Northerners. Arena, sand school, sand paddock ??

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Notimetoride

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Yes this is pointless, but it just puzzles me.

Now, Im a Northerner - born and bred. But moved South 20 yrs ago. When I lived up t'North, an outdoor riding arena was a sand paddock. Its just what they were always called. But now I dont get it. What if the 'sand paddock' isnt sand? Is it still a sand paddock. If youve got a nice arena with a rubber surface, what do Northerners call them ? Down here they are just called arenas or menages (spelt maneges to be pedantic) Chuckling to myself here as the daftness of this, but i just wanted to throw this one out there.
 
I'm from Yorkshire (so yeah pretty North) and have never heard sand paddock??? In 35 years.
Only ever heard outdoor school, Arena or ménage (spelt the wrong way) no one would understand it the right way, would think I was saying it incorrectly if I said manège lol.
Maybe it's regional. I know we've had the "what are pages of hay called debate ?" Before slices, pieces, cakes or something else lol
 
Also in yorkshire and previously Lancashire and also have never heard the term "sand paddock" in 36yrs of horses, only ever arena, outdoor school or manège. Slices or cakes of hay for me too. :)
 
I call mine the arena, people ask to hire my school but the phrase sand school is used on two livery yards round here to differentiate between arena as area to work horse and sand school an area usually without drainage used as winter turnout.
 
I'm in Yorkshire and have only ever called it a school or a manege - getting used to the folk round here who call it an arena which always sounds a bit pretentious to me!
 
I grew up in Blackpool (lancs) where we called it a sand paddock, often referring to it as "the paddock". IE, "Are you riding in the paddock?"

Now I live in York. Most seem to call it the sand school or arena. Paddocks here are small fields for turnout.

My sister who still lives in Blackpool, calls the arena she hires to ride in a paddock, which confuses the hell out of me at times. I have never seen it but presume it is a sand school.
 
Lancashire here, and I have either always called it arena or school. If somebody said sand paddock I would know what they meant, but I've just never heard it!
 
I'm Northern, North Yorkshire or Teesside at varying times. Its always been called a school or occasionally an arena. I have honestly never ever heard anyone use the phrase sand paddock?!
 
Scots,living in NE England.
Outdoor school, indoor school, arena. Icould work out what a sand paddock was but I wouldnt think of describing a school or arena like that. Sounds to me like a paddock with a load of sand laid on top of it.
Hay from small bales is made up of sections. x
 
So this looks like a very regional thing. Im from the Preston area originally and most people there call an arena either a paddock or sand paddock. Whereas everywhere else, a paddock is a small field. No-one has mentioned what they call sand paddocks though, when they arent sand. I have definitely seen people on here refer to them as paddocks/sand paddocks. For the record, I call hay sections/folds either slices (usually) or sections,tho in my youth up t'North, they were called cakes. :-)
 
I'm on the Merseyside/ Cheshire border, I have heard the term sand paddock but I'd say indoor/ outdoor school. I don't why but I tend to say arena when on about a competition venue!
 
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Indoor school, outdoor school and we have a lunge pit (mix of sand and rubber only for lunging) we only call them arenas or venues for a competitions. I'm in Cheshire but originally from Northampton.

Hay comes in sections or slices!
 
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