Alte Eichen equestrian centre 

The Fryen family has built an exclusive riding facility for dressage and show jumping riders in Kirchlinteln-Armsen in the district of Verden in the middle of Lower Saxony. The bright indoor riding arena, the spacious stables, the large outdoor arena, the nearby paddocks and the extensive grounds offer ideal conditions for horses and their riders. The project was supervised by our employee Lars Cordes.

The family-run equestrian centre is characterised by its spaciousness, light-flooded buildings and its idyllic rural surroundings. The first horses moved into the centre in 2017. 

The whole Fryen family are true horse enthusiasts. Dr Gisela Fryen grew up with horses and was a successful dressage rider. Her husband, Dr Andreas Fryen, loves to ride in the open countryside and also in a carriage. They support their children Anneke and Felix, who are also keen equestrians. Anneke is successful in advanced level dressage and is currently training with Birgit Finken. Felix was already able to celebrate successes as a show jumper up to medium level.

Great importance was attached to sustainability throughout the entire property. A photovoltaic system with 19 KW battery makes the system CO2 neutral. The farmhouse, which is used as a residential building, is connected to the local heating network of the biogas plant in Armsen, where in return the horse manure is delivered for energy production. The water for the irrigation systems for the ground in the indoor and outdoor arenas comes from large rainwater cisterns. The focus on sustainability continues through to the horse stalls which are made of bamboo wood instead of tropical wood.

Visitors to the Alte Eichen riding facility can look forward to an exclusive, individual riding experience. There are 16 large Röwer & Rüb Hamburg horse stalls, all with their own paddocks and a window to the stable passageway. The large air space with constant ventilation through Spaceboard structural panels creates an excellent indoor climate. A washing station with hot and cold water is installed. The riders’ room is heated, equipped with Wi-Fi and has a view of the riding arena. The tack room is also heated and equipped with an alarm system, and the stalls are equipped with surveillance cameras.

The 40 x 20 metre indoor riding arena is also airy and flooded with light and equipped with daylight LED lighting and a 20 metre mirror on the short side. The larch wood used in the arena always provides a pleasant microclimate. The indoor arena has an irrigation system to ensure the optimum condition of the sandy ground.

In the hallway there are also four stalls for ponies - made from the Amsterdam horse stall model with its open styling. The barn door to the pony stable is a Röwer & Rüb custom-made prototype. It looks inviting and blends perfectly into the idyllic rural ambience and matches the classic architecture of the barn. Horse-friendly accommodation and management are naturally a matter of course. Every day small groups of horses are taken to the directly adjacent paddock equipped with a professional pasture fence system or to other paddocks that are within walking distance.

In winter there are three large winter paddocks with well-tended sandy ground directly next to the facility. The 44 x 22 meter indoor arena with its sandy floor is available to riders all year round. It has an automatic irrigation system and a drainage system. A jumping course is also available. The equestrian centre is surrounded by extensive, scenic countryside, which is ideal for enjoyable, long rides. The estate of the Fryen family is has very good transport connections and can be reached within a few minutes from the district town of Verden.