Best Menage Surface??

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aimuth05

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11 April 2011
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Hi Guys,

I am pretty new at this so please bare with me. My partner and I are seriously considering building a menage. I am very lucky that my partner drivers diggers so he would be able to that for me and fit the drainage.

The only thing I am really undecided about is the best surface to put down that isnt going to cost me a small furtune, and the appropriate layers of stone underneath.

Please help.....:)
 
I think people may be put off answering this because you're effectively asking for advice about a household crisis - You need to ask about a manege which is a horses enclosure. Just thought I'd let you know as you may be mistaken for a troll. My intention isn't to be rude.
 
We built our own manege and whilst I would have loved to use granite stone it was too costly. We dug diagonal ditches x 5 and used perforated 6" pipe and shingle then a membrane and then 4" of crushed and screened concrete, then another membrane then 4.5" of 'crag' - it is from the sea bed and only available from certain quarries. It was around £13 per tonne v silica that was £22 per tonne at that time. It also requires no topper like silica - it holds some moisture so always rides really well imo.

The only downside is that it does make the horses socks or legs an orangey colour particularly for the first couple of years it's down. Google it - it is from the pylocene period - you find some amazing tiny fossils in it.
 
I just call it an arena as my spelling is rubbish haha

Surface totally depends on budget - if you look in my album mine is a budget arena done by local drainage blokes (none of us had ever done an arena before).

In brief - drains dug - membrane put down - drainage pipes put in (running to ditch) then clean stone then bigger stone (in my case rubbish stone which I had to pick bits out of .... dont ask - was meant to be clean stone) then rolled flat - another membrane laid (loads of overlap) then surface. Posts and boards round edge with thick electric tape which is brilliant as mine are wood eaters (and cheaper).

Had it 3 years - only one issue - quality of stone - would use better next time as in a couple of places it isnt rolled totally flat so has tried to come through membrane.

Hope this helps, my total cost was around 7k
 
ooohh went off track a bit - my surface is cushion ride - love it - keeps horses clean - dog clean - even cleans out their feet - never deep and never ever wet. Like all surfaces outdoors it will freeze in minus temperatures.

Also, not slippery AT ALL - can jump - canter etc - Dex practices his galloping in there !

It wont last forever so will need a top up in couple years time
 
I forgot to say we hired a vibrating roller to go over the stone before the membrane went down.

The digger driver layed a roadway of sand over which he could drive in to lay the sand and not compromise the membrane. We also rolled the surface. A word of warning do not over order your surface tonnage as you can easily add to it but it would be a nightmare to dispose of if it rides too deep. Someone started a thread where they had put down a 7-8" layer of sand and it rode like treacle. I recall we ordered 110 tonnes of crag and then a further 40 tonne to top up a low corner :)

Our manege never floods or freezes - everyone loves the ride it gives, I would do it exactly the same again.
 
It is essential that 2 membranes are used.

The 'Lower' membrane is used to seperate the sub-base (e.g. stone/crushed concrete) from the drainage system below. It prevents any dust/fines from migrating downwards and blocking the drainage system below. The lower membrane consists of a woven polymer which is very similar to the material used in dumpy bags provided by builders merchants with sand/gravel in. This material is very tough and can withstand the rigours of sub-base installation.

The 'Upper' membrane is a non-woven membrane used to seperate the sub-base (e.g. stone/crushed concrete) from the surface above (e.g. Silica Sand, Wood Fibre, Rubber Chip etc). This membrane is best described as a tough 'fleece' similar to that used by gardeners to protect plants from frost only much thicker. Without this membrane there is a very good chance that stones from the sub-base would work their way upwards into the surface (as per law of gravity). The upper membrane performs 3 main tasks:

1. To prevent mixing of the upper surface (e.g. Silica Sand, Woodfibre etc) with the sub-base below (e.g. stone/crushed concrete).

2. To grip the upper surface thus preventing slippage when pressure is applied by horses hooves.

3. To rip if the horses hooves were to go through the upper surface (if too shallow) and make contact with the membrane. Any other membrane would trip the horse and potentially cause serious injury to horse and rider.

One of the most critical factors in getting the best from your horse in a riding arena situation is ensuring that the horse is confident in the surface it is working. If the horse does not have a sure footing it will not have the confidence to perform at its best and in worst case scenarios may cause injury.
 
I was told NEVER to use the balck shiny membrane (dumpy bag type stuff) for the top membrane (as Mainland said) - apart from anything else it is not grippy so the surface doesnt hold well against it

I think the key is good drainage.
 
We built ours 3 years ago and I would say the key is good drainage.

We used a drainage company (they were putting in land drains for us at the time) to lay the drainage with the black shiny membrane used under 40mm granite - again having researched others builds and learnt that 'brick bits' return to clay over time and will just block the drainage!

Over the granite we used the white membrane followed by 4" silica sand and the 2" rubber.

It did take a full winter to 'bed in' but has never stood in water or frozen and now rides beautifully :D
 
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