Horizon Structures Presents Series: Managing The Performance Horse’s Housing Needs

by Nikki Alvin-Smith

The heart and energy that goes into bringing up a performance horse to reach its full potential is not an easy quest. From inception to retirement, the equine will need a horse trainer with a clear head for defined care and training program to progress it through its stages of development. Special requirements for each horse’s management, including its need for social interaction, forage and freedom of movement may require adjustment. How can horse housing needs be best designed and managed to complete this balancing act. In this feature, international level Grand Prix competitor/coach/clinician Nikki Alvin-Smith provides some thoughtful guidance.

Peace of Mind

There are many components that go into making a horse happy and keeping him at or near peak performance. As individuals each horse will need the trainer to be flexible and open to adjusting care to meet its specific requirements.

No two horses are the same. When you work with your equine partner as an individual rather than a number, he will reward you by giving his all. This approach will create a deep bond and level of understanding between you both that will endure through even the worst of hardships.

Generally speaking keeping the equine partner safe from injuring himself, being injured by others, or some twist of fate befalling him that negatively affects his overall well-being will be necessary. By nature, high-level performance horses are not always the quietest of equines, a little fire in their belly being almost a requirement for them to have the fortitude and attitude to push through various obstacles on their journey to advanced levels.

In any event, peace of mind for the horse caregiver and trainer/owner can be significantly elevated by following some simple steps in barn design and enacting certain management techniques.

It is wise to design the horse housing and horse facility to offer options for several factors that pertain to working with top level horses. Namely:

Quarantine stalls/turnout spaces for use before/after competition or international transport
Smaller, well-fenced individual turn-out areas with all-season friendly footing double-fenced from other horses, hopefully with a rotational grazing element on a rolling or level surface with good drainage and run-in shed for shelter
Freedom for the horse to move in/out of stabling if possible to help minimize stressors of limited movement
Minimum 12’ x 12’ matted stalls, kickboarded, with both solid partition wall option and half-grill dividing walls depending on social interaction needs at any given time
Designated areas for bathing and grooming, use of heat lamps and medical equipment with plenty of electrical outlets
Designated quiet space for alternative treatment modalities and therapy sessions
Fire suppression system for the barn; possibly also an insect control misting option (choose organic eco-friendly products)
Security system for the barn and paddock areas, and security access provisions that encompass all entrances to the property
Separate storage facility for combustible or flammable products such as hay and bedding supplies and motorized equipment
Electrical outlets for vacuum use versus broom sweeping aisleways
Stall access to fresh air for better equine respiratory and behavioral/mental health via exterior Dutch door set up to stalls
Sealed stall surfaces for deep cleaning ease
Designated secure space for all feed and equipment to avoid cross-contamination with prohibited substances or loss of expensive tack and supplies
On-site housing for professional horse-care staff 24/7/365. Such as a Barndominium space or Tiny House
A designated area for free or line longe work; possible use of hot-walker for those that trust them.

Individual Preferences

If you are an advanced level competitor you will almost certainly have been faced with issues that have sidelined your competition schedule. These may include injury, disease or illness affecting you or your horse; travel delays or incidents/accidents during transport of the horse or during your own travels; loss of tack or equipment during travel; schedule conflicts and changes by event management. Some of these issues are not avoidable, while the risk of others occurring can be mitigated. Evaluate areas of high risk and eliminate them wherever possible.

Additionally be aware that the needs for top quality, uncontaminated feed, forage and supplements can be hard to meet when on the road. Personally, I choose to feed competition horses with grain/feed rations that are readily available internationally

(even if the feed mills abroad use slightly different formulations) and bring our own organic hay/forage where viable along with feed supplements etc.

Grazing and turn-out options at competition venues can be difficult to locate and are fairly non-existent at FEI level competitions. The use of long-lining, longe work, and hand-walking are usually the only exercise options available that are not under saddle. Implementing the transition from home life with turn-out/grazing to increased stall time before the competition can help the horse adjust, while at the same time increasing the amount of time spent under saddle or in hand sessions for exercise.

Consider adding specific (non-prohibited obviously) supplements to the horse’s diet pre-travel/competition to improve their gut health to help cope with the environmental and digestive stressors. We use top-quality postbiotic products ( not to be confused with pre or probiotics).

As a British/American my personal preference has always been a down-to-earth approach to horse wellness, keeping life as simple and horse-friendly as possible no matter what stage of training/life the horse may be – I believe a horse’s mental wellness is an important factor in his physical well-being and in his ability to handle the stressors of training and willingness/happiness to work.

Many of my British dressage colleagues do the same. It is commonplace to maximize horse turnout and grazing options and a more natural lifestyle in the U.K. and New Zealand/Australia. That equates to turning out horses for much of their time when not actually working with access to good quality grazing; high forage diet with organically produced hay (not cubes or packaged products that contain chemical preservatives); socialization opportunities for horses that will travel and compete together where they get along with appropriate measures for leg protection etc..

Designing Your Horse Facility

If you have a clean slate property wise and can set up your equine facility with a smart workable design from the outset, then you are at a distinct advantage.

It is well-worth taking the time to learn the best placement to position the barn, lay out the paddocks/pastures and accommodate other needs non-equine related such as managing children on the property and keeping dogs etc. before you break ground.

Seek a construction partner that offers a myriad of barn styles and options rather than just specializing in one that limits your choice. And look for an easy and straightforward purchasing process. Modular horse barns and Barndominiums are a smart route to take. As busy professionals we don’t have the time or energy to deal with supervising work crews; dealing with damage to property, upsets to horses on site or interruption of lessons/schooling times at home; or worrying about what is going on when we are out on the road.

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Feel free to contact Nikki Alvin-Smith for further information and high-res photos.

About Horizon Structures: One horse or twenty, there’s one thing all horse owners have in common…the need to provide safe and secure shelter for their equine partners. At Horizon Structures, we combine expert craftsmanship, top-of-the-line materials and smart “horse-friendly” design to create a full line of sheds and barns that any horse owner can feel confident is the right choice for their horses’ stabling needs.

All wood. Amish Made. Most of our buildings are shipped 100% pre-built and ready for same-day use. Larger barns are a modular construction and can be ready for your horses in less than a week. All our barn packages include everything you need –

Horizon Structures also sells chicken coops, equine hay feeders, greenhouses, dog kennels, 1 and 2 car garages, storage sheds and outdoor living structures and playsets.

Headquartered in South-Central Pennsylvania, Horizon Structures, LLC is owned by Dave Zook. Dave was raised in the Amish tradition and grew up working in the family-owned shed business. He started Horizon Structures in 2001 in response to an ever-increasing customer demand for high quality, affordable horse barns.

For additional information about the company or their product line, please visit their website at https://www.horizonstructures.com

Please visit https://www.horseinakiltmedia.com/to learn more about her affordable services.

Media Contact:
Horizon Structures LLC, Atglen, PA
Media Contact: NAS@NikkiAlvinSmithStudio.com
Tel: 607 434 4470
https://www.HorizonStructures.com

Photos are available on request.