Pure elegance on two levels
Modern breeding and dressage facility in harmony with nature
Not every riding facility is capable of impressing the experienced eye – but the Wolfshoeve training centre undoubtedly can.
This ultra-modern riding facility has an imposing design with two levels, making intelligent use of the natural gradient. The van der Horst family, who have been riding enthusiasts for decades, have created a monument here in Noord Brabant to sophisticated architecture – and at the same time a refuge for people and horses. Breeding, training and riding competitions in harmony with the natural features of the landscape – this is "Wolfshoeve".
Not only the two-storey concept of the facility, which connects the indoor riding arena and the stables by means of a ramp, is memorable. While the horse stalls are located on the lower level, the indoor riding arena extends several metres above them, creating a particularly striking overall effect. The special form of the indoor riding arena is also a feature of the general design. With its L-shape, the arena has both space for the competitions and a warm-up area – or for two training sessions at the same time. From the adjoining restaurant you can enjoy your lunch with a marvellous view of the horses on the track.
"My grandmother bought this facility many years ago," recalls Dominique D'Hoore-van der Horst, who is a successful dressage rider up to international Grand Prix level. "Eventually we were offered the chance to acquire the neighbouring riding school and create an entire training centre. Here we were able to make our dreams come true – my husband and I live together with my parents and our children, we combine breeding with sport, can organise competitions and offer training sessions."
For the horse stalls the family chose the galvanised fronts of the Röwer & Rüb Hamburg model. Each stall is also equipped with a rotating trough and a medicine cabinet for stowing equipment. "We are very down-to-earth people. Everything had to be practical and easy to maintain," says D'Hoore-van der Horst.
"Of course we wanted everything to look appealing, but a facility like ours still has to look good years later. Röwer & Rüb helped us with our decisions in this respect."
The result? A versatile facility that fulfils all requirements. Partitions can be pulled out of the wall to separate private areas and provide orientation for training guests. The children's pony Beatrix was given her own specially designed pony stall. And the horse stalls are designed to master the challenges of everyday life and make it easy to feed the horses, muck out the stables and also store equipment. Barn doors, doors and windows "made in Germany" by Röwer & Rüb have the fine details that accentuate the attractive overall style. And if you want a change from the daily training routine, you can enjoy the Noord-Brabant countryside on a horseback ride through the extensive forests that surround the facility.
"It wasn't easy to find a partner who would be an ideal match for this project," Dominique D'Hoore-van der Horst remembers. "In some cases the length of the stalls varies by a centimetre here or there. We were looking for someone who not only had a lot of experience, but was also just as much a perfectionist as we are and who had similarly high standards as ours. Röwer & Rüb was the perfect choice." Dominique D'Hoore-van der Horst adds that her family is very happy with the result and the facility in its current form.
"Wolfshoeve is our home. And it has become everything we always wanted it to be."
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