Shed Your Winter Worries
By Nikki Alvin-Smith
There’s a lot going on this month in the equine housing market – premier showcasing at the New England Equine Affaire of Horizon Structures Barndominium for starters. Yep, leading modular barn company Horizon Structures LLC, is pleased to announce that they will literally be, ‘bringing the house down,’ to the 2024 Equine Affaire event in West Springfield, MA, Nov 7th-10th. In this case, a Barndominium.
But that’s not all – there is also a whole host of varietal run-in sheds up for grabs on discount at the same event plus a chance to win a FREE run-in shed that includes delivery and set up in the 6th Annual Run-In Shed Giveaway that ends in December – a contest you can enter online directly at their website.
So if you have any worries about horse housing, new barns and shelters, November is a great opportunity to “shed your winter worries!”
Let’s take a look in reverse order:
1) The 6th Annual run-In Shed Giveaway Contest
This simple to enter Giveaway Contest is obviously the best ever way to attain that run-in shed. The space is a decent size, 10’ by 20’ so will happily house more than one horse. The contest is open nationwide as Horizon Structures has a soft nationwide footprint that offers delivery pretty much anywhere.
The contest kicked off on September 30th and entries are accepted online through November 15th, 2024. Details will also be published on Horizon Structures Facebook and Instagram pages too, so don’t forget to check in and share the news.
Not only is a handsome, Amish built run-in shed up for grabs, as an added bonus the contest winner will also enjoy free delivery and set up costs of the structure.
“Giving back to the equestrian community for their support is always high on the agenda here at Horizon Structures and we are happy to announce this 6th Annual Contest. It is heartwarming for the hardworking team here at Horizon to know that this winter a lucky recipient will have additional shelter for their horses,” explains veteran C.M.O. Jill Siragusa of Horizon.
The success of the past five Horizon Structures free run-in sheds/barns offered in the nationwide competitions, has seen horse rescues such as Flare Oaks Rescue, NC, and Starfish Equine Rescue, NJ, benefit from their wins, in addition to private horse farm owners across the country.
10 finalists will be selected on or about November 20th, 2024, and the final winner announced LIVE on Horizon’s Facebook on or about December 20th, 2024.
2) Buy In Advance Or At The Equine Affaire – Discounted Run-In Sheds
The variety of choices run-in shed design wise and size wise on offer now, either for advance purchase or purchase at the Equine Affaire event provide a great way to save money and get your run-in shed promptly.
Select 1, 2 or more…as many as you need.
The humble run-in shed enjoys a ubiquitous presence on most horse farms for good reason. A field or paddock without one present means resident equines are without shelter from the heat of the sun and summer insect annoyance, which is when most horses use them most. And certainly a herd of horses vying for space to take cover under a large deciduous tree during summer months that may offer shade, is not the perfect solution for shelter during lightning/thunderstorms and heavy precipitation. The question is, once you’ve bought the run-in shed where should you put it?
Plan Ahead
The beauty of a prebuilt run-in shed is its portability. While you won’t be able to pick it up and carry it under your arm, a small tractor or decent sized UTV/ATV can move it quite easily using the pre-installed heavy duty tow hooks at the base of the structure that can be chained up to a machine to drag it from one place to another.
The prebuilt run-in shed can also be moved from farm to farm in just the same way it magically appeared on site in the first place. Useful if you move horse farm home.
So plan ahead and buy a run-in shed that offers portability. Other aspects of your forward planning should be how the base at the site of the run-in shed will be constructed as well as where it will live.
Here are the majors factors to consider when selecting the site:
· A level area is a necessary starting point, so to a certain degree this may govern the site for its final landing spot. The manufacturer of the prebuilt barn is able to place it to within inches pretty much anywhere if they use a ‘mule’ machine, so as long as you have the access width and height wise ( watch those tree boughs), you will be good to go. Make sure you select a manufacturer that knows what they are doing delivery and set up wise. While delivery is always an extra cost, set up should be included for free.
· Site preparation may include the need to add a compacted material to avoid potholing inside the structure with heavy use over time. A well-drained base will also help preserve the structure from water damage. Whether its wood or metal-sided, no building does well if it sits for any length of time in standing water. And neither do horses. A gravel base with a compacted stonedust overlay is a perfect solution, with French drains cut around the structure if the natural soil cover or geography of the terrain does not offer good natural drainage. Rubber mats placed inside can become slippery when wet, so consider your options carefully before adding any grid systems or matted surfaces.
