Dressage arena

Gwandalan Stables

Location Scone, NSW
Shed size 66m x 20m x 5m
Shed colour Pale Eucalypt

About

Located in Scone, NSW, Gwandalan Stables is a purpose-built equestrian facility designed to support high-performance dressage training in all seasons. The property also supports a large-scale dairy operation, run by Robyne Smith and her family since 1990. Central to their operations development has been investing in the right infrastructure.

At the heart of the property is a fully covered arena, designed and manufactured by ABC Sheds, that delivers protection from the elements without compromising airflow, functionality, or comfort for horses and riders.

Dressage arena by ABC Sheds

The Challenge

For over a decade, Gwandalan Stables operated with an outdoor arena that, while functional, limited training during hot, wet, or frosty weather. The goal was to upgrade to a fully covered arena that offered year-round usability and shelter from the elements with natural ventilation and an integrated horse stable and access areas.

The project demanded a shed design that could balance durability with refinement, and offer enough flexibility to adapt to emerging needs as the build progressed.

The Solution

ABC Sheds worked closely with Gwandalan Stables to deliver a custom-built structure tailored to the needs of a working equestrian property. The core of the build was a 60m x 20m covered arena with an additional bay to allow for dry access during wet weather. An 8m-wide skillion off the side of the arena was added to house a fully enclosed horse stable. 

Some design changes were requested throughout the build, such as adding a large sliding door to the southern end to improve airflow and installing a roller door at the rear of the stable section to enable direct access to the muck heap. These adjustments resulted in an arena that not only met the original vision but exceeded expectations in terms of comfort, access, and long-term usability.

This dressage arena is a key piece of infrastructure that supports day-to-day training, lessons, and horse care in a region where weather conditions can be unpredictable.

Dressage arena for Gwandalan Stables by ABC Sheds
Gwandalan Stables dressage arena by ABC Sheds

Shed Features

✓ 5 bays at 8 metres each

✓ 8m skillion off the side of the arena includes a breezeway and several 5m x 6m stables

✓ Large sliding door to the south and an open northern end support natural airflow

✓ Rear roller door

✓ Roof insulation

✓ Integrated rainwater collection from arena roof

✓ Pale Eucalypt COLORBOND® cladding

Hear from the client about the process

Customer testimonial

"They [ABC Sheds] were fantastic; really efficient. The shed for the dressage arena was built in 10 days! We really needed a door at the end, so that we could put the manure pile out the back and not have to walk too far. ABC Sheds just said, ‘Let’s put a roller door in there, so you can just lift it up and go out when you need to, and then close it up when it’s bad weather.” 

- Robyne Smith, dressage rider, trainer and coach, and owner of Gwandalan Stables

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