Arena levelling- ideas for the track

scats

scats

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 September 2007
Messages
12,140
Location
Wherever it is I’ll be limping
Visit site
I level the yard arena with my Rav and a cheap harrow/leveller thing I bought (like a gate with spikes). Our yard quad broke and the YO won’t get it fixed (been asking for 2 years and just get excuses) so I had to start doing it on my own.
It does a decent job, but the car tyres flatten the track down and then the leveller behind just misses the track, so each time the track gets lower and more compact.
If I do the track by hand first, it does help, but it’s a back breaking job that takes a good hour and I can barely move for the days afterwards.

So I need a way of creating something that will allow me to do the track. Even if I create something I drag by hand around the track after I’ve done the rest of the arena.

Any ideas?
 
Years ago I tried using a ride on lawnmower for a sand and rubber arena and it wasn't powerful enough. You'd get a better result from a proper leveller that has the bit to pull down the arena sides, but this is more expensive. Seems a shame that uoi have to maintain the arena yourself if you are on livery.
 
scats said:
I level the yard arena with my Rav and a cheap harrow/leveller thing I bought (like a gate with spikes). Our yard quad broke and the YO won’t get it fixed (been asking for 2 years and just get excuses) so I had to start doing it on my own.
It does a decent job, but the car tyres flatten the track down and then the leveller behind just misses the track, so each time the track gets lower and more compact.
If I do the track by hand first, it does help, but it’s a back breaking job that takes a good hour and I can barely move for the days afterwards.

So I need a way of creating something that will allow me to do the track. Even if I create something I drag by hand around the track after I’ve done the rest of the arena.

Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Sounds to me like you have already done your turn at sorting this out yourself. Presumably your livery fee includes a useable arena.
Who else uses the arena?
How badly do you need to use it?
Can you stop & let it get bad enough that someone else (preferably YO) takes responsibility for it?
 
Raking in by hand is indeed back breaking ☹️.

A proper arena leveller like the arenamate does have an adjustable side gate to pull in the edges. Spendy, though.

Any chance that the yard will cough up for a proper leveller?
 
Last edited:
Unfortunately the YO has lost interest in the yard and isn’t around. Things no longer get fixed- fences, lights etc, it’s sort of make do and mend. The manège lights went 2 years ago (we have one at the gate working) but she won’t replace them due to cost. I am on the waiting list for a couple of yards, but there is a lack of winter turnout at most yards round here so I’m sitting quiet at the moment and waiting for a suitable place to come up.

My Dad does as much fence maintenance as he can using his own materials to ensure it’s safe for the horses. About 8 years ago the YO put the rent up to buy new fence posts, had the posts delivered and then they sat and rotted in a pile and it never got done… :confused:

There’s only 3 of us at the yard now and 2 of us use the manège. I use it around 2 times a week and other lady just does mostly groundwork with her horse in there, 5-6 days a week. If we don’t maintain it ourselves, YO won’t do anything. She doesn’t really see it as she doesn’t come down, so if we left it, it would just grow over (it’s already got weeds coming up through the membrane). Frustrating situation and I’m just trying to come up with a temporary solution really but I’m not sure there is one.
 
3 areans and raking it by hand makes you question life tbf 🫠 but i do hope something gets sorted, does not sound fun!
 
scats said:
I level the yard arena with my Rav and a cheap harrow/leveller thing I bought (like a gate with spikes). Our yard quad broke and the YO won’t get it fixed (been asking for 2 years and just get excuses) so I had to start doing it on my own.
It does a decent job, but the car tyres flatten the track down and then the leveller behind just misses the track, so each time the track gets lower and more compact.
If I do the track by hand first, it does help, but it’s a back breaking job that takes a good hour and I can barely move for the days afterwards.

So I need a way of creating something that will allow me to do the track. Even if I create something I drag by hand around the track after I’ve done the rest of the arena.

Any ideas?
Click to expand...
shame on y/o their duty to fix it.
 
Could you set the leveller so that it's offset from the vehicle? E.g. if it has chains could you move them a bit so it swings out the side? Then the tyre would be off the track and the leveller on it.
 
scats said:
View attachment 116700
Does anyone know if something like that would work (specifically with those angled bits)?
Mine is like that but without those bits.
Click to expand...





This is my old one i am selling , similar to yours but you put the corner piece on to do the sides and track
 

Attachments

  • 20221229_161917.jpg
    20221229_161917.jpg
    580.9 KB · Views: 9
  • 20221229_162030.jpg
    20221229_162030.jpg
    596.8 KB · Views: 8
  • 20230103_123645.jpg
    20230103_123645.jpg
    479.7 KB · Views: 9
Would putting some weights on your leveller where it would catch the tyre tracks .. like old tyre/old wheel help? Just a thought....
 
Old school said:
Would putting some weights on your leveller where it would catch the tyre tracks .. like old tyre/old wheel help? Just a thought....
Click to expand...

That’s a good idea. I dragged it by hand yesterday to see what the main problem was and basically where the track is squashed from the tyres, the spikes don’t reach the ground there (sort of like a flat bridge over the track).

I’ve got a couple of old tyres knocking about.

soloequestrian said:
Could you set the leveller so that it's offset from the vehicle? E.g. if it has chains could you move them a bit so it swings out the side? Then the tyre would be off the track and the leveller on it.
Click to expand...

Hmm that’s a thought. Though I think the problem now is the track is so indented that the spikes don’t touch it.

I can’t do the track by hand every week, it absolutely kills my back and trying to fit it in around horses, a business and a house full of animals is just a nightmare. I wouldn’t mind walking round dragging something that would do the track, but it needs to be heavy enough to move the surface and not just scrape over it.
 
A secondhand type 1 arenamate like mine with tines and side gate came up on cheshire horse FB this morning for £350 - a very good price.

I've only just spotted the ad and it has already been sold. Hope scats saw it in time.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top