A riding arena...wouldn't we all love one of those?

RIDING ARENA LINKS
Key Elements To Note Before Building A Riding Arena
Riding Arena Sizes And Diagrams
Riding Arena Surface Options
Why You Need A Riding Arena Membrane
Riding Arena Footing Material Selection And Management
Is Riding Arena Drainage Really Necessary?



You want a riding arena, but can’t afford one?...I know that feeling well!!! However, if you have a relatively level area in a paddock, you can do what I have done. I measured an area 20m x 40m and laid half round fence rails on the ground and then painted them white (so they look like dressage boards, although mine need a re-paint!). OK, so it’s not an all weather surface, but at least it allows me to school my horse and practice for dressage competitions, within a £50 budget! A slightly more expensive option is to do the same thing using drain pipes. As you can see from the pictures, you don't need to have poles or boards around the whole area. I've just got poles at the corners and at either long side, in the middle. This is actually helpful, to teach horses to go straight without hugging the rails, as often at competitions, the boards aren't continuous either! Of course you can also add to help you to practice dressage tests.

The next level up the price scale for an immediate arena consists of interlocking plastic components. These are white plastic rails which are easy to fit together,are portable, look very smart and are used professionally at competitions. They are around £1000 which is quite expensive, but still cheaper than building a manege.

However, some people understandably would still prefer an all weather surface and the cheapest option here would be to build a DIY arena. There are companies out there that supply kits and advice on self-build arenas, as well as books and articles to help people to understand the process and the relative likely cost. (For a simple check list look at KEY ELEMENTS TO BUILDING AN ARENA). In general, a DIY arena could cost you from £10,000 upwards and this depends on how much work you are prepared (or able to do) and what type of surface you require. An arena can usually be built for you at a cost of around £25,000 plus. There are many surfaces available from basic sand and bark to specialist rubber and material fibre surfaces. The surface you choose will probably depend on your budget and I'm afraid you simply have to contact suppliers to get information and several quotes to make a decision as to which surface is best for you.

The cost of an arena depends on various factors, including type of materials and costs of transporting them, the type and size of arena you build and the location of the arena (including the position of the arena within your land and the type of land you have.

For a check list, look at the KEY ELEMENTS TO BUILDING AN ARENA.