menages

SSM

SSM

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 November 2005
Messages
6,789
Location
Stonkerland
Visit site
Right so I know nothing about them except how to attempt to ride in one!

So can you all tell me about them - costs, whats involved what sort of surface I should have etc

Thanks!
 
Get proper groundworks done, drainage and membranes. Then the best surface you can afford at the end. An arena done on the cheap (not suggesting you would!) is a false economy. I have seen many they don't drain, or worse still rubble and stones come up through your surface.

Unless you can afford the lovely waxed stuff that Vale View has I'd go for a sand/rubber mix
smile.gif
 
Goes between rock and surface. I believe some surfaces have to have them and some don't. They should stop plants growing up and sand/rubber going into your drainage.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Get proper groundworks done, drainage and membranes. Then the best surface you can afford at the end. An arena done on the cheap (not suggesting you would!) is a false economy. I have seen many they don't drain, or worse still rubble and stones come up through your surface.

Unless you can afford the lovely waxed stuff that Vale View has I'd go for a sand/rubber mix
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

/\/\/\ Wot she said.
tongue.gif


We started our groundworks two years ago thinking we'd got the drainage just right but thankfully had torrential rain which told us otherwise.
crazy.gif
Cue bigger drains. It might be worth ringing round to see if any of the surface manufacturers have secondhand stuff, as ours had been down at Your Horse Live for a week and we got it cheaper.
 
We built a 30m x 60m one early lasy year.

As others have said..get the drainage right - we used a professional drainage company (as they were putting in some land drains for us anyway) After the drains go in you need a layer of porous membrane (we used terram, the black shiney one) - this stops the soil etc clogging the drainange layer and stops the stone layer being forced into the ground,then a layer of washed, graded hard stone for a drainage layer (at least 4" thick) - dont compromise on the stone as crushed rubble and limestone will quickly fail.

We then added another membrane again terram but this one is white and feels like material. On top of this we added 4" of silica sand and then topped with 2 " of rubber chippings.

Our total cost (including post + rail fencing and all the ground works ) was approx £30,000 - we did a fair amount of the work ourselves too- an awful lot of money but well worth the investment as it has never once stood with water on even in the worst rain storms. Also it is a large school!!

Good Luck...will try and post some pictures of our build process later.
 
My friend builds them & costs really depend on
Site/soil, size of arena, surface, lighting etc, but I think for a 20 x 40 you need a budget of at least 20k. Surface depends on what you want to do as it seems a jumping surface takes more of a hammering then just flat work. Silica sand is quiet expensive but one of the best surfaces to have. Also all surfaces have to be properly maintained or they end up a waste of money. I know someone went for a wood chip type sureface which was a cheap alternative but not good footing when very wet.
 
hi, we are currently building a woodfibre 25x45m arena ourselves & in total it will have cost us about 10-11k. We are lucky to know a digger driver who can also hire equipment at a reduced cost & a builder who can get aggrigates at cost!
The biggest cost has been the drainage layer, (upto the limestone) & has easily totalled 6k (including the base membrance), 2k on the fencing, gates & kickboards, & the final 2-3k on the surface & upper membrane. Drainage is the key so we spent the most money there!
Its been a slog to do it ourselves, but the cheapest quote we got from a company was 23k for a 20x40m. So buy doing it ourselves we could have a larger arena!
With regards to the surface get the best you can afford & that the council will let you have. We werent allowed rubber due to the toxic runoff, & the next surface which the coucil would allow us to have would have cost over 8k, so we were left with woodfibre. But after seeing/riding on a few we are happy that this can withstand the usage from us.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top