>> AERIAL VIEW OF THE NANCY G. HELD EQUESTRIAN CENTER, Albion College, Albion, MI. Thanks to Mark Frever, CSFM for this photo.
when the summer sun is at its most severe northwestern azimuth," Kamrath noted. The facility required two sets of stables: one for equestrian train-
ing and events near the covered facility, and a second set of stables near the polo fields for the polo ponies. Kamrath noted that infra- structure planning was also essential. "In both stables, adequate trailer parking for unloading and loading of the horses was a paramount planning need and we were able to accomplish that goal. This trailer space helped also to de- termine the road master plan for the project. Roads needed to be 28 feet wide for two lanes in order to have adequate trailer maneu- verability as well."
events facility for horses to warm up and exercise prior to events. An additional eight to ten turnout paddocks, a minimum of 50 x 50 feet, were also incorporated. "The stables themselves needed to be 10 x 15 feet for each horse,
The facility also included 'run-out' or exercise space near the
mans as well, Kamrath noted, so on-site apartments of about 20 x 20 feet were provided between both the polo stables and equestrian stables. A central cooking/grill area for the trainers was built in as well. The ancillary sports facilities on the campus—tennis and golf (as well as a clubhouse)—were planned so as to be non-intrusive to the horses, stables and equestrian activities. At its core, however, says Kamrath, planning for a facility has to take into account the needs of the users: in this case, the kind with four legs and a tail. "In general, it is critical that the well-being of the horse and al-
lowing it to reach its full potential should be kept uppermost in mind ," he notes. ■
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have plenty of fresh water available, excellent air circulation and ease of access for both horses, trainers and riders," Kamrath said. Housing was needed not just for equine residents, but for hu-
