So, you have a good sized plot of land, or access to a field, or are a farmer or landowner and love horses and horse riding, or maybe you’re even thinking of starting your own riding school. If so, you may be thinking of building your own horse arena. But where to start?
The first thing to accept is that building your own horse riding arena is no easy undertaking. It is something you need to plan and consider very carefully, after all, whichever way you do it, it will represent a major investment, not just in money but in time too, and mistakes could add to costs exponentially.
You need to be very clear about exactly what you want to achieve – its size, its utility and you also need to consider the suitability of the piece of land you have allocated to its use as a horse riding arena.
Site Selection & Drainage
Firstly, you need to understand fully the type of land you wish to erect your horse riding arena on. Does the soil layer have a clay, shingle, sand, or limestone base? Each will have an effect on water drainage which, given the UK’s weather, will be key to ensuring your riding arena remains operational right throughout the year.
After all, water that is allowed to pool will create unwelcome soft, boggy patches. It also affects ride quality, and will ultimately lead to failure of the surface you choose for your arena, creating a sludge and ruining your investment in whatever surface you provide for the actual riding area of your arena.
Whatever type of soil, you will need to consider drainage carefully before you start work on your arena. In terms of drainage there are two major factors to consider. Firstly, you need to ensure your chosen land has a gentle fall either naturally or through your groundworks. This means that any water that falls will naturally move away from the riding arena. An easy and common way to achieve this is to raise an area to the centre of the arena – a crown, and then construct drains that run along each side of the arena to collect the water that falls through the porous top surface of your arena and runs along the compacted material underneath to be carried away. This sounds simple, in theory, but a lot depends on the rainfall, the soil type, and the natural lie of the surrounding land. If you are able to utilise high ground, all the better, as much of the job will then be done for you.
A good idea is to speak to riding schools or stables in your vicinity to discover what methods they have used for drainage and discover their understanding of the type of land in your area.
Another option is to construct a series of herringbone drains across the arena to trap water throughout and carry it away. The drains will need to be positioned carefully in a sublayer that remains reasonably porous when compacted. There are also a number of geotextile membranes that can be used to cover any drains, acting as a filter to prevent other materials used in the arena’s construction entering the drainage system and help keep the integrity of the arena area and its different layers.
Depending on which route you follow, you will invariably generate a large quantity of excavated topsoil which you will need to consider re-purposing on your own land or face the expense of its removal.
A Suitable Base
Believe it or not, construction of your base is undoubtedly the most important aspect of your build. The base provides support for your area’s top layer and if not up to the job can ruin your arena surface. A good base material is twice washed, recycled stone. This provides a really robust surface when compacted evenly. This type of stone is also more environmentally friendly than alternatives. Just above the base it is wise to lay a top membrane that will keep the compacted stone of the base layer from rising and compromising the top surface of your arena. For this you can use a fine aggregate or a non-woven membrane.
Then there’s the top layer of your arena, the surface of which will provide horses with the required grip and cushioning for successful riding. It’s always worth considering the force that will be applied through a horse’s hoof and how easily it might break through the top layer and potentially damage the base layer beneath. So, ensure your top layer is thick enough for substantial wear and tear. Remember, if you can easily dig up the top layer with your foot, it’s probably not hard enough.
Some people prefer a soft arena, others a much firmer surface. Unfortunately, horses can’t tell us which they prefer, but you definitely want to avoid a surface that’s too hard as it might cause injuries.
There is a wide number of top surfaces available including sands, fibres and even rubber chips, so do your research before you decide to opt for something. Again, try and speak to either other horse arena owners or specialist suppliers of arena surfaces.
Main Construction Of Your Horse Riding Arena
Once you have your drainage, bases and top surface resolved you need to consider the construction of the actual arena itself and this can be a very complex business as there are so many different components to consider. However, this task has been made much easier by the availability of pre-packaged riding arena kits that have everything you need to construct your arena including posts, fencing, gates, membranes and all fixtures and fittings. You just add your choice of topping and hardcore. Good luck with your build!
