Cover-All

Updated March 2, 2005

Creating The Perfect Riding Environment

When considering the aspects of a perfect interior environment, horse professionals from all riding disciplines consider the Cover-All building technology the building of choice for both horse and rider. Natural light, peaceful atmosphere, clear-span riding area and year round comfortable riding environment are all easily achieved in a Cover-All indoor riding arena. “I love the lighting and the serene environment,” says Judy Gustafson of Chimney Hill Equestrian Center in Salem Virginia . Gustafson owns a 72 foot wide by 220 long foot Cover-All riding arena and has been extremely pleased with the results. “I’ve had the honor to host internationally recognized dressage teachers who have been involved in writing the actual Olympic rulebook for dressage. The response I’ve received has been fantastic. The open-ness and peaceful acoustics makes it so easy for the horse and rider to concentrate.”

Pat Parelli of Parelli Natural Horsemanship is another big fan of Cover-All buildings and recognizes the importance of good acoustics in a riding arena. Parelli owns a 110 feet wide by 160 feet long Cover-All TITAN building. Throughout the year, people from all over the world pack the courses at the Pat Parelli Center , and on any typical afternoon or morning two courses may be held simultaneously inside their Cover-All riding arena. “I’ve always disliked metal and wood coverings for arenas. There’s nothing worse than the rat-a-tat-tat sounds during a rainstorm and metal clanking noises, especially when you’re either training or trying to conduct a seminar,” says Parelli. “It’s amazing how the shape and material of the Cover-All allows the sound to be clear and crisp — and of course communication is something that we’re all about — human to horse and human to human.” Jeanne Jamison of Huntersville North Carolina echoes similar sentiments of her 90 foot wide by 220 foot long Cover-All TITAN indoor riding arena. “A lot of people don’t understand what’s important in selecting a riding arena,” says Jamison. “If a riding arena makes it difficult to establish natural harmony with the horse, then it almost defeats the purpose of an indoor arena. I’ve trained in metal buildings and the atmosphere is so noisy that by the end of the day, both horse and rider are mentally exhausted. What I love about my Cover-All arena is that even when it rains, it’s peaceful and relaxing. The natural light and quiet setting are wonderful,” says Jamison.

The DuraWeave fabric cover of a Cover-All riding arena helps to reduce the conduction of heat and cold, ensuring a riding arena that is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. “For stabling needs, Cover-All buildings are a horse enthusiast’s delight,” says Ingrid Lang of Lockport , Illinois who owns three Cover-All buildings for her equine facility. Her 62 foot wide by 130 foot long Cover-All barn is attached to a 72 foot wide by 200 foot long Cover-All riding arena by means of a 32 foot wide by 30 foot long Cover-All walkway. “Eighty percent of your time with horses is spent grooming and caring for horses in a barn,” says Lang. “The response visitor’s express when they walk into my facility is usually ‘wow’, my clients call this The Ritz Carleton. It’s always at least 15 to 20 degrees cooler in my Cover-All buildings compared to conventional barns and arenas’.”

When selecting the right riding arena building, research is paramount in the decision process. Touring other equine facilities helps to validate the building investment and choice of manufacturer. After all, a warranty is only as good as the manufacturer that is able to back it. “Over the years we researched every type of riding arena structure imaginable,” says Lorne Soft, CEO, Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch in Montana. “What impressed us most about the Cover-All building product were the positive comments from the people we visited who owned Cover-All buildings. Every Cover-All owner we talked with commented on how much the natural light, wide-open area and healthy environment contributed to their use. For equine use, we were convinced that Cover-All was the way to go,” says Soft. The Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch is a not-for-profit organization that works with troubled youth from all over North America. Yellowstone purchased a 160 foot wide by 300 foot long Cover-All TITAN riding arena for their equine recreational program. “One of the programs we started 12 years ago was our equine program. It’s a program in which wehave a very high success rate in connecting with troubled youth. It’s hard to explain what happens, but we have found significant breakthroughs with kids when working with animals. We have had youth who completely blow out in other programs, but something happens when they’re around horses,” says Soft. The Cover-All building has also helped raised awareness for Yellowstone Ranch within the equine community. “We’ve had numerous equine groups requesting to lease the building for special events. The expression we hear when they step inside the arena is usually, ‘oh my goodness, this is beautiful’. Many of these groups are true horse enthusiasts and are genuinely blown away by the scale and wonderful environment of the building. A number of people have commented that this is one of the finest equine facilities in Montana,” says Soft.

A Cover-All building can save you thousands of dollars in initial mechanical and electrical costs as well as future operational costs. Because of the natural light and natural ventilation in a Cover-All riding arena, the electrical requirements for lighting in a Cover-All building are minimal. During the day, artificial lighting is rarely required because the translucent qualities of the DuraWeave fabric allow daytime natural light into the interior of the building, eliminating shadows. During the night the reflective qualities of the fabric transmit the light to the ground for a well lit environment. Ventilation can be achieved with the proper positioning of entrance ways, roll-up sidewalls, and installation of the appropriate vents. What this means to horse and rider is a wonderful indoor riding environment that can be enjoyed 365 days a year with a much lower operation cost.

For more information on Cover-All riding arenas and stabling facilities call, 1-800-268-3768 or visit: www.coverall.net