ONE of Ireland’s leading sport horse producers believes an innovative polycarbonate daylight roofing system installed at its Templepatrick stables is leading to significant improvements in the well-being of its horses and the operation of its business.
Glenpatrick Sport Horses, which has stables in Northern Ireland and Belgium, installed ground-breaking roofing Marlon CST materials created by Mallusk-based manufacturer Brett Martin at its local facility and says that it has already produced significant results.
As well as reducing electricity bills, the company says the product has led to horses being happier, healthier and better performing, as a result of the more natural conditions created.
The new material contains special pigments that allow much higher levels of daylight to enter the stable building whilst blocking heat build-up. This means that an entire roof can be made from the sheets, providing daylight on a scale that has never been possible before without overheating.
The product has been used extensively in the dairy sector where farmers are reporting improvements in animal health, milk yields and fertility.
And such have been the results that word has spread to the equine sector where businesses are now installing it in their facilities.
Glenpatrick Sport Horses, established in 2014, specialises in the production and sale of horses competing at a high level.
It produces young, healthy horses at its Northern Ireland stables which are then transported to its stables in Belgium, ready to start their international career.
Glenpatrick Sport Horses owner Britt Megahey said: “Our investment in Brett Martin’s Marlon CST Heatguard product has without a doubt made a huge difference to our horses.
“We pride ourselves on producing young horses who will go on to have long and healthy careers in show-jumping and horse-racing. Brett Martin have been fantastic to work with and since we installed the product, we have noticed a definite positive impact in the wellbeing of our horses and on their performance.
“As a business, our electricity bills are also considerably less, and we are saving a lot of money as a result. We would recommend this to anyone in the equestrian sector.”
Brett Martin manufactures polycarbonate roofing for a wide range of commercial uses and is perhaps better known for providing roofing for sports stadia such as Manchester City’s The Etihad, Manchester United’s Old Trafford and Everton’s new stadium on Merseyside.
But their products have increasingly been making an impact in the agricultural and now equestrian sector where they have been described as a game-changer for many businesses.
Chris Chambers, technical sales manager at Brett Martin, said: “Animals such as cows and horses fare much better with natural daylight and in a cool environment.
“Traditionally, farm and equestrian building design has limited the amount of natural daylight entering through the roof because of issues with excessive heat gain which raises the temperature inside the building.”
Employing over 1,000 people and with sales of £220 million, Brett Martin (www.brettmartin.com) is one of Europe’s largest plastic sheet producers.
