This new weekly series talks about the details that matter when building or renovating a barn or equestrian facility. It’s a known fact that horses know a million ways to hurt themselves, and our best defense is to share our knowledge on how to keep our friends safe. Our colleague, noted equine facilities designer Holly Matt of Pegasus Design Group, has generously agreed to write this weekly column. Have tips you’d like to share? Send them to [email protected].
Master planning is not as daunting as one might think, and it is a really good way to evaluate your current circumstances. If you are considering an upgrade or addition to an existing facility, it’s important to first understand what does and doesn’t work in the space you have. If you’re planning new construction, you’ll need to evaluate how the proposed building and if relevant, arenas, and any other outbuildings relate to existing structures and geography. This is your chance to analyze your management style, horse management philosophy and implement any changes you have been wanting to make. Then wrap your design around those founding principles.
For example,
- trying to plan to reduce steps and workload, but balancing that with the need to keep flammable particulate matter out of the barn (storing hay/shavings elsewhere)
- the need to be hands-on with every horse twice a day (versus opening a gate and letting them walk themselves out)
- clustering areas in the barn that may have to be climate controlled- tackroom/bath/feed room (depending on your climate, be it warmth or mold control)
- arranging the stalls so every horse has the same environmental conditions- ventilation, natural light, sight lines. As in having stalls all on one side and support on the other, or two wings with a center support area.
- Laying out paddocks and pastures to prevent overuse and grassless areas, as in having sacrifice or what we call an all weather turnout, that access pastures off of the central area.
Think of master planning as approaching a spatial problem with a bird’s eye view. As you look down on your site from above, how do all the pieces and parts you see relate to one another and to planned construction? Consider existing buildings, geographic features (such as streams or ravines), and changes in elevation. A master plan must also address applicable planning and zoning and land use guidelines, and consider options for future expansion. All this can be done in layers and phases, and all sizes of projects benefit from this process.
This is a great resource for sustainable equine management for site planning purposes-http://www.equiculture.com.au/
Having a professional draw everything exactly to scale is a worthwhile modest investment that can avoid costly misjudgments, such as not having adequate room to maneuver trailers on the property.
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