Horse stables in Chester County have become more functional – and better looking – than ever before, thanks to firms like West Chester-based Archer & Buchanan Architecture, writes Roger Morris for The Hunt magazine.

Still, the simple pole variety remains the most common style in a county with more than 10,000 horses, or around one for every 50 residents.

“To be truthful, the basic look of stables hasn’t really changed that much in recent years,” said Richard Buchanan, of Archer & Buchanan. “At the same time, owners are looking for ways to make barns better for the horses.”

The minimum number of stalls for their clients’ barns is four, but the average is six to eight. And while some larger European operations have tried to automatize stall cleaning, the firm does not recommend it.

“You’re probably better off just using a pitchfork and a wheelbarrow,” said Buchanan.

To make stalls easier for manual cleaning, the firm uses industrial-strength rubberized mats that make stalls more comfortable for horses and muckers.

Other improvements include motion-activated wireless cameras, smoke detectors, and attached apartments for owners or hired hands.

Read more about Chester County’s horse stables in The Hunt magazine here.

[uam_ad id=”80503″]

.

[uam_ad id=”80502″]