Building A Quality Equestrian Arena - Are There Shortcuts?
What is a Quality Arena?
We reckon it's year round, all weather, no pooling, no dust, no stones coming through and a safe surface to give your horse confidence and to avoid injuries.
There’s a lot more to equestrian arena construction than “hiring a man with a digger.”
We often hear people say "I'm just going to throw some sand on the ground" or "I've got a mate and he reckons we can just......"
Sadly this approach is unlikely to deliver an acceptable result. With Arenas you get what you pay for, so let's look at the crucial factors in Arena Building.
Here is a typical enquiry received by Equine Trader for one of our Arena Experts in 2013:
Subject: initial base construction
Enquiry: water pooling in my unfinished horse arena.
Earthwork done by a local excavator not done to satisfactory standard, lots of pooling in the arena water not able to run off.
Need help please.
So, what is the key to building a quality horse arena, especially an all weather equestrian arena?
A quality horse arena drains well, has a surface that performs well for horse and rider, spits up no stones, gives off minimal dust, doesn’t pool water or get soggy and is built to last.
Sounds straightforward doesn’t it. But it isn’t quite that easy. Building a quality arena takes real expertise.
We have put together this information after hearing many tales of arenas successes and some tales of expensive disasters especially with drainage problems, water pooling and surface failure. Unfortunately shortcuts can turn out to be expensive and cheap solutions can end up costing more in the long run when they have to be fixed.
Horse Arena Site Selection
A primary aim in site selection is natural drainage. You want to keep water away from the site.
Although just about any location is possible, ideally you should choose a site with natural drainage which can be achieved if the site is slightly more elevated than the surrounding terrain. If this isn’t possible, your budget will need to allow for the cost of creating the necessary drainage.
A steep site will require excavation, cutting and filling, all of which add to the cost.
Truck access during construction is important. Common difficulties with access include low branches and power lines and it’s essential to make sure that any bridges, culverts and stream crossings can support the weight of heavy vehicles. You will save on freight costs if larger trucks can access your site.
Arena Drainage
It rains a lot here in NZ and the water that lands on your arena has to be able to drain away.
Adequate drainage is the only way to avoid surface pooling. Regardless of the surface material, if water has nowhere to go there will be pooling. Well drained surfaces last longer and give both horse and rider a superior experience.
The drainage plan will depend on the site location, rainfall, soil type, slope and the surrounding terrain and environment.
Arena surfaces should be slightly cambered to allow water to drain away. Getting the angles right over such a large area requires the right technology, typically lasers.
Many arenas have perimeter drains. These require a little maintenance to ensure their continued performance. Keep them clear of weeds and vegetation.
Base Preparation - Your arena will only be as good as its base
Base excavation and preparation is crucial.
The site needs to be cleared of all vegetation, topsoil and organic matter. Occasionally a spring will be revealed during excavation and this will need to be drained away. It’s ideal to get down to solid clay as the base.
Equestrian arenas should be built like road bases with a solid metal base. This provides the stable platform for the surface to sit on and for the horse to work on. Arenas require at least 300 mm of metal below the surface layer. There are recommended maximums and minimums for each layer of material to ensure drainage and a safe ride-able surface.
Surface Materials For Equestrian Arenas
The surface layer offers traction and a degree of cushioning.
Surface layers need to be free draining and might be sand, rubber or Cushionride, a wood based product. With sand use at least 50 to 60 mm of sand for a dressage arena and at least 70 to 80 mm for a jumping arena. Rubber can be added to sand to reduce dust and to cushion impact on horses. See our listings of various kinds of arena surface material that is available in NZ.
Some arenas are built with several different layers such as base metal, limestone, fine rock and then the surface.
The surface material must be free of rocks and sand must be free of silt and clay as clay will compact, reduce drainage and produce large amounts of dust. Choose sand that is free from pumice as pumice creates dust which is a health issue for horse and rider and makes a mess in the surrounding area.
Dimensions
40 meters by 20 meters is a common size for a horse arena. An Olympic size arena is 60 by 20.
Jumping arenas can be anything from 40 by 30 up to 100 by 100.
Perimeter Fencing For Horse Arenas
If you have a steep site you might opt for 1.2 metre high post and rail for safety. It’s common to have a 200 mm perimeter board or maybe post and rail at around 550 mm. Make sure that perimeter fencing or boards don’t stop water from flowing away.
Care and maintenance
It’s a good idea not to ride on your arena immediately after heavy rain as you can damage base layer and cause rock and other material to move up to the surface.
Some maintenance of a sand surface is necessary to redistribute the sand evenly over the surface.
Well used spots can become compacted and require attention. In time some of the surface material will be lost and will need to be topped up.
More Info On Equestrian Arenas, Dressage Arenas, Showjumping Arenas, Round Yards and Round Pens
· Equestrian Arena Design and Construction Specialists
· Horse arena surface options
· Equestrian Arena Mirrors
· Horse arena lighting
· Arena repairs and maintenance
www.equinetrader.co.nz acknowledges the following expert sources for their knowledge and comments on building horse arenas.
Ron Bank of Premier Horse Arenas
Carl Packer from Liberty Equestrian Arenas
Ted Edwards from Cushionride
Clare and Rick from McCallum Bros EQ Arena Sand
Images courtesy of Premier Horse Arenas