Ideal size of a menage

[I_A_P]

What do you think?

Realisitcally due to cost and eating up our garzing land we will not have a massive one as just won't be possible.

I have always though just a bog standard 20x40 but am wondering to make it slightly bigger even if its by 5m either way just to get that little extra space?

Ultimatly it will depend on what room i have but just thought it was worth considering!

Thoughts?

 

[Silverspring]

As big as you can afford! The 20 x 40 is dressage size for horse's that are established in the 3 gaits (unless you are only walking and trotting

) so you would want to be adding a least 5 m on each side so you can lunge, jump and school younger horses.

 

[I_A_P]

Well i would ideally want to be jumping as well so think maybe the extra 5m would work well (if we can do it!)

 

[RachelB]

My old yard's school is 25m by 60 something m and the extra few metres make a whole lot of difference! It really tests your dressage test accuracy too when you know that if you make a 20m circle to the edges, it isn't 20m!
I agree with as big as you can afford!

 

[lucy16]

Big is great if you can afford it but you don't need it. You can jump, lunge, ride youngsters etc perfectly well in a 20x40!
If you make it 25m you will have problems riding dressage tests, it distorts the angles, unless you mark out 20m (in which case there is no point having 25m!).
As for jumping, you can fit more jumps into a bigger arena, but the skills lies in getting the turns and approach to the fence right, so again, a bigger arena will not help.
My arena is 21m wide, simply so there is a bit of space beween the track and the boards, it makes it easier to level (but does add cost and is not really necessary)

 

[MistletoeMegan]

As you jump, making it 40 x 30 would make life easier, if distinctly more expensive!

A 30m width gives you a lot more room to play with regard to jumping, however I think that if making the arena wider means that you have to rethink what you can afford to do with drainage/membrane/surface etc then I would go for a 40 x 20 and get the best you can afford; rather to have a standard size arena that functions well for many years than have a bigger one and risk boggy patches/surface problems.

It is perfectly possible to jump well in a 40 x 20, you just have to get more creative with how you set up the jumps, which can actually be a good thing as you get very accurate!

 

[Rowreach]

Mine is approx 30x40 and is imo the perfect size. It was originally an orchard, so we just levelled it and used the whole space (keeping the existing hedges). It was a bit more expensive to put in, but is a fantastic schooling space, I can build 9 or 10 fences in it, and if I want to do dressage I just mark out 20x40 with poles and markers and bob's your uncle

 

[I_A_P]

Thank you everyone. I do not think we could fit a 30 x 40m in.

if practising specifically for dressage i would put some markers out to make it exactly 20m x 40m ....was just wondering if it was worth a few extra metres and get it done now rather than wishing we had done it in a few years time and have to alter all the drainage etc!

I can understand exactly what you are saying re: you may not make turns etc as tight - i was thinking more along the lines of the variety of what you can do and how many you can fit in which may make it more useful!

There are +ves and -ves really!


food for thought - thanks!

 

[KatB]

Would agree with the 30x40, but otherwise make it 25x40 if possible, 20x40 isnt great for everyday, but obviously better than nothing!!

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

Mine is 25m x 65m which is great but the one disadvantage it has is that it makes you a bit lazy with the jumping. When I had a 20 x 40 I was a lot more organised after a fence as you have to think about your turns earlier. If I had a choice again I would have a 40 x 40 I think.

 

[CrazyMare]

We have 25x45 and its fab. Enough space to not feel cramped, can mark out an arena inside it or jump easily.

Other one is 19x24m (slotted in a spare space) and its possible to jump in there easily enough.

 

[flyingfeet]

Mine is 22 x 45m and yes the extra is handy as you can squish more jumps in!

I currently have a course of 14 jumping efforts up, although have got creative with squishing and all my poles are 3m!