Arena surface choice?

[newbie_nix]

Wonder if you lovely folks can give me some advice please?

We are looking to build a basic outdoor arena at home, 20x40m, to be used c 3-4 times a week by 2 horses. We are fairly novice/ intermediate level riders and just want a basic arena to provide a stable surface to school/lunge on and get lessons on at home. It will mainly be used for flatwork but possibly a bit of jumping. Nothing major though - am too much of a chicken to jump anything too scary...

Having spoken to a few local contractors (we are waiting on quotes) it appears there are a few surface choices available locally:
1) wood chips and sand
2) just sand -either dune or river sand. we suspect our site might be too windy for just dune sand
3) sand mixed with recycled plastic pellets
4) sand / pea shingle /plastic mix
5) Sand and recycled rubber pellets. This seems to be the most expensive option not sure yet if we can afford this.......

Any advice from those in the know please? If it were you, what would you choose? Those of you with small private arenas, what do you have? How much maintenance do they require/ how is the surface holding up? Any problems or issues we should be aware of?


We plan on getting a contractor to do the ground work, levelling off, drainage and lay the sub surface then we will probably lay the top layer ourselves. Hubby is going to put the perimeter in himself. The contractors are all saying the surface choice is ‘up to you’ and we don’t have enough experience of riding on different arenas to hold an informed opinion yet!

We have just moved from UK to NZ and don't know enough local riders/ arena owners yet to test out their surfaces hence I thought I would post on here.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give us...

ETA - climate where we are is similar to UK. Not quite as cold in winter and a bit hotter in summer but other than that, very similar! Often howling wind and/or torrential rain!

 

[mrogers]

I know its not on your list but at pc we had a surface of silica sand mxed with the rubber casings from wire. The arena had really shoddy drainage but even when it hammered down with rain for a week solid, it didnt get deep, the water just sat on the surface and was still fab to ride on.

I would stay away from wood chip as it constantly needs topping up and goes deep when the bark rots down and river/dune sand. My bf has a menage with sand dune sand on it and it really goes rock hard when its wet and deep when its soft

 

[Clippy]

I wonder if you can get some fibre to mix in? It will stabilise the surface so it won't move about nearly as much and it holds the moisture so your arena doesn't get too deep. It's also not that expensive.

I believe it's no more than waste from carpet manufacturers

 

[newbie_nix]

Thanks both for your replies, I will research washed silica sand (I have heard that unwashed can cause dust problems/possible serious health hazard to horse - silicosis) and will also look into the fibre / carpet waste option as well!

If any one else has any bright ideas or comments please keep 'em coming

I am not sure what size sand grain to go for (if we go with sand in the mix, which I suspect we might have to!) I have seen 1.25mm mentioned but a local supplier has told me they used 3mm for horse arenas....hmmmmm.....

 

[Foxhunter49]

I would say stay away from the plastic. I had an arena of this and hated it as it moved a lot.

I would go with the sand and rubber but not rubber granules - get the larger strips which are from car surrounds. This moves far less and makes a good even surface even when jumping on it.

 

[cptrayes]

I had 2-4 mm gravel on my arena until this year and it does not jump well for some horses. I had two who absolutely hated it, I think because it has no spring in it and it shifts under their feet. I would go for sand of a MUCH smaller size. If you are really on a budget then sand alone will be fine, but I only know about silica sand, not the others. I now have fibre/rubber/sand and it is brilliant but the fibre is expensive.

 

[GGRider]

OK - Unusually, feel I am a it of an expert here as we have built our brilliant indoor and outdoor and saved 1000's. We did a lot of research! They are great!

PROPER sand must be combined with something. IMO rubber or synthetic fibre.

We bought rubber from Spring Ride and fibre for the indoor from Martin Collins (Clopf).
We bought our ingredients separate and got a farm contractor to mix them. Saved loads!
You can contact and buy sand direct forget the arena companies unless you have oodles of money to spend. You can save lots by going to the quarry for your FINE WASHED SILICA SAND. Go local for lowest haulage prices. We used Bardens, Wombwell in Dorset.

Foundation drainage is the real key- do your work here or all your surfaces are a waste of money! You must get the drainage and base layer right.

