Artist’s rendering of simple horse stable and riding arena.
Monolithic Dome Indoor Rodeo Arenas and Horse Barns
“Yeh Doggies!” and “Ride ’em, Cowboy!” Gone are the days of pretty girls and dusty ranch hands straddling wooden fences, cheering cowboys on bucking broncos at a local rodeo. During the last decade or so, that local rodeo has evolved into a far more sophisticated event. These days, rodeo spectators want thrills and chills by professional clowns and dare-devils atop horses and bulls, and they want it all happening in the comfort of an indoor rodeo arena.
A Monolithic Dome is a natural as a rodeo arena. Consider the following:
Size: A Monolithic Dome rodeo arena can be designed in virtually any size, from a diameter of 100 feet with seating for hundreds to a diameter of 300 feet with seating for thousands. In addition to general seating, accommodations could include luxury skyboxes, announcer and media booths, and offices—all with handicap access. A Monolithic Dome indoor athletic practice facility would make great horse or rodeo arenas.
Visibility: Structurally, a Monolithic Dome requires no internal support from columns or posts, so spectators have a clear view from any seating area.
Pens and Chutes: Because a rodeo arena houses animals, their accommodations as well as cleanliness and maintenance are important. The domes’ holding pens and chutes can be built of durable, easy-to-hose-off concrete that resists the penetration of a horse’s hoof or a bull’s horns.
Energy Use: A Monolithic Dome is energy efficient. Its superior insulation allows the dome to be heated or cooled with less energy than other structure types of a similar size.
Maintenance and Insurance: Normal maintenance is easier and less expensive in a Monolithic Dome. The dome’s invulnerability to natural disasters, as well as fire, termites, mildew and mold make it eligible for lower insurance premiums.
Versatility: These days, arenas offer a lot more than rodeo events. The most popular ones include restaurants, bars and dance floors. A Monolithic Dome can easily be designed with any or all of these. It can even be designed to host concerts and sporting events in addition to rodeos. Or, how about a rodeo arena with a western, cowboy-themed wedding chapel? It can be done, Pardner.
A Monolithic Dome Horse Barn or Riding Arena
What would a Horse Whisperer, someone like Monty Roberts, say if you asked if horses like feeling comfortable and safe? We think the answer would be an emphatic, “Yes!”
A Monolithic Dome designed as a horse barn or riding arena easily provides comfort, security and a lot more.
Fire: For a traditional wood or metal barn, fire can be catastrophic. It can destroy horses and livestock trapped inside, and the structure, resulting in grave emotional and financial losses.
It does not take much fire to sag and/or collapse a metal or wood structure. But fire cannot sag, collapse or burn the concrete shell of a Monolithic Dome. If the dome were filled with straw, the straw might burn, but the fire could be contained. As for smoke inhalation, proper ventilation can diminish that danger.
Other Natural Disasters: Fire is not the only disaster that can kill horses and destroy structures. Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes…even termites, are a few other unwelcome visitors. A Monolithic Dome is impervious to those dangers and can provide the owners with a personal disaster shelter!
Rapid Wear: Manure acids and urine against the sides of a metal or wood building will quickly remove paint, corrode the metal or rot the wood. Those same destructive components cannot harm the interior concrete walls of a Monolithic Dome.
Comfortable Interior Temperatures: Because a Monolithic Dome inherently evens out temperature fluctuations throughout a day, the environment inside the dome will be far nicer than it is outside, warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer…even without heat or air conditioning.
Competitive Pricing: Traditionally, horse barns and riding arenas have been built without insulation and as inexpensively as possible. In the past, the metal building was far less expensive than a Monolithic Dome, making it difficult for Monolithic to compete. That is no longer the case. Because of the rising cost of metal, the Monolithic Dome is now competitively priced. Then too, a Monolithic Dome is virtually maintenance free and will last for centuries, saving you money during decades of use.
Imagine the Possibilities
Design and planning are critical to an efficient and functional equestrian facility. Monolithic Domes can be designed as small arenas for private use or as large breeding facilities, riding arenas or horse boarding and training centers.
Contact us with your ideas for a rodeo arena, riding arena, barn or any other animal facility. Monolithic will do a Free Evaluation. We welcome a chance to show you what we can do. Monolithic also offers complete Feasibility Studies. So begin your research here by looking through our website. Keep in mind that any of the church or commercial domes you see on our site can be designed to accommodate your equestrian needs.
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Riders workout some horses in a small arena in Idaho.
Artist’s rendering of simple horse stable and riding arena.
Sample layout of small horse stable.
A horse “apartment.” Individual stables like this one could be constructed surrounding an outdoor arena.