What size for an indoor school?

Big Ben

Big Ben

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If you were able to put up your own indoor school, on a farm, for your own private use, what would be the minimum dimensions that you could live with?

I live in a climate where I lose 3 or 4 months a year to the bitter cold and depth of snow, 3 months where you fry by riding midday, or feed the bugs by riding early or late :(

We don't jump, obviously won't have to share the space, I just need a play area that is usable. Length is not much of an issue, in the scheme of things there isn't a length limit, but obviously with a clear span every 10 meters added to the width puts the total cost up exponentially.

So what is the smallest you would happily accept, to make the difference between being able to do something, rather than nothing, and not having to re mortgage the place to build it.
 
A 20x20 could be enough to make a difference as long as the horses are not really big, I would be happy with 20 or 25 x 30 plenty of room to do all the basics, even a small jump or two if I wanted. In an ideal world with a lottery win 30x 60 with the stables attached by a walkway:D
 
You're never going to wish you had a smaller indoor school, so I'd just get the biggest possible you can afford. 20 x 40 feels tight when there are walls round it!
 
It probably depend on the size of the horse your working too...

Recently tried out a pony (14.2hh NF) in a indoor which looked tiny probably 15mx15m, I wouldn't want be in there with my big boy, but for a pony and even if it was just for walk and trot or some lunging on the vile days it would have been fine (and feel like a godsend- coming from someone with no school at all!)

We're looking at moving and some of the barns are 18X20m and although feel tight I bet on a wet or frozen day they would feel like luxury!
 
I have one big guy, and a couple of smaller girls, I got to go play on one that was 20 x 32 yesterday, yards, rather than metres, and it actually felt pretty spacious, I'm not sure if that was because it was a very tall fabric building, so light and airy, unlike the weekend when I was having lessons in a dark and dingy 60 x 200 with a low ceiling and very little natural light.

I know that I will never wish that I had a smaller one, and I have been trying to hold out for a full size dressage arena, but I think the lottery would have to help with that one. With the climate we have just having somewhere I can walk and trot would help, even doing ground work in some sort of comfort would be a luxury.

I can haul out to use a bigger arena I suppose, it would take a lot of diesel to match the cost of a big arena
 
I'd go all out :P

If you're going to spend the time and money building an indoor I'd like to have a nice big one :P

Personally I'd like a nice large 80 x 50 :D

In said dreams maybe....

Average arena size is 20x40 but I find anything 15.2+ struggle a bit in that size, it's impossible to jump in too
 
I used to ride in a 20 by 15 which was only good enough to walk and trot realistically on a bigger horse, though canter was perfectly doable on a smaller horse. I guess it depends on what you need it for.

As others have said though go for the biggest you can afford.
 
I've currently got a 20x20 and although fab for exercising, lunging and general turnout in the worst of weathers it is very limiting 'schooling' although it certainly sharpens up your transitions and reactions :eek: I mostly choose to ride in the rain in the 20x40

My advice is to go with the biggest you can afford I would choose a 20x 40 now .......
 
We have a small indoor at the yard - at a guess I'd say its approx 15m x 25m. It's a godsend for lunging or a bit of walk & trot when the dark nights mean we can't hack out during the week. I have jumped my 14.3 cob in the school but it does get a bit tight. Like others have said, go for the biggest you can afford.
 
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