Arena sizes

[Snowy Celandine]

Sorry, me again. Might as well ask all my questions in one bunch

No idea if/when I will build an arena but I've got a dinner guest coming next week who has access to the relevant machinery/equipment so I was going to see if he could put a rough price on the job i.e. groundworks and fencing. Obviously I will need to decide on the size of the arena so am I correct in thinking that 20 x 40 is the smallest useable size? I no longer ride big horses so I think that will be perfect for my pony, albeit a lot smaller than the arena at the yard where she is presently.

As always, thanks in advance for any useful information and I promise to pipe down again soon

 

[eggs]

It is perfectly possible to ride in a smaller arena - particularly if you are not planning on jumping.

 

[milliepops]

It is perfectly possible to ride in a smaller arena - particularly if you are not planning on jumping.

But realistically 20 x 40 is the standard size for a "small" arena. Also the correct size for short arena dressage tests, if that floats your boat.

 

[eggs]

But realistically 20 x 40 is the standard size for a "small" arena. Also the correct size for short arena dressage tests, if that floats your boat.

Agree that 20x40 is the size of a short dressage arena but you do not have to ride in an arena that big. The big advantage of riding in a smaller arena is that you have so much more space if you do go out and do a dressage test! Btw I much prefer to ride in a 20x60

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Thank you both I'm not planning on jumping as I end up on the floor looking up at my horse far too often to make it a viable activity

I do like dressage though so it looks as though 20 x 40 is the right size for me. I won't actually be competing ever again but I enjoy riding tests at home so thanks milliepops

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Mm, I also prefer to ride in a large arena but there's no way I can afford that and I certainly couldn't justify spending all that cash I don't have on one, ha ha

 

[Britestar]

Even if you want to just play at home I would always make the arena just a bit bigger than 20 x40m. Even 22 x 42 so you're not always riding right on the edge. iyswim

 

[JillA]

My original one was 30m x 18m (budget constraints!!) and with my horse at 16.1hh and not well balanced he really didn't think he could canter in it. Extended it a few years later to 20 x 40 and it is much better. Bigger would be nicer but depends on what you can afford and what you want to use it for - 20x40 is a basic dressage size, you can use the letters and work on the patterns you need in a test, and you can put a handful of jumps in it, but for more advanced or proper courses you would need bigger.

 

[Cortez]

Mine is roughly 20m X 32m and slightly irregular due to fitting it in to the available space. It's plenty big enough, although it would be lovely to have a bigger size (we just go into the fields if I feel the need for more space). I've ridden in much smaller spaces, and trained horses up to FEI levels in them, so size isn't everything....

 

[Bubblewrap]

Maybe ask your friend for a quote on different sizes as it might not be much more to go slightly bigger. Maybe he can advise on price for additional metres square. I think 20 x 40 would be a minimum size for me if you have the room/money x

 

[Roxylola]

I would say a 30x30 square would be ok if you couldn't get a 20x40. Ideally I would second the idea to try and go just a little bigger if at all possible, makes such a difference especially the width

 

[Tiddlypom]

Charles Britton put my 40m x 20m arena in, they said that 90% of the arenas that they install for home use are this size. A few are smaller, because of local site quirks, plus of course there are some massive ones.

My PP is for a 60m x 20m, and theoretically I could extend it up to this at any time, pennies permitting. Whilst that would be nice, a 40m x 20m is a good size, you can do everything in there as long as your horse is on the aids. I jumped a full course in one for my Riding Club grade 3 exam ! I think that some folk on livery yards have got rather spoilt with huge arenas .

 

[Sparemare]

Ours is 20 x 40

 

[teapot]

80 by 30 is my favourite size, but then again I'm a bit spoilt!

30m is a good width though, whether you go 30, 40, 60 etc down the other side, it's fantastic for riding accurate lines and circles as you cannot rely on the fence line.

 

[lamlyn2012]

Ours is 30x60. Wouldn't want it any bigger but wouldn't want to go back to 20x40 as quite restrictive imo. 20x60 is a decent size too.

 

[blood_magik]

Our indoor is 60x30 and we have planning for a 40x30 outdoor. 60x30 means I can practice long arena tests and have enough room to jump a full course

 

[Asha]

I used to have a 40 x 20m, but when we moved I decided to go for a little bigger, mainly because I wanted to have a few more jumps. So we have a 40 x 30m now. Its so much better. We just put some poles out when we want to do some dressage test practice, and it helps as neither of us are relying on the fence.

I would go for as big as you can afford.

 

[Darbs]

I would go for as big as you can afford.

This, along with what space you have available. Let us know how it goes.

 

[TGM]

Ours is only 20m x 40m, due to budget and space constraints, but to be honest it is perfectly satisfactory for our needs. Daughter can jump a full course in there, even on the 17.1hh horse.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

The most built arena size is 20m x 40m, which is suitable for doing a large number of dressage tests. You can jump in that size as well although a wider one would be easier.

I would go for a 20m x 40m & if you need to keep the price down then don't bother with a fence around it. The fence is a bl@@dy nuisance, horses 'hang' on it when being schooled, I wouldn't bother with a fence at all.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Thanks everyone I have taken note of all the advice I've received and it's been really useful. I don't think the arena will materialise for a good while yet due to the fact that I'm skint at present But I am going to get a quote for the groundworks, hopefully, and also the surface so that I have a target to save towards.

I've marked out a 'school' in the flat part of the field and will see what happens to it drainage-wise when the weather turns in the autumn. I don't think it will get particularly wet because we live on top of a hill but if it does I will probably site the school elsewhere.

Still not got my horses home as I'm waiting for the landowner to put up some more fencing for me and I don't want them in the field with machinery and fencing posts and wire being put up. I can't wait for it to be finished so that I can start being a proper horse owner