Get it right and it will last for decades but you do not want to try and repair bad arenas as expensive and companies are not so keen to help as small money for them.


Good Luck. See Cheston Farm EC website Galleries for pics of construction of our arenas

 

[newbie_nix]

I would say stay away from the plastic. I had an arena of this and hated it as it moved a lot.

I would go with the sand and rubber but not rubber granules - get the larger strips which are from car surrounds. This moves far less and makes a good even surface even when jumping on it.

Thanks foxhunter. Rubber is my first choice however it appears to be very expensive out here - probably due to lower demand/few processing sites. At cNZD$150 per cubic metre (then transport costs on top.....) unless I can find a cheaper provider I think it will end up being outside our price range whereas sand is more like $40m3

I have heard mixed reports about plastic. I am leary of it myself, as I don't like plastic generally. I have heard that in heavy rainfall it floats to surface and gets washed out into the drains. But a couple of people I spoke to swore by using a little of it mixed in to help stop the sand from compacting.

What size sand would you recommend?I have just had an email from a local sand supplier who have suggested their 5mm washed sand is what most horsey people in area use. So now I am totally confused on the size issue!

 

[newbie_nix]

OK - Unusually, feel I am a it of an expert here as we have built our brilliant indoor and outdoor and saved 1000's. We did a lot of research! They are great!

PROPER sand must be combined with something. IMO rubber or synthetic fibre.

We bought rubber from Spring Ride and fibre for the indoor from Martin Collins (Clopf).
We bought our ingredients separate and got a farm contractor to mix them. Saved loads!
You can contact and buy sand direct forget the arena companies unless you have oodles of money to spend. You can save lots by going to the quarry for your FINE WASHED SILICA SAND. Go local for lowest haulage prices. We used Bardens, Wombwell in Dorset.

Foundation drainage is the real key- do your work here or all your surfaces are a waste of money! You must get the drainage and base layer right.

Get it right and it will last for decades but you do not want to try and repair bad arenas as expensive and companies are not so keen to help as small money for them.


Good Luck. See Cheston Farm EC website Galleries for pics of construction of our arenas

Thanks so much! Am currently researching silica sand suppliers direct.... completely agree about getting it right first time, I don't want to have to keep re-doing it.....

Its funny everyone over here (in NZ) so far is talking about a bigger grain size. I wonder if its because its very windy here? Will keep researching though. Local dressage instructor apparently has mix of river sand, pea shingle and plastic and it works well apart from a few bigger bits from the base layer are starting to work through but she has had it for over a decade now. I have found a couple of really good contractors (who have done 20 + arenas) to do the drainage and base but we will probably buy and mix the top ourselves to save money

Out of interest what ratio of sand: fibre: synthetic did you use?

Its sods law, we used to live in Somerset so the suppliers you mention would have been perfect!

 

[newbie_nix]

I had 2-4 mm gravel on my arena until this year and it does not jump well for some horses. I had two who absolutely hated it, I think because it has no spring in it and it shifts under their feet. I would go for sand of a MUCH smaller size. If you are really on a budget then sand alone will be fine, but I only know about silica sand, not the others. I now have fibre/rubber/sand and it is brilliant but the fibre is expensive.

Thanks santa paws, what ratio did you use? Do you think I can get away with slightly more sand compared to the other components (as this is the cheaper element?)

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

the drains will make or break your manege, go for more than you thinkk you need. sand will also make or brake your surface. buy the top end silica sand otherwise it will ride deep ( and do suspensory ligs, high supensory ligs in your horses) and a good grade rubber chips. level regularly, water as req. and when you fence it do put either high kick boards or a mesh membrane on fence to stop surface being kicked out.small grain sand is better as you ride on it not in it!! if you were in uk (yes i read you were in NZ) for a good rideable manege with a fence you wouldnt get change out of £20 000. you would have to equate this into NZ dollars. a bad manege is a nightmare.

 

[cptrayes]

Thanks santa paws, what ratio did you use? Do you think I can get away with slightly more sand compared to the other components (as this is the cheaper element?)

