Question about the Olympic stabling

[Fools Motto]

I have just found out the stabling like the arena is on a raised platform. I do understand why, but
What happens to the horse wee? Does it seep through the floor? (thus 'contaminating??' the grass)??
How can a raised platform be sturdy enough for X number of moving horses?

Still, I'm sure it is a tired and approved aspect of the equestrian disciplines and whats more, really looking forward to going.

 

[kerilli]

i'd imagine it's actually to save the grass from damage.
at one Olympics (might have been in the States, i can't remember, saw the pictures though) they had double-decker stabling, literally one set of stables above the other, and that worked fine apparently. i bet they'll have the floors totally sealed so nothing can leak out, with careful and specific draining (that can be disinfected, rinsed etc) since different top-class horses will be in the same stables as 1 discipline follows the next...
i've been told by a reliable source that the whole site is having money spent on it 'like water' so i think it'll be extremely impressive. in an ephemeral way...

 

[only_me]

Does anyone know what size the stables will be?
I've always wondered if they use the portable stables that are about 10x10 (some 12x10) for them, or have of a different standard?

 

[Fools Motto]

I know they are bigger than 10x12 (Carl Hester says they can accomodate the biggest horses very comfortably) so going on his say so, I'd guess they were more of the 15 x 12 possibly??

 

[kerilli]

I know they are bigger than 10x12 (Carl Hester says they can accomodate the biggest horses very comfortably) so going on his say so, I'd guess they were more of the 15 x 12 possibly??

That's really good to hear.
10' x 10' temporary stables drive me crackers. had to put my top mare in 1 once that i measured at far less than 10' x 10'. Ridiculous, luckily she was fairly small and careful!
Had a friend whose good horse put all 4 feet through a temporary stable wall at a 3 day, before the dressage, that was him straight out of the competition. It amazes me that everyone usually has to put up with such tiny stables for their horses!

 

[only_me]

That's good! I also hate the very small temp stables - which is why I love tattersalls so much as is all permanent stabling!

 

[abbijay]

They will have designed the floors to take the horses, grooms, etc. including the movement that they can generate within the buildings. Even though it will be temporary building it will have had to have a full structural design to ensure it can cope with it as it will be housing millions of pounds of very precious cargo.
The stables in Beijing were 3.6m2 which is about 11'10" square so I would expect similar in London.

 

[Karran]

If it helps here are two pictures I took of the stabling for that appeared for the test event

 

[snoopyinfrance]

I think it was Beijing where the stabling was double tiered. they didn't have much ground space. Apologies if I'm wrong......

I'll also ask Stephen what size the stables are and why they're raised. He's busy so don't hold your breath! He's a little pre-occupied with organising....