Equestrian consultancy and stable design

Kubik Project Management and Coaching is specialized in niche offerings involving horses, including equestrian consultancy, stable design and working with different corporate clients. 
My passion is to develop and create sustainable ecosystems where people and horse alike can live happy and in harmony.

I offer stable design and project consulting for new and existing horse stables and related equestrian facilities in the United Arab Emirates and wider Middle East with the goal to make small steps towards improving animal welfare whilst at the same time keeping in mind feasibility. I provide expert advice and guidance to clients who are looking to build or renovate their horse stables or barns.

Over the past 17 years I have worked with many different equestrian stables in this region - from large clubs to small private farms or stables.
And I have of course been to many stables in other countries too, from South America where I started riding, to Germany where I have been part of the first stables going innovative ways, to more unknown places like Kazakhstan which have very modern architecture.

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My main goal when working as consultant is to ensure we fully understand the target audience who will be using the facility, their needs and potential revenue fields. We need to keep in mind the surroundings, climate and topography, and work closely with the end client to ensure they are aware of all the possibilities.

I always like to think of multiple usages of the facilities - the field of working with horses in the equestrian world is rapidly changing.
New modalities and ways of making income are constantly evolving - I am myself part of these innovative schools. 

It is important to give the client an overview of all the options and possibilities to ensure long term success for the equestrian facility.

Stable design "out of the box"

Overall, my main role as stable design consultant is ensuring the health and wellbeing of horses by creating safe, comfortable, and functional living spaces for them.
For this, it is important to understand their basic needs.
Horses are social animals living in herds and family structures.
They have 3 main needs, also known as the 3F:

• Freedom
• Friends
• Forage

In nature, horses are constantly moving in small steps, grazing all day long. There are numerous studies all around the world highlighting the importance of keeping horses moving as a necessity for their bodies to function properly. A stable design has to take into consideration options for horses to move as free as possible. 

Integrating horses into urban lifestyle

Even if in urban areas the plot sizes are limited, we can still find ways to give freedom to a certain extend to our domesticated horses.

With a bit of an open mind, it is rather easy to develop so called "paddock paradise" concepts that are long stretched paddocks, often with bends and turns, which allow for long distances to be covered and larger groups of horses to be scattered, without needing to have huge land available.

This can be perfectly integrated around buildings, along walking paths of humans, or just any unused land. We don't have to think only about big empty square areas.

For all the benefits and details of a paddock paradise concept, visit the website of Jaime Jackson, the "inventor" of this concept which is a copy of horse behavior in the wild: www.paddockparadise.net
I am happy to sit with your team and think of creative ways of using the available land to improve horse welfare in the UAE, without stretching budgets. 

Friends - horses as herd animals

Horses are social herd animals and need contact to other horses in order to remain safe.
Contact should not be reduced to only seeing or smelling each other - they also need to be able to play, run and interact with each other to maintain socials skills, very important especially if we want to use them in riding schools, with children etc.

A horse without proper social skills, with bad manners and no empathy is dangerous for humans. 
I always say, it is better they get a lesson from someone their own size and weight if they misbehave, because as humans we cannot take that role!

A stable design should offer enough areas for horses to socialize, even during the warmer months we have here.

Forage

Horses need forage as a source of nutrition and fiber in their diet. Forage is typically made up of plant materials such as hay or pasture grasses, and provides important nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and vitamins.

The fiber content in forage is also essential for a horse's digestive system, as it helps maintain proper gut health and prevents issues like colic and digestive upset.
Horses have evolved to graze on grasses and other vegetation for the majority of their diet, so forage is a natural and important part of their nutritional needs.

In addition to providing essential nutrition, forage also helps to keep horses occupied and mentally stimulated. Grazing and browsing on forage can help to prevent boredom and reduce the risk of behavioral problems that can develop when horses are kept in stables for extended periods of time.

Even though it is very difficult to grow and keep grass arenas in the desert, we can try and find other ways to stimulate horses to regularly eat small quantities of hay whilst moving, like hay nets on a track system.