On The Living Horse:The Fargo Equine Hospital & Education Center

Site Region

The site is on 19th Avenue North between North Dakota State University and the North Dakota Horse Park. The building’s location will allow it to be used by students at NDSU, area professionals, and amateur horse owners. Collaboration between these groups will promote equine knowledge in North Dakota.

Site Context

I-29

19th Ave. N

15th Ave. N

Dakota

Dr. N

45th

St.

N

ND Horse Park

ND State University

12th Ave. N

7 14 11 22

10

M19

16

22

11

1717

16 8 9

Section A - East to West Section B - North to South

ArenaRound

Pen

Pasture

Pasture Pasture

Euthanasia

Storage

19th Ave. N

Dak

ota

Dr.

N

1

23

4 45

6

S

S

7

7

8

9

15

16

16

16 16

M

SS

S

12

13

S

10

11

14

First Floor - 1/16” = 1’

A

B

C C

J

1. Reception2. On-Call Living3. Staff Break4. Vet Office5. Records6. Hands-On Classroom7. Exam8. Trot-Up Hallway9. Weigh In10. Pharmacy11. Surgery12. Scrub-Up13. Anaesthesia/Recovery

15. Isolation Stable16. Stable17. Lounge/Reading18. Kitchen19. Seminar20. Meeting21. Equipment Library22. Surgery Observation

M. MechanicalC. Mechanical ChaseJ. JanitorialS. Storage

1717

181920

21

MS19

22

B

Second Floor - 1/16” = 1’

C C

J

A

The role they [horses] have played in human societies since they were domesticated… has been so crucial that it is no exaggeration to say that the development of nations and cultures would have been quite different had they not existed. -Catherine Johns

“

“Horses began as near-mythical creatures, something which ancient people regarded with respect. As time went on - particularly during the Industrial Revolution - people began to equate horses with machinery. Today, horses are everything from a child’s backyard pony to a million dollar investment, and their care has advanced to a specialized science. Yet horse care and training are still arts which can only be mastered through experience.

The Fargo Equine Hospital and Education Center is an equine veterinary hospital and learning center which is intended to help make the connection between humans and horses clearer by using hands-on experience. The philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer described health as a kind of equilibrium, and said that healthcare should be a balancing act between art and science. That act is played out in the building as students, professionals, and enthusiasts learn more about the art and science of horse care.

The project is meant to provide healthcare to area horses and to the greater ND/MN horse population, but it is also a place for people both with and without experience to learn more about horses, their care and training. The building will serve the NDSU Equine Science and Veterinary Technology programs, the North Dakota Horse Park, and various area horse clubs and associations. A variety of indoor spaces provide for small and large group gatherings as well as clinical and educational work, while outdoor spaces serve small horse training clinics and shows.

1917

118

1716

Site Plan

Inpatient HousingDetecting Hoof Injuries

Views from Upper Level

Surgery and Observation

Upper Level Display AreaMeeting and Seminar Rooms Combined for Large Gatherings

Fargo Equine HospitalViewed from the Southeast

The building’s structure frames the activities inside. Similarly, horse equipment - called tack - helps riders teach horses to move in a good frame - the posture which is most effective for horses carrying a rider.

Glulam Roof Truss Glulam Beam and Column Connection

Good building structure provides a safe, effective frame for building use, while good riding form provides for healthy, beautiful equine movement.