For a horse, its stall is its personal sanctuary – its familiar place to rest, relax and rejuvenate. So it makes sense that horse lovers want that aspect of their barn to offer the best in safety, comfort, function and beauty. It begins with choosing a designer and supplier that are one in the same.
The Benefits of a Single-Source Supplier
“A single-source supplier is always going to be less problematic for the owner,” says Paul Boor, Vice President of Product Development/Engineering Services with Lester Buildings. Years ago, the company began seeing the problems and challenges that came with trying to fit other suppliers’ stalls into Lester Buildings. In response, Lester introduced its Signature Equine Line of safety-tested specialty stall fronts, backs, partitions and doors, including sliding and dutch doors, about a decade ago.
After 20 years on the job, Paul knows first-hand the benefits of ordering horse stalls and buildings from one company with plenty of equine experience. His observations:
Safety
Animal and human safety should always be an owner’s first concern. That’s why it’s essential to work with an experienced equine builder. “We’ve listened to a lot of horse owners over the years and have decades of experience perfecting our stalls and barns.” He believes that a single-source supplier is more in tune with every detail, such as eliminating pinch points and sharp edges where stalls connect to the building.
Cost Savings
A single-source supplier can design its stalls to fit the specific configuration of its horse barn (and horse barns are increasingly becoming more complex, according to Paul.) That means no surprises – or added costs – at install, fewer construction delays and greater longevity.
Compatibility
Trying to marry stalls from one supplier to a different, non-related building supplier increases the chances of compatibility problems between components. A single source can offer better fit and, thus, smoother function.
Flexibility
Horse lovers are, well, horse lovers, and a few horses can easily lead to more. Lester makes stall customization an integral part of its building design. Its partitions use laminated columns with a slot at the corner post and at the back wall, so partition walls can be easily removed and quickly modified for foaling.
Durability
Paul likes to point out that durability is a specific bragging point for Lester Buildings. “We use the same strict lumber grading criteria for selecting the planks for our buildings and our stalls. Each piece is visually picked for its specific purpose and placement.”
Aesthetics
Thoughtful integration of stalls into the building leads to a nice, clean look. Lester’s line of Signature stalls match its standard Uni-Rib™ colors so that stalls are visually integrated into the exterior building design. It’s beauty that lasts.
To learn more about Lester Buildings and see a library of equestrian buildings featuring Lester’s Signature Equine Line in your area, visit lesterbuildings.com.
