Building a horse arena!!

RainbowBee

Hi. I'm just wondering does anyone know people who build horse arena's!! An Outdoor one!! Doesn't need to include fence or anything just the basic arena in the Leinster area?!!
Thanks.:D

convert

There's lots of classified ads in the Irish Field regarding arena construction and surfacing.

Teagasc have guidelines re. the building of outdoor arenas, which you can find here. As the document says, you really need to put time and effort into the foundations and drainage so that your arena is as good as possible.

If you can get someone in to do the initial foundations, you can source stones from local quarries and buy the membrane in a hardwear store. It's not too difficult to lay yourself if you're anyway into DIY. Check the adds in papers re. surfacing and you should be sorted.

Might be an idea to price everything individually as well as people who offer 'the whole package' so that you know you're getting a good deal.

djml

the guys who did mine are from qcs construction. I know they have pics of mine. pm me for their details. They are from near Dunshaughlin in County Meath.

RainbowBee

Thanks a million for the information!! I'll look into it!! I'm just finding it difficult to find someone who can build it including digging out the foundation for the drainage!!

finbarrk

You will need about €10k for a 30 x 20m one. Thats starting from scratch.

twomeys

Rainbow,

If you dont mind hanging on Ill reply to this properly over the weekend. We have a 50 x 20 and had difficult ground so we have plenty of tips for ya!!

Eoghan

silverfox88

i know very little about this, but all i can say is dont cut corners on drainage, nothing worse than a sodden arena at the first sign of rain

jenny penny

twomeys wrote: »

Rainbow,

If you dont mind hanging on Ill reply to this properly over the weekend. We have a 50 x 20 and had difficult ground so we have plenty of tips for ya!!

Eoghan

Any more info on this Eoghan?

UpHill

Hi RainbowBee

I think you will be able to do a fair bit yourself with some good help. Finished mine just before Christmas, got some nice sand at a very decent price from Mick Kelly from MSK sand down in Wexford (Google them). Be careful in using decent quality timber, cheap stuff doesn't pay.

Best of Luck

monflat

UpHill wrote: »

Hi RainbowBee

I think you will be able to do a fair bit yourself with some good help. Finished mine just before Christmas, got some nice sand at a very decent price from Mick Kelly from MSK sand down in Wexford (Google them). Be careful in using decent quality timber, cheap stuff doesn't pay.

Best of Luck

Hi uphill
id be interested as to how muchyou done yourself and what was your total cost.
Wasit 20x40

charlieIRL

Is 20 x 40 big enough? I measured a 35 x 20 at home and put stakes at the 4 corners. When I set up a few jumps and the kids rode the ponies around it seemed very tight.

monflat

charlieIRL wrote: »

Is 20 x 40 big enough? I measured a 35 x 20 at home and put stakes at the 4 corners. When I set up a few jumps and the kids rode the ponies around it seemed very tight.

Id love bigger than 20x40. Last time I got a few quotes it was 16000 for a 20x40!!!

charlieIRL

monflat wrote: »

Id love bigger than 20x40. Last time I got a few quotes it was 16000 for a 20x40!!!

Same here. Buy there's a digger here I can use so it's only materials I have to get. I'll get it done one of these years!!!

may06

charlieIRL wrote: »

Same here. Buy there's a digger here I can use so it's only materials I have to get. I'll get it done one of these years!!!

40X20 is quite large, that's what i built. Cost wise came in at around 14k from start to finish.

elusiveguy

may06 wrote: »

40X20 is quite large, that's what i built. Cost wise came in at around 14k from start to finish.

I'd call 40x20 too small. Make it as big as you can Charlie, you'll regret too small, you'll never regret 'too' big!

I think 50x30 is a nice size!

may06

elusiveguy wrote: »

I'd call 40x20 too small. Make it as big as you can Charlie, you'll regret too small, you'll never regret 'too' big!

I think 50x30 is a nice size!

Your call based on the fact you haven't seen it of course..V general statement overall.

elusiveguy

may06 wrote: »

Your call based on the fact you haven't seen it of course..V general statement overall.

Based on the fact that I've ridden in a 20x40.... To do a proper grid you need bigger.

convert

may06 wrote: »

Your call based on the fact you haven't seen it of course..V general statement overall.

It really depends on what you want to do in the arena, the space you have, and your budget. Horses for courses and all that....

Mod hat on: May, please don't be so dismissive and aggressive in the tone you adopt in your posts. It may be that you don't intend your posts to come across that way, but don't forget the written word often reads differently than how we would say it.

may06

elusiveguy wrote: »

Based on the fact that I've ridden in a 20x40.... To do a proper grid you need bigger.

It suits me and my needs fine. I can well manage a grid of 5 fences in my 20x40m. I also built it based on what i could afford, not based on the size/type of fencing required in it. There are plenty of options, centre line and diagonally too both work. Needs and budget more importantly tend to influence the decision making on building an arena.

may06

convert wrote: »

It really depends on what you want to do in the arena, the space you have, and your budget. Horses for courses and all that....

Mod hat on: May, please don't be so dismissive and aggressive in the tone you adopt in your posts. It may be that you don't intend your posts to come across that way, but don't forget the written word often reads differently than how we would say it.

No,I wasnt but & I was not being aggressive, I was being defensive. The poster in question was coming across a tad dismissive is what I felt & certainly wasn't stating horses for courses in his response. So no offence meant, but written word indeed perhaps reads differently as you say, which is what I was reacting to.

convert

may06 wrote: »

No,I wasnt but & I was not being aggressive, I was being defensive. The poster in question was coming across a tad dismissive is what I felt & certainly wasn't stating horses for courses in his response. So no offence meant, but written word indeed perhaps reads differently as you say, which is what I was reacting to.

May, as per the forum charter (and sitewide rules), please don't reply to a moderator in thread - if you've any queries or want to discuss it with me (or another mod), then please PM us.

mothoin

elusiveguy wrote: »

Based on the fact that I've ridden in a 20x40.... To do a proper grid you need bigger.

what do you consider a proper grid? I spent 6 years between two equestrian centres teaching in 20x40 arenas and I was able to have "poper grids" built

Ave Sodalis

elusiveguy wrote: »

Based on the fact that I've ridden in a 20x40.... To do a proper grid you need bigger.

That's in a smaller arena than 20x40 and there's plenty of room for more jumps than that. 20 x 40 is plenty big for a proper grid.