Frozen outdoor arena!

[missmatea]

I moved to a yard with an outdoor sand arena that had been neglected for over a year, spent all summer pulling up weeds and attempting to level it by hand and now its frozen solid!! It drains well and ive been informed it was constructed professionally its reasonably level (now i have evicted the rabbits that had moved in) but the sand is very compacted. Does any one have any budget suggesstions to solve any of these problems. How can i give this arena the TLC it deserves so that i can ride my horse on it.

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

It will freeze unless it is topped with something like rubber

 

[blackmagic]

Unfortunately I don't think there is much you can do. Ours is really well cared for but it still freezes. I find that ours only freezes in certain places though, where the suns not on it, so I can usually find a small area to ride on!

 

[laura_nash]

Same here, ours has been frozen up a few times the last week but we could usually find a 20m circle to ride on (during the afternoon / evening anyway).

 

[millimoo]

Ours is sand and rubber, and it's frozen solid -we've not been able to use it for over a week due to persistant cold weather.
My mum always tries to harrow the arena prior to a cold snap so the surface is flat when the sun shines - the ruts are take longer to defrost due to the shadows and holes.

 

[kit279]

This might sound a bit daft but can you not mix salt into the surface it to stop it from freezing? I'm not sure if that would make the rubber perish but I don't think the sand would be a problem?

 

[junior_7178]

Your not at a yard near the A47 are you?

 

[kit279]

No, sorry!

 

[rmoore69]

Happy to report my arena has been usable throughout consistent heavy frost up to minus 11. Had it down now for 4.5 years and been super in every way. Almost maintenance free.

If anyone wants to know more I'm happy to pass on the contact details.