How Equestrian Centers in Colorado are Paying Off their Riding Arenas by Renting Out Stalls

LOCAL LOOK – WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU

Wherever there is money to be made in renting out space for special-purpose activities, there will be businesses that spring up to meet the market demand. This is no more true than in the equestrian industry, where horse enthusiasts are able to rely on horse lodging and care facilities for short-term boarding, long-term homes for their horses, riding accommodations, and much more.

This trend is catching on elsewhere in the country, too, and steel buildings are the perfect solution for equestrian centers that want to maximize the return on their steel building investment.

The Colorado Equestrian Center in Littleton, Colorado is doing something more and more commercial horse operations are doing: they’re paying down the mortgage on their steel building faster by renting out stalls for horse boarding.

This is not necessarily a new phenomenon, but it is something that caught our eye here at Capital Steel Industries. We love to see our steel building clients make creative use out of the structures they invest so heavily in, and what’s happening throughout Colorado is a great indication that this sort of business model is not only viable, it’s highly, highly profitable.

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Planning for Growth from the Start

When designing a steel building of any size and for any purpose, it is crucial to know what every square foot is going to be used for before breaking ground on the project. Equestrian centers have unique needs, especially when there’s an indoor riding arena that is specified as part of the overall steel building floor plan.

The great news for those looking to build an equestrian center is that steel-framed buildings allow for much larger interior spans that are free from obtrusive supports. This allows for uninterrupted riding space that can be used for barrel racing, horse shows, livestock auctions, and much more.

Capital Steel Horse Barn

But, the utility of steel doesn’t stop there. When a person or company begins conceptualizing the business model for a new equestrian center, it helps to bake in the ability to obtain revenue from multiple sources. For equestrian centers in Colorado, these sources include:

One-time, weekly, monthly, or yearly facility use fees. Not every horse rider needs or even wants their horse to be boarded full-time at an equestrian center. They may want to use it just for the day, or perhaps as-needed on a monthly basis. Equestrian center owners are able to right-size their membership fees and allow their customers to have customized access to their steel-built equestrian center.
Retail sales. Horse tack includes equipment and accessories that are unique to the activity of horse riding, be it Western or English. Halters, leads, saddles, pads, and more are all in high demand by horse riders, and many equestrian centers are able to offer retail sales of such goods in the same complex where the riding arena is located.
Horse stall rentals. Typically, a horse is provided with a single stall, and it’s owner is given access to the horse during normal business hours. In addition, access to trails, a pasture or the arena is often included.

This is an image if a stunning horse stable built by Capital Steel. The interior is lined with wood for a classic, but modern look.

In Colorado, the market will bear a cost of boarding averaging between $400 to $500 per month. However, in metropolitan areas, some horse stall rental rates can break the $1,500 per month mark. Furthermore, premium services like mucking, feeding, and turning out a horse to pasture may not be included in the stall rental price.

Why Steel Horse Facilities Are More Profitable

Not only does a steel-framed structure allow for a larger, more accessible indoor riding arena, the modular design also allows for easier integration of attached horse stalls, grooming areas, tack and feed rooms, and more.

It’s no wonder that the vast majority of indoor riding arenas in Colorado and throughout the US are constructed using steel as the primary framing material. The overall construction timeline is shorter, the cost to insure the building is less compared with traditional alternatives, and steel equestrian centers are much more energy efficient, a feature which is especially valuable in places like Colorado where the temperature can swing wildly.

At Capital Steel Industries, we specialize in matching qualified steel building contractors with steel building buyers who need their services. If you’re a contractor interested in joining our network, or if you’re in the market for a new steel building and want to explore your options, contact us today.

With a high-quality, long-lasting steel building, there’s virtually no business goal you can’t accomplish.

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