sand school, arena, manege rules

[snowstormII]

If you let others use your school what rules do you stipulate and why? For example, pick out hooves before entering so organic matter can't be taken in, rot down and block drainage; no lungeing in case horse props and digs down to membrane.

 

[milliepops]

those would be the main ones, plus

pick up poo immediately or steer round it until you finish, so it doesn't get worked into the surface and
put jumps back/away as they were (just cos it's irritating tidying up after people)

I think, i'm afraid, we'd have no free schooling either because if the horse goes loopy then it'll dig holes in the surface too. (though I do freeschool one of mine however she's more inclined to get down and roll than charge about)

I've been to some places where they pick hooves out when leaving so you don't drag surface out across the yard. The gateway entrance to our school is just a load of spare surface though so pretty pointless here :lol:

Other common rule would be about wearing a hat for ridden work (reason is pretty self explanatory)

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Removing droppings a must, definitely no loose schooling - I've never seen anyone any good at this in any case, it usually involves kids chasing ponies around the arena at a rate of knots and nobody else can use the school when a horse is loose. No lungeing would be too restrictive imo unless you have somewhere else this can be done? If your surface is well maintained, regularly dragged and topped up I don't see why that would be too much of a problem. I've never been anywhere you can't lunge but YO do ask people not to stay in the same spot for too long creating a deep track.

Other problems I've come across at some yards is people standing around yakking blocking the school up so I would have a rule about that. Tidying away equipment after use. Not booking the arena out in peak times for lessons where possible. Not putting out loads of jumps and equipment at peak times either.

A list of etiquette of the school e.g pass left to left etc. so many people have no idea these days. Makes it much safer for all concerned.

The picking out feet bit I would personally find annoying. Obviously I do pick out feet before and after riding anyway.