Those of you with small arenas....

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avthechav

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Just pondering really, I know that the general rule is to build a big as a you can when it comes to arena installation but I was just wondering if anyone has or uses small/ compact schools, what size they were and how useful you found them? I would be mainly interested in flatwork but all/ any comments welcome! Thanks :)
 
Not much help, ours is maybe 15/30 and not a great surface- I manage to do a bit of everything in it just about :) better than nothing'! :) makes a 20/40 dressage arena feel big ;)
 
Have just moved away from previous yard which had one about 15x30 if that. It was horrible, not enough space to ride with someone else, by the time you got any form of straightness you hit a corner. Couldnt jump in it, couldn't teach mediums, couldn't get any lateral before a corner came up at high speed. Unless you have a very small striding and balanced horse I would go for a 20x40 if at all possible.
 
^^ah now this is the issue! space is at a premium and no one nearby wants to sell me any! I have a scrappy piece of land behind the stables which is useless- is clay and floods in winter and rock in summer so we are thinking of putting in drains to improve the section but.... But may explore the possibility of putting in a surface....space would measure 19m by 39 I think. (Unless one day my neighbour decides to sell me a strip of a few metres)! :)
 
avthechav said:
^^ah now this is the issue! space is at a premium and no one nearby wants to sell me any! I have a scrappy piece of land behind the stables which is useless- is clay and floods in winter and rock in summer so we are thinking of putting in drains to improve the section but.... But may explore the possibility of putting in a surface....space would measure 19m by 39 I think. (Unless one day my neighbour decides to sell me a strip of a few metres)! :)
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Just build it above ground - ive done it with great success. Size wise, that would be fine and would certainly be better than nothing (unless your horse has a super long stride i suppose)
 
Well it might improve my ability to ride accurately and like the poster above says....surely a normal 20 x 40 would seem spacious after that?
 
I used to stable with a tiny indoor school (ex hay barn) about 10 * 20 with 2 support pillars on the centre line. Limited what shapes you could ride but my pony got really well balanced and could jump off a tight corner :D
 
You wont really feel a difference - its just 1m in each direction. I have ridden in schools where the track was so deep you may as well have been in a 15x30!

If nothing else, you could also use it as all weather turnout in winter?
 
My riding area is 10 * 20 Metres. Lack of space forced the size. I ride a pony so it is not too limiting. It is still extremely useful and definitely better than nothing.
 
I'd just make sure to put in a good surface. You don't want to slip/fall over. We have a small school (woodchip on chalk), which is bit of a death trap. The surface is very loose, and the chalk underneath slippery when wet. I only use it for in-hand work or walking, because I wouldn't want to risk a slip if the horse isn't perfectly balanced around the tight corners.
 
The last yard o was at only had a school that was 14x30m but it was perfectly adequate. Very good for teaching horses to balance themselves properly, my instructor schooled her 17.2hh youngster in it with no problems and 2 people could school at 1 time if both horses were good in company! Jumping more than 1 jump or maybe a double across the diagonal was difficult.
My current yard the school is between 2 barns and is 15m by 45m.
Perfectly adequate for general riding and schooling! A small course of jumps can fit in it and it is definitely better than no school
 
CBAnglo said:
You wont really feel a difference - its just 1m in each direction. I have ridden in schools where the track was so deep you may as well have been in a 15x30!

If nothing else, you could also use it as all weather turnout in winter?
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^it certainly could help! although I would be very precious about protecting the surface but at the very least it could work fir a leg stretch when they are confined to yard turnout.

Misty05 said:
My riding area is 10 * 20 Metres. Lack of space forced the size. I ride a pony so it is not too limiting. It is still extremely useful and definitely better than nothing.
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Fab, thanks for this, the news of useful small schools is good!


supsup said:
I'd just make sure to put in a good surface. You don't want to slip/fall over. We have a small school (woodchip on chalk), which is bit of a death trap. The surface is very loose, and the chalk underneath slippery when wet. I only use it for in-hand work or walking, because I wouldn't want to risk a slip if the horse isn't perfectly balanced around the tight corners.
Click to expand...

Good point, defo worth taking good advise on this!

conniegirl said:
The last yard o was at only had a school that was 14x30m but it was perfectly adequate. Very good for teaching horses to balance themselves properly, my instructor schooled her 17.2hh youngster in it with no problems and 2 people could school at 1 time if both horses were good in company! Jumping more than 1 jump or maybe a double across the diagonal was difficult.
My current yard the school is between 2 barns and is 15m by 45m.
Perfectly adequate for general riding and schooling! A small course of jumps can fit in it and it is definitely better than no school
Click to expand...

Fab! Would be good to pop the odd jump but would be mainly focusing on my terrible flat work, sounds promising!

......now to show this thread to the husband, wish me luck! ;)
 
I used to be on a yard with a 15x30 where the surface was not good, the track was often a deep furrow with all corners cut off, and I often had to share with 4 or 5 other people. It wasn't ideal, but it was a lot better than having no school.
 
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