Indoor arena size. How small is too small?

[EBHouse]

Looking at purchasing a bit of land which has some fabulous outbuildings, one of which I thought could maybe have the potential to turn into an indoor school.

Its inside dimensions are 27m x 20m. It has plenty of natural light/ventilation/decent lighting. It feels huge when you are on foot but appreciate this feeling will probably change on a horse.

It would only be for private use and in the long-term we would be looking to put in a bigger outdoor school. However with the pants winter weather being able to convert into an indoor school is a dealbreaker.

So my question is do you think this is too small? What size arena do you have/use?

 

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I would say you might struggle depending on the size of your horse. Thinking about it as an average circle is 20 meters diameter you soon realise thats a small school and you wont get many movements in there unless your happy with very basic schooling or using it as a lung pen.

Ive ridden in a 20 x 20 lunge ring and its nice for just a quick walk, trot and canter or just walk trot in a smaller space but anything more its not great long term because (with bigger horses) turns and straight lines come up quickly and the space isnt big enough to maneuver well imo.

 

[Abacus]

It might be useful in winter for lunging and some walk work at very least, or could be used as a turnout space to save the fields. You will have to decide though whether the slightly limited benefit is worth the cost of the surface and so on.

It's bigger than half of a normal 40x20, so in theory enough space to lunge and ride. There are lots of walk exercises and loops you can use to maximise the space.

Wherever you are now, can you mark out the size on the school or a bit of field, and try riding within the space?

 

[ironhorse]

We were at a yard that has a 30x30m indoor school and for the first 18 months it was either ride in there or use the fields if the ground was good enough - they eventually built a larger outdoor. It was great for lunging, in hand work and loose schooling and as completely enclosed was a fantastic place for a quick ride in the worst of the weather but was too small to do much with a 16hh youngster. I would think for someone with ponies/kids it would be ideal though. The YM also used it for turnout in the winter, but if you are planning to do this bear in mind it trashes the surface eventually, especially if you are giving them hay while turned out in there.

 

[conniegirl]

I think you will be ok. I used to school my 15.2hh 4 yearold in an indoor that was 15mx 35m. it was tight but taught him to balance himself.

 

[ycbm]

I have one 38 feet by 90 feet. I can do plenty in walk and trot, lots of lateral work, lots of in hand, it encourages you to work on transitions and precision.

I would be in seventh heaven with one the size of yours!

 

[Pigeon]

Remember that if it's 20 x 20, you will actually be working 19 x 19 at the most. Most arenas tend to be a little wider than 20m - when you go to dressage doesn't the short side seem short!!

 

[Annagain]

Given that it would be a short term thing until you get your larger outdoor sorted and will then probably only be used in the worst of the weather I would think it's acceptable. You'd have to tailor your work in there but it would at least give you a chance to do something in awful weather.

Is there any way you could extend it long term - knock two buildings into one or add some more to the long side?

 

[EBHouse]

Thanks all.

Going to measure it out in the 20x40m arena we have at current yard and see how we feel.

Really keen for getting our own space away from livery politics so will keep you all updated

 

[Cortez]

I have seen GP dressage horses trained in smaller than that. I've also ridden in a picadeiro in Portugal that was the front room of an grand old derelict mansion, think it was about 15m X 20m.

 

[Finlib]

We bought a place 7 years ago and did what you are planning .It already had a 20x 40 outdoor school but also had several large out buildings one was a former cattle barn very tumbledown .We had the barn replaced with a modern box profile barn which we now use as an indoor school. It is 27 meters by 30 meters .It is an absolute godsend it is perfectly big enough to ride in including a balanced canter and has taught the horses to balance well.I also use it to lunge in and for freeschooling and basic ground work. During the wet winter of 2015 is was heaven it also has flood lighting so can be used when the light isn't good We did work with planning and even though it was a replacement building of the same footprint put it through full planning o it is all above board and legal best thing we ever did. Go for it

 

[Lexi_]

We had one about the same dimensions at our last yard (think it was an old cattle barn) and it was super useful in the winter for riding/lunging/freeschooling or even just to let them mooch about for a leg stretch. The kids on ponies could jump in there but our two are a bit too large for that!

 

[Bertolie]

We have a small indoor at the yard I am at. Converted barn about 15m x 25m. It's a godsend in the winter for lunging, free schooling etc. You can put a couple of jumps up but it is quite tight. Most of the horses on the yard are happy hackers so it suits our purposes.

 

[Gloi]

I used to be at a yard with a school that was an old barn of about 15 by 20 metres. It was tight but it was all we had and the horses became well balanced very quickly. Great for loose schooling because you were always close to the horse.