To build or not to build...

[Coblette]

Sorry bit of a long one... I’m considering building a manege at home but I’m in two minds as to whether it’s a good idea or not (obvs need to get PP in place too). Just interested to know if you would or not in my situation... I know it’s a bit of a silly question to ask on a horse forum ?.

Bit of background - so I’ve got about 1.75 acres of grazing with a hard standing area with 2x stables opening out onto the paddocks. One overweight 14.2 cob at the moment (my property sides with other horses). If I build a manège I will lose approx 1/4 of an acre of grazing but I do have a small sacrifice paddock that can be trashed in the worst of weather & the hardstanding and ponio definitely doesn’t need lots of grass! I also have an 8 month old baby, so a manège would mean I could ride more often especially in winter & evenings when buba is in bed & hubby home which would do my overweight pony the world of good and I could really improve my riding / her schooling.

But I just keep thinking, is it a bit overkill to spend £15-£20k on a manège just for me to use 2/3 times a week as I’d still like to hack out too.

Hubby will do a lot of the work himself/ with a groundwork friend so hoping it will come in a bit cheaper than if I was to pay a contractor. And I’m not too worried about it being fenced either to save a bit on cost.

After all that waffle... is it worth doing?

 

[littleshetland]

We attempted to build our own arena last year. We got so far along but the weather was against us all the time, work commitments etc, so we ended up getting a contractor in to finish it for us as I couldn't stand the mess, mud and upheaval anymore! We are really chuffed with it though, and although they're expensive, definitely worth it, but doing it yourself is a lot of hardwork.

 

[fredflop]

I’d say that a school will be far more useful than a muddy bit of field

 

[milliepops]

Only you can decide if you'll use it enough but I'm hoping to eventually add a school on a similar acreage, I would use it as TO in bad weather as well as for schooling. So definitely worth it from my pov.

 

[spotty_pony]

I would say yes it's worth doing - we are currently about to do the same ourselves. It adds value to the property too if you ever sell it.

 

[Coblette]

We attempted to build our own arena last year. We got so far along but the weather was against us all the time, work commitments etc, so we ended up getting a contractor in to finish it for us as I couldn't stand the mess, mud and upheaval anymore! We are really chuffed with it though, and although they're expensive, definitely worth it, but doing it yourself is a lot of hardwork.

Yes I know it’s going to be hard work. Think I’ll get some quotes to do the whole thing as a comparison. Just out of interest if you don’t mind, how much did it cost you in total & how far did you get doing it yourself?

 

[Red-1]

I am on clay but that is no issue as I simply turn out onto the arena. I still poo pick every day, and I have put a shelter on there to feed hay in, so the hay doesn't go all over the surface.

The horses also love the mirror

 

[Coblette]

Only you can decide if you'll use it enough but I'm hoping to eventually add a school on a similar acreage, I would use it as TO in bad weather as well as for schooling. So definitely worth it from my pov.

Yes I could also use as turnout to avoid the worst of the mud ??

 

[Coblette]

I would say yes it's worth doing - we are currently about to do the same ourselves. It adds value to the property too if you ever sell it.

I suppose, but only if you sell to equestrians otherwise it may devalue it?

 

[Coblette]

I am on clay but that is no issue as I simply turn out onto the arena. I still poo pick every day, and I have put a shelter on there to feed hay in, so the hay doesn't go all over the surface.

The horses also love the mirror

Yes I’m on clay too so the arena would be nice for the winter!

 

[Red-1]

I suppose, but only if you sell to equestrians otherwise it may devalue it?

I was advised to recommend turfing it over, if non equestrians want to buy. Not for you to, but to advise them to.

However, if I were to market mine, it would also make an all weather dog exercise area, or even child's football area.

 

[Red-1]

Yes I’m on clay too so the arena would be nice for the winter!

I love mine for this. No mud, no mud fever, no slipping and sliding, no wet feet whilst trying to navigate the gateway.

 

[rextherobber]

I definitely would! If you have a spare half hour you can hop on, or do groundwork...I bet you'll be surprised at how often you do use it.

 

[Coblette]

I definitely would! If you have a spare half hour you can hop on, or do groundwork...I bet you'll be surprised at how often you do use it.

Yes that’s what I’m thinking I’d love to do a bit of groundwork/long lining as and when I have the time. Atm I can do a little riding/ground work but depends how the field is as don’t want to churn up if too wet or do any faster work of too hard!

 

[Muddywellies]

I once built one (purposely) on the wettest most useless part of the field. We built it up on top of the ground rather than dug in. Worked a treat. So if you have a wet part, I'd put the school there. I know it sounds double Dutch, but built correctly, it'll work.

