Arena's - what would you prefer?

[Tia]

Here's the scenario:

You have a limited amount of cash and you can pay to have an arena built however the choice is a 250 X 220 (76m X 67m approx) outdoor or a 50 X 100 (15m X 30m approx) indoor arena?

Is a very small indoor of more use than a large outdoor in your opinion - or vice versa?

 

[JadeWisc]

Where I live the winters are so cold and long I would prefer the indoor. If I were in a warm climate I would like a larger outdoor

 

[teapot]

Large outdoor - hate indoor arenas and dont mind riding in the rain

 

[MissDeMeena]

without a doubt, the large outdoor!!! How much good is a 15m X 30m school, except for lunging/breaking!! (i guess it depends on what you want to do (are you a breaking yard or a comp yard)
And i guess living in Canada, snow might be an issue haha, so on second thoughts i don't know.. but for me it would have to be the large outdoor!!
Unless you could make the small indoor a lil bigger, say to 20m X 40m??

 

[Evil_Cookie]

50-100 Is still pretty big.... I'd have the indoor and a jumping paddock outside... most shows in the summer are on grass anyway... Though I would have an indoor arena with mesh windbreaker sides, it gives a nicer atmosphere than the closed ones I feel.

EC

 

[PapaFrita]

The indoor is just too small IMO. If the surface is good enough for the Canadian extremes of weather I'd go for the outdoor. If it's going to freeze/become a swamp/otherwise unusable for months at a time... then perhaps the indoor (although I still think its too small)

 

[SummerStorm]

I'd have the outdoor with good drainage

 

[Tia]

It's for here, so yes our winters are as chilly as yours ..... although this year seems that it will be incredibly mild.

 

[Tia]

See I don't like indoors either

, but my boarders do.

 

[Skhosu]

outdoor anyday, wouldn't want to ride in indoor during the summer etc.

 

[JadeWisc]

[ QUOTE ]
It's for here, so yes our winters are as chilly as yours ..... although this year seems that it will be incredibly mild.

[/ QUOTE ]

would it have heat?????? I think that would be a huge draw to potential boarders. Chesters old stables had a heated indoor (cannot remember exact size) But it was a wonderful thing in the winter. It also had two huge doors at each end that opened up in the summer for the feel of an outdoor

 

[Santa_Claus]

large outdoor without a doubt! the indoor at our yard is approx 15x30m possibly marginally larger and although you can keep a horse fit it is hard to do any specific exercises as you plainly run out of room!!

There is though the consideration for you that the difference of indoor and outdoor in the worst weather will be the difference between riding or not which may be a big factor for you but if in the UK large outdoor every time

 

[Jemayni]

On our yard we have a 15x30 indoor and a 20x60 outdoor, even mid-winter I am still using the outdoor!

 

[Tia]

The horses I buy in are youngsters, and all I would use one for is to back and break them and to be honest I would much prefer the large outdoor for this......however there is the problem of freezing weather and the fact that my boarders would prefer an indoor.

The thing is, I was doing some work on my guy today - he is only 15hh and I was working in the round pen; it's 65 ft so not much smaller than the size the indoor would be. I felt claustrophobic in it - today was the first time I have ever worked in our round pen

, after all the fuss I made about having it built.

Can't really make the indoor larger because of the trusses - the price doubles the minute we go larger than 50.

The outdoor would be half the price of the large outdoor which would also leave enough to do the house up finally.

 

[Skhosu]

outdoor without a doubt. Everyone can just wrap up well!

 

[Tia]

I was going to have the mesh on the sides of it. I really like that and it would work perfectly for here in the hot summers.

But I think it may be too small

.

 

[Tia]

Me too. Plus if it was too small for me I know fine well that I would find it boring and I just wouldn't use it and that would be a great waste of money.

 

[Tia]

Funny you should mention drainage.......if we go for the large outdoor it is going to be where the pond is.....in fact right on top of it.

 

[Tia]

I think summer would be the only time I would ride in it. There is just no way you can ride in the middle of the day here; the temperatures are just toooo high!

 

[Evil_Cookie]

oops ... got metres and feet mixed up... ok so the indoor would be pretty small, but I think I'd still go for it... But then I do a large amount of groundwork so I don't need so much space... It sounds like the outdoor would be the best shot if you do a lot of riding... maybe just buy a nice thick coat?

EC

 

[Tia]

Yes it would be a heated one.

 

[Tia]

Oh thank you for telling me about yours. You see I think I would become easily bored in a small area like this.

I really enjoy riding outside in the winter to be honest - it is really the summer which causes problems as it is so intensely hot here.

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
maybe just buy a nice thick coat?


[/ QUOTE ]

I have plenty of those.

That's why I love riding outside.....thing is this would not really be for me, but for my boarders.

 

[Tia]

Yep you're all saying what I think too. Thank you.

 

[JadeWisc]

well if it is a question of the house getting worked on as well I would go for the cost effective outdoor. Unless you are certain you could raise your boarders rates enough to profit more.
I think the house getting done combined with an outdoor would do the most for your property value as well

tough call

 

[Evil_Cookie]

You could always build the outdoor and then fund a building later on around it... I don't know if this is possible?

But it might be worth a try... or maybe one of those coverall things... depending on planning permision.. they are supposed to be cool in summer and warm in winter, and it's a bit like riding outdoors... though it is a bit noisy in the rain.

EC

 

[Tia]

I keep saying to them to wrap up well, but they all come up shivering and not dressed adequately. I do. I look like the Michelin man in the winter.

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
tough call

[/ QUOTE ]

It is isn't it. I like to keep my boarders happy and give them as much as I can BUT I would really love to get the house done.

 

[JadeWisc]

Carhartt's

www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/CarharttConsumer/index.jsp

 

[Tia]

We had a price from Coverall a few days ago and for one on the large arena we are looking at somewhere around 400,000 - I don't have that sort of money - plus can you imagine how unattractive something that size would look. We live on a really pretty farm so I am always aware of keeping it looking aesthetically pleasing.