Livery yards, winter riding... questions!

[Sol]

I'm going to look at a new livery yard tomorrow, which is much closer to college, so more convenient for a start. I'm also feeling a bit 'down' at the current yard and want to be somewhere with a few more people interested in dressage ideally

Yard I've found is closer to school, has nice hacking (I know the area anyway!), stables, all year t/o, etc.... and does have a lit outdoor, and jumping paddock (for summer I presume).

Current yard however has a lit outdoor always available for liveries, plus another outdoor, and 2 indoors, which can only be hired really.
Last winter though, when the yard froze completely, so no t/o and menages froze, we did have access to the small indoor when it wasn't hired. It was often crowded, and hectic, but available!

What I'm most worried about is that I might move, and regret it if we have a freeze like last year as it will mean NO riding.

New yard is also considering building a roundpen, and I will ask if they permit lunging - something I miss being able to do!

Thought please??
Thanks!

 

[wellsat]

Last winter was pretty unusual. Depending on the surface of the outdoor there is a good chance that you'll be able to ride all through winter with maybe only a couple of days when it freezes.

 

[Sol]

I think it's sand and rubber, I will also ask how well it drains when I'm there as I guess good drainage helps!
I'm hoping for a wet winter rather than a cold one anyway!
Does anyone elses arena tend to freeze in winter??

 

[wellsat]

We have equisand which is very good, my previous yard had woodchip which I know alot of people don't like but I never had any problems with it.

My experience of sand and rubber is that it can get very deept when wet.