Advice needed please! (Especially if you live in wales)

[cobbycobgirl]

Hiya!
So I live on a 36 acre farm in mid/south wales so it’s wet and rainy most of the time.
I’m planning on making a little grass arena in some of the flatter fields to exercise horses but I’m worried about the winter months leaving them without an arena to exercise in.

Has anyone successfully managed a grass arena in a wet rainy climate? Is it even worth it?

 

[Abacus]

If you were using it daily for more than one horse it would probably get muddy quite quickly. If you were to ride just one horse on a biggish area you might get away with it, although it would still be slippery on wet days. Would it be kinder on the ground and less of a slipping risk to go around the edge of a field rather than round and round in circles? Not the same as schooling in an arena but there is still quite a lot you can do.

 

[cobbycobgirl]

If you were using it daily for more than one horse it would probably get muddy quite quickly. If you were to ride just one horse on a biggish area you might get away with it, although it would still be slippery on wet days. Would it be kinder on the ground and less of a slipping risk to go around the edge of a field rather than round and round in circles? Not the same as schooling in an arena but there is still quite a lot you can do.

Hiya thanks so much for responding. It would be just for one horse and I guess I could make it as big as possible.
I could go round the fields as well but the horse in question really needs to be kept fit.

I have the option of riding on common land too as well as the fields so I’m not too concerned about space it’s more about the exercise and school quality for the horse if that makes sense.

 

[millitiger]

How does the ground usually hold up?
You might find putting some sand down on the grass arena helps with it being less slippery and just be sensible and don't work on 10m canter circles the day after a real downpour.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Grass arenas can work well in the drier months late spring to autumn (in normal years, not 2023 ), but schooling in winter is pretty much out.

I only had a grass arena here for 25 years. I marked it out with boards and letters, and schooled to medium level on it. You just have to accept that on any day a planned schooling session may have to suddenly be called off because of rain.

 

[Abacus]

Hiya thanks so much for responding. It would be just for one horse and I guess I could make it as big as possible.
I could go round the fields as well but the horse in question really needs to be kept fit.

I have the option of riding on common land too as well as the fields so I’m not too concerned about space it’s more about the exercise and school quality for the horse if that makes sense.

If you're talking about general aerobic fitness, I would think that working around larger fields would be better. Do you mean 'dressage fit'? - as in a combination of strength, training and schooling?

 

[Lamehorses]

I'm dartmoor based, so I imagine similar weather.
I usually mark out an arena for summer use, but usually stop using it late sept/ early Oct. It gets far too churned if I use it in winter.
I only set it up in June this year & haven't used it since beginning of July
Schooling just has to happen on the Moor & occasional arena hire

 

[Carrottom]

I make an imaginary arena on the drier part of my fields. It goes something like; large Dock is one corner, dark patch of grass another, maybe a thistle or clump of dandelion for another, you get the idea. That way I can change my arena whenever, but you could mark the corners with poles so easily moved when it gets churned up.

 

[Annagain]

I'm in S. Wales, near the coast so it's quite wet but we're on a hill that drains well and has bedrock about 18" down so it never gets really muddy. Having said that, it gets too muddy to ride on much past the end of October.

 

[palo1]

I'm dartmoor based, so I imagine similar weather.
I usually mark out an arena for summer use, but usually stop using it late sept/ early Oct. It gets far too churned if I use it in winter.
I only set it up in June this year & haven't used it since beginning of July
Schooling just has to happen on the Moor & occasional arena hire

Same here; we are in/on the Welsh hills and our flat bit of field would be useless in the winter (often under water lol). I either try to use a local arena or more often, school out hacking or on the hill/common. A grass arena is lovely in the summer, especially if you have old turf but I have hardly schooled in the field this summer.

 

[cobbycobgirl]

How does the ground usually hold up?
You might find putting some sand down on the grass arena helps with it being less slippery and just be sensible and don't work on 10m canter circles the day after a real downpour.

Fab idea I’m actually gonna go ahead and put some sand down as soon as winter hits x

 

[cobbycobgirl]

Grass arenas can work well in the drier months late spring to autumn (in normal years, not 2023 ), but schooling in winter is pretty much out.

I only had a grass arena here for 25 years. I marked it out with boards and letters, and schooled to medium level on it. You just have to accept that on any day a planned schooling session may have to suddenly be called off because of rain.

Yeah I think i have to come to accept that. I’ll have to put in a bit more time and money to make it rideable

 

[cobbycobgirl]

I'm dartmoor based, so I imagine similar weather.
I usually mark out an arena for summer use, but usually stop using it late sept/ early Oct. It gets far too churned if I use it in winter.
I only set it up in June this year & haven't used it since beginning of July
Schooling just has to happen on the Moor & occasional arena hire

How do you find schooling on the moor? I’m imagining it’s not unlike the common ground where I live

 

[cobbycobgirl]

Same here; we are in/on the Welsh hills and our flat bit of field would be useless in the winter (often under water lol). I either try to use a local arena or more often, school out hacking or on the hill/common. A grass arena is lovely in the summer, especially if you have old turf but I have hardly schooled in the field this summer.

I think I’m going to try school out on the common as well. It’s very quiet around here so should be fine

 

[cobbycobgirl]

I'm in S. Wales, near the coast so it's quite wet but we're on a hill that drains well and has bedrock about 18" down so it never gets really muddy. Having said that, it gets too muddy to ride on much past the end of October.

What do you tend to do for the winter months?

 

[cobbycobgirl]

If you're talking about general aerobic fitness, I would think that working around larger fields would be better. Do you mean 'dressage fit'? - as in a combination of strength, training and schooling?

I mean general fitness. Hopefully you’re right and the fields will be fine!

 

[Steerpike]

I'm in Mid West Wales and wouldn't think of trying to school in my fields in winter, I do the majority of my schooling when I hack out.

 

[cobbycobgirl]

I'm in Mid West Wales and wouldn't think of trying to school in my fields in winter, I do the majority of my schooling when I hack out.

Thank you!