· Consider all aspects of geography in the site choice. Proximity to neighbors, other animals on site or nearby, fence lines, high access areas such as alongside roadsides, i.e. the human geography factor as well as regional influences such as prevailing winds and direct sun. Here’s a quick tutorial on Geography 101 that is helpful.
· Plan your site selection around your horses’ lifestyle. For example, if your equids are two donkeys and a pony that you own for your children to enjoy, then siting the run-in shed close to your residence might be a good idea where you can keep an eye on proceedings. On the other hand, if you run a large boarding stable where small herds of horses are turned out together, then you may need to place two run-in sheds in different areas of the field to allow horses lower in the pecking order the opportunity to shelter without being bullied by their more dominant colleagues.
· Avoid creating small corridors or tight spaces such as corners in paddocks where horses can become ‘stuck’. While having a run-in shed placed centrally in the field can be a good idea, as even the back wall can create shade from the sun and shelter from the wind at certain times of day, a run-in shed that is placed within the fence line can protect three sides of the structure from nibbling and chewing, kicking and other horsey damage.
· Consider how you are going to keep the shed clean. Regular mucking out will be necessary to keep the fly population at bay ( pine shavings make a good deterrent to summer bugs if regularly refreshed) and to keep the space hygienic for use year around. Placement of the run-in shed a huge distance from the entrance gate to the field will be hard to navigate in poor weather and annoying to traverse without the aid of machinery.
The run-in shed is an inexpensive way to shelter horses and offers a versatility for other needs too. Often used as a storage solution for hay supplies and bedding, the structure is a mainstay on a horse farm for good reason.
If you are planning to buy a run-in shed to bring your horse home, update your farm and replace tired unsightly creations that presently don’t add grace to your farm, or simply need a bit of extra winter storage for supplies, check out online sales lots and sign up for discount deals and exhibition offerings for best prices.
If you choose a company with a nationwide footprint you can find just what you want styled and sized as you’d like it from the comfort of your couch. And the ‘to the penny’ pricing and finance options make the purchasing process straightforward. While the quick delivery makes a magical almost ‘instant’ appearance on site a reality. A perfect shopping solution for the busy horse owner.
3) The Premier Showcase – The Barndominium
Bringing a Barndominium down to the Equine Affaire event is no mean feat. Consider the complexity of the transport and set up. But what an opportunity it is for visitors to the show to get a ‘hands-on’ experience of living in a Barndo and how far such accommodations have come.
The leading modular horse barn company, Horizon Structures, LLC., has recently added four highly-functional and chic Barndominium designs to its product lines. All are factory built and engineered to the highest standards and easily implemented into any horse property design. This addition has caused a buzz of excitement in the equestrian world. Owner at Horizon Structures Justin Zook, explains that this year the company will be exhibiting one of their spectacular ‘Barndo’ builds:
“We are excited to have the opportunity to showcase a new product at this year’s Equine Affaire. We believe that the opportunity to not only provide a beautiful space for the horses, but also provide a bit of a housing solution will be a product that many clients have been desiring.”
As a veteran sponsor of the lively and well-run Equine Affaire event, Horizon has historically always bought buildings to showcase on site. There truly is nothing better than the welcome of a walk-through of a newly constructed barn or two as you enter the exhibition grounds to set you up for a day of everything horses. And of course, the Horizon Structures horse barns and multiple run-in sheds generally on offer at the show are also on discount (and can also be purchased beforehand) with immediate delivery available within a certain radius of the showgrounds following the event. Another bonus!
The Horizon Structures Barndominium structures on offer in their product line-up range from 912 to 1824 square feet. The impressively short timeline, just 6-8 months from order date to on-site delivery and set up depending on approvals, makes the Barndo a smart choice for folks on the move, developing a new property, and looking for an -eco-friendly one footprint structure that offers multi-purpose use. Available nationwide (with the exception of California), clients can choose from a wide array of color choices with a possibility of custom color considerations too.
The portability of a structure the size of a Barndominium is a testament to the high-level of experience the Horizon Structures team has in the modular construction industry. Remarkably, the Equine Affaire exhibit, will be set up in a matter of just 2/3 days. And its presence at the event will certainly cause a stir.
Plan to stop by and say Hi to Horizon’s well-respected and much-loved Brad Zeigler, a fixture at this Equine Affaire exhibitor’s stand, and discover the bounty of Barndominium benefits for a horsey-lifestyle living option. You can also get ahead of the crowd and explore Barndo options at the Horizon Structures website or visit their headquarters in Atglen, PA and enjoy an in-person tour.