 

[Coblette]

I once built one (purposely) on the wettest most useless part of the field. We built it up on top of the ground rather than dug in. Worked a treat. So if you have a wet part, I'd put the school there. I know it sounds double Dutch, but built correctly, it'll work.

Yes seen a few built on top of the ground. Is it less work to build? Also did you build it on clay?

 

[Flyermc]

Im sure there was a thread on here afew years ago about someone who had paid for a school, but it was very badly built and they ended up doing alot of it themselves. It might be worth a look at what not to do.

i really cant remember who it was, but i think you can search on here or someone else might remember who it was

 

[WelshD]

I recently gave up my rented land but always thought if it were mine I would have put in an oversized school and fenced part of it off as an all weather turnout leaving a dedicated riding area this combining the building costs in to one job

we moved to a livery yard recently and having gone from no school to having one I’m astonished at how much we use it - it’s been a huge benefit

 

[milliepops]

Im sure there was a thread on here afew years ago about someone who had paid for a school, but it was very badly built and they ended up doing alot of it themselves. It might be worth a look at what not to do.

i really cant remember who it was, but i think you can search on here or someone else might remember who it was

Catembi.

 

[Muddywellies]

Yes seen a few built on top of the ground. Is it less work to build? Also did you build it on clay?

Yes I'm sure it was clay. We scraped off the topsoil to create 4 banks 2 - 3 ft high to form the outer edge of the arena. Filled it in with an awful lot of builders rubble and road planings (I suspect laws on this would be different now, though we were selective what was put there), then stones, then smaller stones, then the surface. Each layer was flattened and compacted down with a huge road roller thing. No drains. No membrane. Worked a treat and absolutely never flooded, even if the surrounding field was wet. We had PP and our method was fully approved by the planning dept.

 

[Coblette]

Catembi.

Great thanks I’ll have a read ??

 

[Coblette]

Great thanks I’ll have a read ??

Sorry any idea what the thread was called? Can’t seem to find it. I saw the weebly link but that isn’t working? Maybe it will on the computer?

 

[Reacher]

Will it affect how much council tax you pay?
A few years ago I heard of people with arenas being contacted by the council telling them their council tax was being increased.

I have similar (slightly smaller ) acreage and although I’d love one I don’t feel i could sacrifice the grazing.
(Mr Reacher would have a heart attack too at the expense!)
I’ve half fancied making a well drained raised grass arena (as we are in clay and on a slope ) but I guess that wouldn’t be very practical ie only usable for a few months of the year

 

[Coblette]

Will it affect how much council tax you pay?
A few years ago I heard of people with arenas being contacted by the council telling them their council tax was being increased.

I have similar (slightly smaller ) acreage and although I’d love one I don’t feel i could sacrifice the grazing.
(Mr Reacher would have a heart attack too at the expense!)
I’ve half fancied making a well drained raised grass arena (as we are in clay and on a slope ) but I guess that wouldn’t be very practical ie only usable for a few months of the year

I wouldn’t have thought so if it’s just for my own private use but don’t know for sure. OH is on side with the idea so I’m lucky!! I know I’ll lose about 1/4 an acre but I can use the arena for turnout in the worst weather so that should help save the grass ??‍

 

[tristar]

done the same as muddywellies before now only took a week, planning on building another twice the size on a new property, best money ever spent, riding, lunging, loose work, jumping, turnout every day also a pathway to access is essential

 

[Coblette]

done the same as muddywellies before now only took a week, planning on building another twice the size on a new property, best money ever spent, riding, lunging, loose work, jumping, turnout every day also a pathway to access is essential

Wow only a week!! What plant did you use? We’ve got a digger and have access to a tractor. Did you put drainage pipes in the stone base? And was it built on clay?

 

[tristar]

not clay, no drainage, we used a digger, and roller to flatten the crusher waste onto the stone base.

i had that for nine years, the longest we have kept a property, it lasted well, when harrowed, well did not harrow, had a flattener thing it looked as good as new

 

[Annagain]

If you have horsey neighbours could you let them use it in return for you borrowing some grazing if you need it? That way the school gets more use and you mitigate the loss of grazing.

 

[Coblette]

@Muddywellies & @tristar how much did it cost to build roughly? I’m hoping I can do for around the £15k mark ? or is that wishful thinking ?

 

[Coblette]

If you have horsey neighbours could you let them use it in return for you borrowing some grazing if you need it? That way the school gets more use and you mitigate the loss of grazing.

Yes I definitely could do long as that doesn’t impact my use ie re planning permission/rates?