Challenge – Unpredictable weather conditions
Solution – Hercules Truss Arch Building
Size – 73’wide x 120’long
Application –Therapeutic riding and dressage lessons
Originally a 150 year old farm, Hope Ranch for Women bought the farm in 2011 and turned the land into an equine focused therapy facility. Hope Ranch for Women offers an equine-based, assisted personal development and mentoring service in order for women to heal from the physical, mental and spiritual effects of exploitation. As director of the program, Catherine Smith uses her Masters Degree in communication and 50 years of equine experience to run the program and service Hope Ranch’s clients.
In the state of Kansas, unpredictable, messy weather is commonplace. These weather events caused regular delays in training and therapy sessions at the Ranch. “We used to ride in an outdoor space with difficult clay footing, and with the weather in Kansas, delays were far too frequent,” said Smith. After two years of cancellations, Smith and others at the Ranch began looking for an indoor riding arena. “My friend had a similar ClearSpan building which she used as an indoor equine riding arena and absolutely loved it, and after looking in the FarmTek catalog it seemed like the right fit,” explained Smith. The team at Hope Ranch decided on a 73’ wide by 120’ long ClearSpan building for their indoor equine riding arena.
The Ranch is experiencing no delays in dressage lessons or therapy sessions since installing to the indoor arena. Hope Ranch’s building came with ClearSpan’s high-density and UV-resistant polyethylene fabric cover, which keeps the building cooler in summer and warmer in the winter. Smith has felt the difference. “I like the cooler interior; you can feel the temperature difference instantly upon walking into the building.” Smith continued, “The building requires almost no maintenance, and we’ve saved a bunch on utilities since the building was installed.”
Hope Ranch’s horses have also benefited from the change. The aforementioned fabric cover allows an abundance of natural light and reduces the effects of exterior noise inside the building, which provides the horses with a spook-free riding environment. Smith expressed, “The natural light the fabric cover provides is really amazing. The luminous, bright interior is a magnet for the horses; the clients love it as well.” Smith also noted the building has great acoustics, “The building is really sound efficient. I don’t have to yell to instruct.”
As for how the ClearSpan building has helped the business, Smith revealed, “It provides a great environment for our clients taking part in our equine therapy program. The clients and horses alike enjoy the space and feel invited and uplifted while inside the ClearSpan building.”
To learn more about the services available at Hope Ranch for Women, please visit http://hoperanchforwomen.com/.
ClearSpan Fabric Structures Blog 