Building a Sustainable Horse Barn with Riding Arena

If you asked your horse what makes an ideal barn, what would they neigh?

The environment in which we work and play matters—a lot. It affects our physical comfort, health, sense of well-being, ability to perform well, and overall enjoyment. For facility owners, riders, and horses, equestrian arenas and barns should meet the highest standards of comfort, air quality, safety, durability, and cost-efficient operation.

In a recent blog article, we discussed the 6 key considerations for designing equestrian arenas and event centers. Most of the considerations that apply to horse arenas apply to barns as well, and one of the key takeaways from that article is that tension fabric buildings outscore other options in multiple ways.

Whether you will own the new barn, lease it, or use it as a contestant or other type of guest, you deserve the best. So let’s take a closer look at the physical and functional advantages of fabric.

Ventilation

Equine experts at the University of Minnesota remind us that horses and their barns need fresh air. Good ventilation helps reduce humidity and prevent condensation. It also helps maintain good air quality by removing particulates, pathogens, and fumes from the air. 

Thermal Neutrality

In many parts of the country, temperature control is also important, whether to keep horses cool in summer or warm in winter. Legacy’s carefully designed passive ventilation placements keep tension fabric barns comfortable year-round. If desired, enclosed barns can also be insulated and lined for even more consistent indoor temperature control. 

Natural Light

Tension fabric not only helps maintain comfortable indoor temperatures and air quality but also offers another distinct advantage: natural light. Horses (and humans) are more comfortable and perform better when natural light is available. More natural light also holds down building and energy costs by reducing the amount of artificial lighting needed. 

Quiet

Tension fabric can greatly improve the acoustic atmosphere as well. It doesn’t vibrate or flap when it’s windy or rainy outside. And it serves as a natural baffle to absorb sounds indoors rather than reflect them. In other words, tension fabric is more calming, ideal for horses housed in the barn or hanging out waiting to perform.

Color!

Who says your barn can’t be as fun as it is functional? Though white fabric tends to let in more natural light, you can use Legacy's other colors of tension fabric to jazz things up or reinforce your brand (such as by matching your organization’s official colors). And fabric provides an excellent surface to add exterior decals with your name and logo.

Custom Design Ensures a Winning Combination of Features

Tension fabric buildings are popular for public and privately owned equestrian facilities. In fact, many municipalities around the country are very familiar with Legacy buildings and their value for all sorts of public works facilities.

However, if you or others involved in your decision-making process are unsure whether fabric is the right solution for your community equestrian arena or barn, this document explains in detail the pros and cons of fabric structure technology.

You can also see what’s possible and why fabric works so well by checking out these case studies:

• Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center built not one but four tension fabric barns for their Boynton Beach, Florida, facility. Each barn is 83 feet by 356 feet and contains 96 stalls.
• The Kuka Equestrian Center in Maple Plain, Minnesota, features a 72-by-140-foot barn with 8-foot sidewalls attached to the riding arena.

Sprinting to the Finish Line

While building equine barns is no horse race, getting your barn to horse-ready status faster saves money as well as time. With Legacy tension fabric, barn raising goes faster.