[minibn]

Good evening,

I have been wanting an arena for many years now, but in have never thought that I would be able to afford to build one. I have planning for an outdoor arena being 60m by 30m. However looking at building costs I would only build a 20mx60m. The area which I would like to put it is pretty flat, so wouldn't need to be levelled off to much. However it is on clay soil so water tends to pool in certain areas, so drainage would be very important. I have seen the roll and ride surfaces, although I don't think this would work due to the ground. I would intend to do as much of the work myself with some help from some willing volunteers. I have a farm contractor across the road where I could hire a digger and driver.

From reading up on this I have seen that the best sort of stone for drainage is clean crushed limestone, however this seems pretty pricey. Does anyone have any other recommendations as a type of stone to use. I was hoping to have a sand mixed with rubber, however i may just have sand and add the rubber at a later date when funds allow.

My budget is only really about 6-8k. Has anyone managed to build an outdoor arena for around this price.

Any advice and tips would be greatly appreciated.

[Buttermilk]

Unfortunately arenas are expensive.  Does it have to be fenced?  If you can get away with just kick boards and fence at a later date it will give you more money to play with.  If you go just sand get washed sand.  However you will not be happy with the surface as it will ride deep and blow away.  You get what you pay for.  Do not go for the wood chip/fibre surface as they get very slippy.  Carpet fibres are very dusty and a beggar to clean but ride well.

[Rosemary]

This probably isn't hegely helpful but I noticed it in a McVeigh Parker catalogue.

They do a DIY arena kit - excludes ground work and the riding surface but includes fence posts, three rails, retaining boards, gate posts and hinges, woven membrane for base layer, spun membrane for top layer and 225m perforated land drainiage pipe.

For 20m x 40m it's £2365.85 ex VAT. Other sizes available.

[Kimbo]

Id also like to do this but I know that you have to be so so careful about drainage and the surface you choose. I would avoid sand like the plague.....same for wood chip. Neither is a sufficiently safe surface to ride on and , believe me, sand aint half hard in winter when you fall onto it!
Rosemary's idea is really worth looking at.
If you think about the reason you want a manege, that might help you decide where to invest the money. So if its just for all-weather turnout then you could probably spend less on your surface than you would on good fencing. But if its for some serious schooling the riding surface is all-important.

 

[SmallWelshBarn]

Just a correction its a manège. Ménage is a completely different meaning often used for Ménage à trois, a sexual relationship between three people !!!!
Building a manège is an expensive operation ground work and materials swallow up funds. We are in the process of building a manège it will be finished next week. 20x60 cost 33k that was built on a blind base single membrane included every thing.
It will have taken us 11 days with a team of 3 guys working from 7am to 6pm non stop.
I made this little video of the process for the arena company as a thank you its a work in progress as the manège. is almost finished. We went for a silica sand surface and carpet fibre.
I worked out the costs for the materials plant hire etc the difference to having a set of professionals in was not much more. We had a fair bit of cut and fill.
http://youtu.be/-11FXVU2u1Y

[OhLaLa]

Re Ménage, like many French words, the meaning changes according to what sentence it is used in. E.g. Household, Housework or, another example, Un jeune ménage marié - a young married couple/a young couple married..... so don't worry that you've said something rude. 


Re your query, drainage is probably the most important aspect of all if you really want a flood and puddle free school. The stone and top surface is what will eat your money up (drainage pipes under the stone, leading off into a ditch for example, is even better. Herringbone pattern works well).
[/size]Go down to whoever will supply your stone and take a look at what types and sizes they have on offer, tell them what it is for and they will be able to advise you best.
[/size]As for sand as a top surface, I much prefer it to any other. Newly laid rubber surfaces smell vile for ages, and rots down (look at any old tyre for an example of what it will become). In time it becomes a horrid thick black dust which in turn is sludgy when it gets wet. Not a good look on an equines white legs. Or boots.
[/size]And rubber surfaces are hard to dispose of when the time comes to renew the surface. Woodchip is better used indoors than out, but I'm still not keen. I think it looks cheap and looks dirty.
[/size]Let us know how you get on. Or do us a video so we can see your project in progress?
[/size]Best wishes for it.
[/size]PS: The fencing/membrane kits are convenient, but check the diameters of the posts and rails are adequate for you. I considered them a bit on the thin side when I looked them up so passed that option over.
[/size](Apol for the font/html changes, not my doing).

[kellyrose]

Make sure you have good drainage and a good membrane, dont cut corners and get proper advice, mistakes can be expensive.

[Junctionfarm]

We're just in the middle of built one. We're lucky in the fact that were the arena is going there used to be a lot of outbuildings and underneath the ground it's full of natural rocks and stone for drainage but won't no properly until we start to dig it up properly. I'm hoping for minimal hard-core and natural drainage. We have kick boards to go round the edge ans some miss match timber for the post and rail. We will paint it to make it look tidy and I plan to fill with sand for winter and slowly add rubber and mix it in over time.