102 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
e
Architecture
A properly designed barn should not
only look nice, but also last a lifetime.
Building Barns to Last a Lifetime
By Arianna Delin
E
very horse owner dreams of having their four-legged
friends living on their property; of waking up, walking
outside and being at the barn. This may seem like an
easy feat to accomplish, but building a barn takes more than
just some plywood and screws. This is where the consultants at
Innovative Equine Systems come in.
Innovative Equine Systems began as a fencing company in
1996, starting with FlexSense, a flexible plastic fence. Over the
years, their product line has expanded and evolved to the point
where Innovative Equine Systems is now recognized as a leading
authority on outfitting complete barn interiors. They began to
produce and design their own products, such as artisan horse
stalls and barn accessories, and now compete as a major player
in the rubber flooring industry.
“We have evolved out of the fencing business and mostly
concentrate on rubber flooring and barn interiors,” said Dennis
Marion, owner of Innovative Equine Systems.
The consultants at Innovative Equine Systems work with
non-equine architects, equine architects, owner-builders
and contractors and can step in to assist at any stage in the
construction, whether it is at the beginning design process or
midway through a remodel.
Horse owners have their own vision for their facilities as far as
what they want it to look like and how they want it to function. This
is where Innovative Equine Systems shines — they know what is
needed for safety and function in a barn and know how to make
a barn beautiful.
“We work with all budgets and visions, but do mostly high-end
work, starting from the ground up,” said Dennis. “I do recommend
getting a designer or architect involved in the planning phase. I
think it’s an important way to keep budgets in line.
“The ultimate goal is to make sure the barn works for the safety
of the horses and is efficiently run,” he added. “I jump in where
there might be an architect or designer involved. They’re not used
to thinking in terms of efficiency, as it is a working facility. So we
think in terms of cutting labor costs, since that’s what eats up most
of the money in the long run.”
In designing a 12-horse facility, efficiency is the last thing on
many owners’ minds. Instead of labor costs, they’re envisioning
open aisle ways, big stalls and light flowing through the barn
doors. These are all wonderful design aspects of the barn, but the
layout of the facility makes for an efficient operation”. Owners may
not think about the hours involved in cleaning stalls, turning out
horses and caring for the facility.
Innovative Equine Systems uses hardwoods and open stall
fronts for more than just the aesthetic appeal. The European open
stall front was first designed to allow for the horses to socialize
in the barn. When horses are locked behind a stall door, they
become bored, which promotes chewing on the walls or doors as
well as pacing. The open stall fronts make for happier horses as
well as a more attractive design.
“People come to us because they want something that lasts,
rather than something that has to be rebuilt again,” Dennis said.
“The basis for our company was that so many facilities had to be
redone since they weren’t done properly to begin with. We like the
idea of doing it once and doing it right. A properly designed and
built barn should not only look nice, but also last a lifetime.”
Barns featuring dutch doors.
Open stall fronts allow horses
to socialize in the barn.
