Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
down in pea gravel, stay clean, and don't develop hock sores like they do from bare ground.
Avoid using sand if you plan to feed inside the shed during stormy weather (sand colic). If
it's in your budget, aim for a shed that's large enough to have a feeding area with a smooth
surface like rubber mats and a soft loafing area where a horse can stand comfortably out of
the sun or wind or lie down if the pasture is wet or muddy.
Don't bed the shed unless you are using the shed for foals or if you produce bedding on
your farm and cost is not a factor. Bedding will invite horses to urinate and defecate in the
shed (even though they might have a huge pasture to do so in), so unless you are looking
for a daily job of cleaning, skip the bedding. You might want to devise a way to lock horses
out of the shed during nice weather to discourage them from using it as a toilet.
Consider a portable shed, one built on skids that can be relocated with a tractor. You can
routinely move the shed to a different location or a different pasture depending on the sea-
son or when the area around it becomes damaged and needs renovation.
Indoor Riding Arena
If you want to extend your riding season and are considering an indoor riding arena, see
chapter 12
,
Arenas, for preparation of the arena site and footing. As far as the structure it-
self, the building for an indoor riding arena is often a clear-span metal shell with metal or
wooden trusses. Prices start at about $50,000 for a basic 60-foot by 120-foot shell (walls,
roof, kickboards), two sliding doors, and one man door; electricity and plumbing cost extra.
The building can be a separate structure or an addition onto the horse barn.
Generally, the maximum span possible for wood trusses is 60 feet with a 3/12 slope, so
if you want a wider arena or require a steeper roof slope, you will need to have a building
constructed with properly engineered metal trusses. Commonly, the sidewalls are 14 feet
tall and the door openings are 12 feet tall. You may want to install kickboards along the
side-walls of the arena. Kickboards are added partial walls that begin about 4 feet from the
ground and angle inward toward the arena floor. This keeps the horse off the wall, which
protects the rider's legs. Lighting is an important consideration for an indoor arena. Day-
light illumination can be accomplished by using translucent fiberglass panels at the top por-
tion of the walls, at the gable ends, and in the roof. Auxiliary lighting is best provided by
Footing tends to last longer in an indoor arena than in an outdoor one, but you will need
to water and work indoor footing since it won't have the benefit of natural precipitation.
Plan for easy access to water and for a tractor and equipment. Overhead watering systems,
drop-down sprinklers, and traveling sprinkler systems are costly but convenient alternat-
ives to dragging out hoses and setting up a sprinkler or using a water wagon. Infrared heat-
