Building your own Paddock Paradise – Advantages and Considerations

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What is ‘Paddock Paradise’?

The concept of Paddock Paradise was first introduced in Jaime Jackson’s book “Paddock Paradise, A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding” in 2007. For many years, the author observed US feral horses in their natural habitat and studied their movements as well as the interaction with their surroundings. Over time, he noticed that free-roaming horses move about and follow familiar paths, referred to as “tracks”. Jaime sought to apply this concept to domestic horses, creating a system that would allow them to freely move along pathways within a fenced paddock, mimicking the natural […]

Wild Turkey Farm – an Equine Facility Design Project

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Twenty years ago, Equine Facility Design started a new ambitious journey with a client to plan, design and build a new home for Wild Turkey Farm, a luxurious equine breeding and training facility in Wilsonville, Oregon. Initially bought in 2001 by Barb Ellison, the long-time horse breeder worked closely with EFD to renovate this Willamette River waterfront property for nearly 10 years. The project was completed in 2009, and with it came the promise of a successful elite breeding center. Today, this impressive 215-acre equestrian estate is preparing to change ownership and has recently been listed on Christie […]

Considerations When Planning a Barn Apartment

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When planning your dream barn, you might also be thinking about a barn apartment. Barn apartments can serve many purposes, including providing housing for caretakers, serving as a study or recreational space, or acting as a sort of guest house for visitors. Just like planning your barn, the more thought you can put into the apartment, the better your results will be. Here are some points to consider as you plan out your apartment.

Accessibility

Depending on your barn’s purpose and layout, how you access the apartment can be important. An apartment accessed through the barn’s […]

Designing Your Barn Lounge With Clients in Mind

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When designing an equine facility that will offer boarding, training, and lessons, your indoor riding arena and barn lounge or viewing room become hubs of activity. They’re also important elements that can help to attract new clients, and they’ll see significant daily use, too. Your barn lounge serves many purposes, from a gathering place to a room where clients can warm up on cold winter days. When designing your lounge, consider these elements to create a space that’s functional, welcoming, and that appeals to your clients.

Consider the Lounge’s Uses

In most cases, your […]

Top Tips for Retiring Your Horse at Home

After years of riding and competing with your horse, he may arrive at a point where it’s time for him to retire. With retirement facilities few and far between, many horse owners decide to retire their horses at home. If you’ve decided that retiring your horse at home is right for you, then carefully planning out your facilities can contribute to your senior horse’s safety, well-being, and health. Consider the following tips when planning out your barn and pastures.

Stall Size

With issues like arthritis affecting an older horse’s ability to lie down […]

Five Steps to a Safer Stall

Your horse spends a large amount of his time in his stall, and anytime you put a horse in an enclosed space, there’s potential for him to get injured. Poorly designed stalls can lead to plenty of accidents, but many of these risks can be prevented through careful stall design and construction. Read on for details on how we recommend Equine Facility Design clients build their stalls for maximized safety.

Plan for Generously Sized Stalls

Starting with the right stall size can help to prevent casting, and can also keep your horses more comfortable. Stall size depends […]

How to Build Your Barn Aisle for Safety

When building a barn, safety of both horses and humans should always be a priority. Your barn aisle is one of the most heavily trafficked areas, but it’s also an area with the potential for significant accidents to occur. Many of these dangers can be reduced or prevented by building a barn aisle that’s designed to be as safe as possible. When planning and building a barn, consider the following important safety tips.

Choose an Appropriate Width and Height

An aisle that’s too narrow can increase the chance of accidents occurring and can make those […]

5 Steps to a Cleaner and Safer Feed Room

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The time for spring cleaning is right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start working on your feed room now. A clean feed room is also a safer feed room, and if your barn’s in need of a good cleaning, this is the perfect place to start. These five tips can help you to gain some space and some organization in this important room.

Start By Throwing Out Old Feed

A good cleaning needs to start with throwing out any old or expired feed. Take some time to check all of your […]