It would appear that horse power is on the increase in and around the town of Pinoso in the province of Valencia, and I don’t mean the internal combustion engine variety, but gee gees, good old Mr. Ed and pals. ‘Neigh, surely not,’ I hear you say, ‘the Spanish love their cars too much, don’t they?’ Yes they do, but Spain has a long standing reputation par-excellence for equestrian pursuits, at both professional and amateur levels. And it appears to have rubbed off on the ex-patriot community as increasing numbers have taken the bit and are keeping horses of their own. Wooden ranch fencing, lunging rings and timber stables are springing up all over.
It’s not uncommon now to see people coming to town on horseback, or sitting in a horse drawn buggy clip clopping down the high street. It’s nice, quaint and very good for the roses, if you’ve a shovel handy. A few of the new stables have been constructed with bricks and mortar, but the ones that attract attention (for the right reasons) are those built from wood. Concrete and blocks are an all too familiar sight in modern Spain so it’s good to see timber being used instead.
Seeing the combination of wooden ranch fencing with a gate and a wooden stable close-by rests easy on the eye, they blend perfectly together into the surrounding countryside – their appearance comes over as homely, established, part of the scenery. The Spanish had an aversion to using timber because traditional houses and outbuildings used untreated lumber cut straight from surrounding areas. Invariably, the local, wood chewing insects came attached, or imbedded. Over time the beams and timber supports became riddled with holes and eventually collapsed. Today, thankfully, good quality wood is treated against everything that chews and the worst the elements can throw at it, so this old fear is being laid to rest at last.
If you are considering keeping a horse or two in the near future then consult a professional carpenter to build a wooden stable. Wood offers excellent insulation in winter and summer but doesn’t retain heat like concrete blocks; therefore, the horse gets a comfortable night in a wooden stable as the ambient temperature drops, as opposed to being in the middle of a giant storage heater. Woodworks Direct, equidistant from Yecla, Jumilla and Fortuna, will construct a superior quality wooden stable from fully treated timber, and at a price that won’t shock. Give your potential four-legged friends a treat and think wood. Don’t saddle them with second best.
