Imagine riding inside but feeling like you and your horse are in the great wide open. Canadian company WeCover Structures Inc. can offer you that and much more with custom-designed and built indoor arenas, featuring its innovative free-span fabric-panel and steel-truss roof system.
“It’s the natural light that makes the structures a hit,” says WeCover president and co-owner John Weaver, from the company main offices in Thamesville, Ontario. Established in 2000, the company initially started selling to the agricultural market, primarily for animal housing. But soon after, equestrians began knocking on WeCover’s doors. They wanted the structures for indoor arenas.
“When you’re inside a WeCover arena, the roof literally blends in with the skyline. Horses love it,” says Tricia Kraybill, a WeCover design specialist and rider herself. The buildings are bright, quiet and offer excellent ventilation – distinct benefits during Canada’s long winters. Plus, a shade effect ensures the temperature remains comfortable on warmer days.
The fabric panels of WeCover indoor arenas bring in so much natural light it feels like you’re riding outdoors. Clients also find they save on electricity.
The steel frame is hot-dip galvanized to protect against corrosion. And, says Tricia, the side columns are vertical with no taper, providing riders with full use of the interior footprint. As for the translucent roof, she explains, “The fabric is applied in panels in a 12 or 16-foot span between the trusses and tensioned at the top and bottom, so you’re not getting any flapping or movement at all, which helps keep your horse’s attention.” The short distance provides structural integrity, especially when it comes to upholding snow loads and withstanding wind.
Equestrians are also particularly drawn to WeCover buildings for their external traditional aesthetic. The peaked roofline and external walls, which can be clad in any type of siding, blend with the architecture of existing barns and structures. Every building is designed per the customer’s unique specifications, whether they need just an indoor arena, a barn or combination of both. The possibilities are endless.
As well as the indoor benefits, equestrians appreciate the external aesthetics of WeCover structures, including the peaked roofline and the freedom to choose any type of cladding on the outer walls. The custom-designed buildings tie in perfectly with any style of existing architecture.
All WeCover designs are in-house engineered to ensure plans and drawings exceed local building codes. Construction is undertaken by a national network of approved contractors or WeCover will work with the client’s builder.
The company offers a 25-year, pro-rated warranty on the steel frame and a 15-year, pro-rated warranty on the fabric.
For testimonials, design plans and structural information, visit WeCover’s website at wecover.net.
