Directional Speakers for Equestrian Training & Shows

Cover rings, fields and barns with calm, intelligible audio—without unsettling the horses.

Running commentary, safety messages and timely ring calls are critical at equestrian events, but so is keeping noise controlled around sensitive areas like warm‑up rings and stables. This guide explains how we design outdoor PA that’s clear where you need it and quiet where you don’t, using highly directional 100V horn speakers and smart zoning.

Why horses demand considerate sound

Horses have acute hearing and are quick to startle at unexpected spikes in volume or wide, unfocused noise. The goal at any showground is clarity at modest levels, not brute loudness. That means:

• Keeping announcements easy to understand across open spaces.

• Avoiding spill into quiet zones (stables, horse boxes, veterinary areas).

• Testing levels during schooling, not as competitors enter the ring.

Why 100V directional horns are ideal for showgrounds

100V line (“tannoy”) systems let us run long cable distances and many speakers from central amplifiers—perfect for fields, barns and cross‑country layouts. We pair this with weatherproof, high‑efficiency horn speakers that project speech into a defined area.

Benefits:

• Focused coverage: Aim sound into the ring or collecting area, reducing spill to stables and car parks.

• More speakers, lower level: A distributed approach keeps peaks down while maintaining intelligibility.

• Scalable: Add or remove speakers as rings and trade areas change.

• Weather‑ready: IP‑rated horns and enclosures for British conditions.

Typical set‑ups (from clinics to full showgrounds)

1) Clinics & training days

• Battery‑powered PA (portable column or trolley units).

• Wireless headset or lapel mic for instructors.

• One or two compact horns for a collecting ring if needed.

Use when: you need quick, cable‑free commentary for a single arena or schooling session.

2) Multi‑ring shows (fields + barns)

• Distributed 100V horns around each ring and warm‑up.

• Weatherproof box speakers in barns and covered walkways at gentler levels.

• Central rack with 100V amplifiers, mixer, paging mic and audio ducking for priority messages.

• Wireless handhelds/headsets for commentary and ring stewards.

Use when: you need reliable, ring‑by‑ring announcements without blasting the whole site.

3) Cross‑country & spread‑out courses

• Horn “posts” at marshal points and spectator clusters.

• Optional temporary power or distribution from central gensets.

• Where distances are extreme, consider point‑to‑point radio links or temporary fibre for stable audio.

Zoning: the calm showground advantage

We design systems with zones so the right areas hear the right messages:

• Ring zones: judges’ calls and running orders.

• Collecting ring: clear cues without startling horses.

• Stables & barns: low‑level, calm information and emergency address only.

• Public areas: commentary and wayfinding.

A simple zone controller (or digital mixer) lets commentary staff speak to one ring, several rings, or the whole ground. Priority paging ensures safety messages override background audio.

Noise management and welfare

• Set sensible target levels per zone (rings and public areas modest, stables lower).

• Aim horns away from horse boxes and quiet routes.

• Use more speakers at lower tap settings to avoid hot‑spots.

• Agree quiet hours near lorry parks early/late.

• Do a supervised sound check before the first class.

Example: Two rings + barns in a field

Brief: Announcements must cover two show rings, a warm‑up, and a barn line used for stabling—without carrying into the horse box lane.

Solution:

1. Four compact 100V horns per ring, aimed inward from corners.

2. Two horns for the collecting ring, angled low across the ground, not into stables.

3. Weatherproof box speakers spaced along the barn frontage at gentle taps for calm cues.

4. Zone paging: Ring 1, Ring 2, Collecting, Barns, and “All‑call”.

5. Wireless headsets for commentators; handhelds for stewards.

Outcome: Consistent speech clarity around 65–70 dB in active zones with minimal spill—horses remain settled, and stewards can manage flow cleanly.

What we supply (hire or full production)

• Directional 100V horn speakers (IP‑rated)

• Weatherproof box speakers for barns and walkways

• 100V amplifiers and multi‑zone mixers/controllers

• Wireless handheld and headset microphones

• Battery speakers for clinics or remote spots

• Cables, stands, rigging and on‑site engineers

We’ll survey your site map, propose zones, specify speaker counts/tap settings, and handle install/derig. Short or long‑term hire available.

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