Quote was for:
membrane
125 mm clean stone.
Membrane.
125mm washed silica sand
75mm Combi-ride fibre/rubber surface
25mm rubber tyre shreds


I have only had it 6 weeks but the outside track is already riding like a much more expensive waxed surface and I am very pleased with it. The horses ride "on" it, not "in" it, and it isn't tracking or settling up against the kicker boards.

I disagree with the person who says sand alone won't work, there are plenty of UK arenas which are silica sand alone. Rubber was only added fairly recently to give bounce and prevent freezing. The advantage is that you can lay sand now and then when you have more money available add rubber, fibre or plastic at a later date.

 

[newbie_nix]

Quote was for:
membrane
125 mm clean stone.
Membrane.
125mm washed silica sand
75mm Combi-ride fibre/rubber surface
25mm rubber tyre shreds


I have only had it 6 weeks but the outside track is already riding like a much more expensive waxed surface and I am very pleased with it. The horses ride "on" it, not "in" it, and it isn't tracking or settling up against the kicker boards.

I disagree with the person who says sand alone won't work, there are plenty of UK arenas which are silica sand alone. Rubber was only added fairly recently to give bounce and prevent freezing. The advantage is that you can lay sand now and then when you have more money available add rubber, fibre or plastic at a later date.

Wow that sounds great! Thanks , very useful info. Am hoping some of these ingredients might become more readily available here in future!

The good thing about where we are is it doesn't tend to get quite as cold as the UK so ice is much less of an issue. Where we are they get up to about 38 days of ground frost of varying severity (in the very depths of winter) with coldest temp recorded last year of -6 C but last year was a bit cooler than 'normal' and they got snow for the first time in 70 years.

 

[newbie_nix]

Thanks so much for the advice everyone. Since my first post I have done some more research and it seems lack of suppliers for certain materials and the extreme weather is the main problem over here.

Frustratingly, so far, nobody we have spoken to locally seems to be absolutely 100% happy with their choice of surface!

Rubber is great to ride on but apparently (according to a local dressage rider) out here it gets so hot in the summer that it easily overheats which is unpleasant for both horse and rider. Our site is very sunny and when that sun comes out it is absolutely scorching. Plus it is ridiculously expensive here.

Woodchip is apparently a massive NO– rots down, can attract ants, gets boggy and apparently more slips occur on wood than any other arena surface. So that’s out.

Plastic is useful for helping to stabilise sand but floats to surface in heavy rain and goes into the drainage. Being a bit of an old hippy, general avoider of plastic if another option is available, we will probably steer clear of this too.

I have tried researching synthetic fibre, e.g. carpet fibre and keep getting sideways ‘crazy English lady’ looks as nobody has heard of this. Plus many of the carpet companies around here have shut and relocated to China....

Might look at raw wool bi-products? We are in NZ after all........but this could take a while to research if this would indeed be suitable

I think what we may end up doing it going for a sand school as this is the most available product and will just have to bite the bullet and harrow regularly.

Apparently the finer type, silica sand, is hugely expensive and not readily available where we are. The only supplier I have found so far is up in Auckland (too far away) and most around here use bigger grain sand for their arenas (3-5mm) rather than the fine stuff due to the high winds. But I take on board all the advice you lovely folks have given me and I will keep asking around locally and keep talking to the sand suppliers. I am worried about the possible dangers of having sand that is too large – riding deep and ligament damage hmmmm...definitely want to try and avoid that!

I have however just spoken to 2 local sand suppliers who have told me the ‘serious’ riders around here tend to opt for 5mm sand mixed 50:50 with ‘crusher dust’ which is a fine material (like silica sand) but is heavier so doesn’t blow away so easily and is good for stabilising the sand and giving a safer, firmer surface.

As santa paws suggests we might add some rubber at a later date, I have heard that you can get coloured rubber – this might help with the over heating issue. If it becomes available over here (haven’t found it yet) then we will add some in the future.

So in summary I think we have a plan, but I am still waiting on quotes. If it turns out to be ridiculously expensive for a surface that still won’t be ideal then we might abandon the idea altogether and make do with hacking out and riding on the drier paddocks. I was prepared for the expense but had no idea choosing an arena surface would be such a minefield! Thanks again for all your help and advice