5 Features a Pre Engineered Steel Building Should Have for a Riding Ring
When designed with the right features, a pre engineered steel building is the ideal structure for a quality indoor riding ring.
Like any structure that requires a long, open span, a riding ring is a project that pairs well with a pre engineered steel building. When properly constructed, it will provide:
- Years of shelter from the elements
- A place to train and perform day or night
- A venue to host horse riding events
But before you get underway, it’s worth your while to seriously consider what you want the finished product to look like, and how you expect it to function.
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Full-featured
Some riding rings are nothing more than a roof over a patch of dirt. That’s fine if you only plan on using it as a place to train in inclement weather. Or, if you’ve got other nearby outbuildings you can utilize for housing and storage.
For the ultimate in convenience, you can design a pre engineered steel building to include all of the features and amenities required to properly care for and shelter horses:
- Horse stalls
- Tack room
- Grooming area
- Heated water basins
- Hosing down area
- Feed bins
- Hay storage
- Equipment storage
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Training or Competition-ready?
If you only intend to use your riding ring for personal use as a training venue, there are quite a few things you can omit from the design. This will help keep steel building prices down if you’re on a bit of a budget.
However, if you plan on hosting equestrian events—such as dressage and show jumping—you might want to think about incorporating facilities to cater to fellow competitors and the general public. This could include:
- Seating for spectators
- Built-in speaker system
- Bathrooms
- Concession with full kitchen
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Official Dimensions
Another important aspect of hosting equestrian events is arena size. For instance, in dressage, riders train and compete in either a standard-size arena (20 x 60 metres) or small size (20 x 40 metres).
Fortunately, these spans are easily within the structural capabilities of pre engineered steel buildings. To learn about other applications where having a long overhead span is important, read our post: 5 Metal Buildings Where Clear Spans Are Essential.
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Ample Lighting
Whether you’re hosting events or using your riding ring for training, adequate lighting will promote rider safety and create a more inviting atmosphere. This can easily be achieved in pre engineered steel buildings through the use of:
- Overhead indoor lights
- Skylights
- Windows
- Exterior flood lights
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Good Drainage
Whether you’re a jumper or a dressage rider, it’s important for your horse to have smooth, even footing. This gives horse and rider one less thing to worry about when they’re performing.
Conversely, having a water source that you can use to keep the dust down in the dry summer months is equally useful.
Are you looking to build an indoor riding ring with a range of convenient features? Call Metal Structure Concepts to learn why a pre engineered steel building is the ideal choice for this type of project.