'Refurbing' arena

[alsxx]

So maybe refurbishing is not quite the correct term, but hopefully you get the jist!

We inherited a sand and Turf float 20x40 with our property and while not in awful condition, it's been lacking some tlc that's for sure. On the side of a hill, the side furthest from 'edge' rides deep, and the other side rides fine but seems most of the surface has migrated away to the other side courtesy of the wind. Corners are all lacking.

Without spending £££ how best to help level this out and get the surface back across? We have a small leveller that's flat on one side, and fixed tines on the other. I've tried using the flat side to drag the surface across but doesn't seem to massively help. I've started raking by hand and wondering if shovelling in to a barrow and moving it across would help? I also have a dodgy shoulder and carpal tunnel right now so if I'm completely wasting my time with this approach I'd rather know photo attached of the 1 corner I've started at.

Oh and any tips on killing the grass that keeps sprouting hugely appreciated

 

[Pinkvboots]

We did it with barrows by hand took ages but it was better but have to keep on top of it as it is not completely level so the surface naturally migrates to one side anyway.

 

[BigRedDog]

I moved into a property with a similar problem. Arena was sand only and it was either rock hard or if dry weather very deep. Also covered in weeds/grass. I tried weeding it by hand and weed killing nothing worked - kept coming back.

Also surface had migrated so had a slope across from one long side to the other. I tried evening up surface by harrowing with harrow that is designed for maintaining surface. This did not work, can’t move enough of the surface.

In the end I paid for additional fibre to add to surface and someone to come in and level it off. It was not a cheap solution but 4 years later school rides brilliantly. There is still a slight slope (my instructor likes to wind me up by saying “change the rein up the hill”!) but it was a diy install by previous owners so wonder if it was ever 100% flat.

Once in regular use weeds don’t grow back.

I would say if you can worth paying to get it done professionally.

 

[alsxx]

Thanks both, all useful to know. I will keep persevering, since I don't have anything to ride right now, it gives me something to do

It actually looks very level overall, and it's had the Turf float added to the sand in the past, but perhaps a top up of that might help. I guess if I move the surface over it might not be as level as first thought

It's only getting used once a week at the moment by the kids on their ponies so hopefully once it's used more regularly the grass will stay at bay. I just need to source a new horse first!

 

[Abacus]

We used a digger to dig up the surface (most of it) into a pile, mixing it up as we put it back more or less level, then chain harrowed it for ages. It was a lot easier than doing it by hand (although my OH is v good with a digger).

 

[Widgeon]

The arena at the yard I was on had got like this; it's a "proper" arena but over the years the underlayer had got pretty uneven, so no amount of levelling the top with the quad would fix it. In the end the YO hired some men with a digger to shift all the rubber surface into heaps, level the sand underlayer so it was properly flat again, and then re-lay the rubber. It worked a treat and we didn't have deep and thin bits anymore after that. I think it took two men a day to do.

 

[Jayzee]

Following as I have a similar issue with my school.

 

[alsxx]

We used a digger to dig up the surface (most of it) into a pile, mixing it up as we put it back more or less level, then chain harrowed it for ages. It was a lot easier than doing it by hand (although my OH is v good with a digger).

Haha my OH is rather useless with a digger, he'd definitely dig up the membrane if I let him loose

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I would shovel into a barrow and move. It won’t take as long as you think. Just a few loads a day and it will be sorted in a couple of weeks. Won’t cost a thing.