The calm. That is the very first thing you notice about José van Haaren’s stables. She started Stable de Mortelhoeve at this location in Oirschot four years ago. All horses are in spacious stables and can look down the aisle. Most are snoozing relaxed, others are grazing in the meadows.
Stal de Mortelhoeve
Stable Golf
In the stables of the Mortelhoeve, you can see the Golf from VDO Horststables. A model stable with solid front walls with sliding doors
Gek van paarden en pony’s
José van Haaren has been crazy about horses since childhood. Just like her father, yet horse riding was not something she was brought up on. To get where she is today, she had to work hard. At home, they had horses. Big horses. Not ponies. That is why, as a young girl, José went to see everyone in the neighbourhood who had ponies. She would then ask if she might be allowed to groom and ride the ponies. After saving up for a long time, José bought her first pony at the age of 14.
Horse must be able to be horse
A clean stable every day and playing outside with horse friends as much as possible. That is what José considers important in her management. As is consistent but friendly training and daily individual attention. José loves all the horses in the stable and explains: “We often ask a lot of the horses while riding. For example, when we prepare them for the IBOP. Then the young horses really have to work. On the other hand, we take good care of the horses. For example, they regularly get a pat on the head here and are allowed to play outside a lot.” At the Mortelhoeve stable, you can go for training and schooling your horse. José also gives lessons.
Construction of own horse stables
José has rented stables at several places. Now she has her own place. That was first a pigsty. And turning it into a horse stable was a tough job, but the result is worth it. In the layout, José chose to make the aisles extra wide, put two separate stalls in the middle and the tack room behind them, also in the middle. In extreme weather conditions or unexpected injuries, you can walk long straight lines in the stable building. And if you need extra storage, the middle two stalls can be removed as they are not cast in concrete.
José's choices
If you work with many different horses, it is wise to consider any risks. Many horses that José rides are still young and have just come out of rearing. Then it is quite exciting to be in a stable. This is why the Mortelhoeve deliberately chose concrete side walls and high front walls with hatches in the bars of the sliding door. The considerations at a glance:
- High front walls with hatches in the sliding doors
- Concrete side walls
- Round openings at the feed troughs in the bars
- Extra-wide aisles
Stables Golf
The stables we built for José van Haaren are of our Golf model. We built these stables between concrete side walls with extra-high front walls Customisation is always possible and there is a lot to choose from with each model.
Do you already have an idea of how you want your stables to be built? We like to think along with you. Click through below to the Golf stables, which are also at the Mortelhoeve stables, and view the possibilities.
