Building a outdoor school on concrete base

[Bug2007]

We are thinking about building an outdoor school, has anyone build one on a concrete base, we have an old silage pit that is concreted already. on looking on the net i can only find people that have put them in a field etc.... drainage isn't a prolem as the concrete has a gentle slope so the surface would be level on top.

How much surface would I need so we didn't end up riding on concrete?

HELP

 

[quirky]

Not built one but I have ridden on 2 with concrete bases, one was sand and the other was that sort of small plastic bits.
Both were extremely deep in places and concrete in others, even though they were graded regularly. So mush surface was needed to stop you hitting concrete that it was horrendous to ride in and also moved a lot, hence the concrete patches.

Maybe I'm just unlucky in my experience of them but if it was me, I wouldn't even consider building one on concrete.

 

[Mainland]

Its not recommended as the sand will have nothing to grip. With a conventional arena you generally have a membrane between the base and the sand to help the sand grip. The sand will just slip over the surface with concrete hence why patches of bare concrete appear. It is pretty dangerous.

 

[perfect11s]

We are thinking about building an outdoor school, has anyone build one on a concrete base, we have an old silage pit that is concreted already. on looking on the net i can only find people that have put them in a field etc.... drainage isn't a prolem as the concrete has a gentle slope so the surface would be level on top.

How much surface would I need so we didn't end up riding on concrete?

HELP

I think you would have to build it the same as one on soil ie with drains and then limestone base, membrain and then your surface on top as otherwise the water woudent drain from the center and also the surface could move.. however im no expert maybe best to ask a menage building firm or surface suppliers advice..........

 

[Bug2007]

We will have a thin gravel layer and then a membrane to aid the drainage.

Will that help????

 

[dRats]

Yes the danger is breakthrough to the concrete surface and slipping. I wonder if discussing with a civil engineer/manege constructer would help? they might come up with a solution such as laying an interlocking HD plastic mesh such as those used on grass car parks, which would stabilise a limestone chunk dranage layer which is the basis of most manages, then the membrane and surface layers go in as usual. Presumably the concrete already has good drainage built in.

 

[Lissa]

The arena where I have my pony was built on a concrete base of a old chicken shed. They put hardcore stuff down first which is quite thick also still had to put drainage in then membrance and surface on top.

It rides totally fine infact better than the one at the old yard which was on soil, isn't deep, concrete doesnt come through anywhere at all and has far better drainage than the old one. Was built by YO's husband who had never built one and was better than the old one which was built by professsionals.

 

[perfect11s]

We will have a thin gravel layer and then a membrane to aid the drainage.

Will that help????

I think you will also need drains laying across it to carry the rain away to the sides...

 

[Mainland]

If you put a compacted sub-base of 75/40mm limestone/granite on top of the concrete this would work provided you have a way to contain the base as it will eventually move across the concrete because i has nothing holding it in place.

 

[martlin]

Have a look at this:
http://www.equestriandirectltd.co.uk/index.php?page=flexiride
there are some case studies on the website, the suppliers claim it is suitable to use directly on concrete.

 

[Pipkin]

Have a look at this:
http://www.equestriandirectltd.co.uk/index.php?page=flexiride
there are some case studies on the website, the suppliers claim it is suitable to use directly on concrete.

Thank you, your a star!!! i`ve been looking on the net for months looking to see if can use a concrete base for a school! May have to give these guys a ring when I finally move...xxx

 

[Bug2007]

Brilliant thank you everyone.

Been a great help.

The concrete has it's own drainage. and it will have kick boards etc all the way round to keep the surface in the area we want it.


Thanks again.x

 

[Dannikm]

Brilliant thank you everyone.

Been a great help.

The concrete has it's own drainage. and it will have kick boards etc all the way round to keep the surface in the area we want it.


Thanks again.x

Dredging up an old thread but did you do it in the end and did it work? I have just started exploring building a school in a concreted silage clamp as well!!