeding access from outside the stall. The compatible feeder is a separate item.
- Sentinel: A sliding entry with a separate swing-out feed door. Compatible feeders are sold separately.
Use those differences to start the conversation about your daily routine. Confirm the selected model, door arrangement, and required clearances before settling the layout. The best fit depends on your horses, how you manage them, and the barn itself.
4. Match the panel series to the measured opening
Tarter describes Excel and Elite Excel options using nominal 10-foot and 12-foot sizes. A nominal size is a product description; it is not a substitute for checking the current component dimensions and installation requirements against your opening.
Tell us whether you are starting fresh or keeping existing stall parts. For a retrofit, share the manufacturer or series if known, close-up photos of the connections, and measurements of the pieces you want to retain. Similar-looking panels should not be assumed to connect correctly.
The goal at this stage is to identify the right system and the questions that still need answers—not to order parts based on a photograph alone.
5. Mark connections before counting brackets
Put a mark at each proposed panel junction and wall connection. Those locations help establish which brackets and mounting components need to be reviewed for the chosen stall series.
Tarter's Sentinel bracket guide distinguishes wall-mount, two-way, three-way, and four-way connections. The appropriate combination depends on the actual arrangement. Do not carry a bracket count from one layout or series into another without checking compatibility.
Also decide whether you want a supplier lumber kit or plan to obtain lumber separately. Tarter lists lumber kits and stall brackets separately for Excel, Elite Excel, and Sentinel. If you supply the lumber, obtain the requirements for the exact model before buying or cutting boards.
6. Send a small, useful planning packet
Here is what helps move the conversation forward:
| Send this | Include these details |
|---|---|
| Project basics | ZIP code, desired stall count, and new barn or existing barn |
| Labeled sketch | Fronts, partitions, ends, backs, aisle, doors, posts, and measured openings |
| Photos | A wide view plus close-ups of existing panels and proposed connection points |
| Preferences | Stall series if known, feeding access, lumber choice, and parts you hope to reuse |
| Open questions | Missing dimensions, undecided options, and your target timing |
Once the layout is clearer, review the proposed component list and delivery arrangements in writing. Our companion guide, What Should a Horse Stall Quote Include?, explains how to compare the full order scope.
Tarter stall layout questions
Do I need a professional drawing to request a quote?
No. Start with a rough sketch, photos, the approximate stall count, and your ZIP. A planning sketch helps us discuss equipment; final assembly and mounting must follow the current manufacturer instructions for the selected system.
Can I replace only my stall fronts?
Possibly. The measured openings, existing sides, and connection details need to be checked first. Send photos and any model information you have so we can review the proposed combination with Tarter.
Can you help if I also need the barn building?
Yes. Mention both parts of the project so we can discuss the building space and stall equipment together. Regional building availability is confirmed by ZIP, and the building and equipment scopes are quoted separately unless your written proposal expressly combines them.
Start with your barn, a sketch, and your questions
You do not have to figure out every part number yourself. Request help with your Tarter horse stall layout and share what you know. I will help you work through the options and identify what is needed for your quote.
Bobby Payne · Flint Hills Barns & Buildings Co.
Call or text 620-551-1194 · Bobby@flinthillsbarns.com
Manufacturer product information checked September 23, 2026. Final sizes, compatibility, availability, delivery, and included components are confirmed for your order.