What size is your arena and...

[wabuska]

what do you use it for? ;D

[jen1]

60x30 and nothing much more than teaching on a weekend, i came to the conclusion today im stuck in my ways and would use a busy rd to do the type of schooling i'm good at,

[Deleted]

We currently have a 20m x 20m grass (read "mud") patch which I use to get on (mounting block lives there!), and teach very short individual movements or deal with specific 'issues'etc.

In the summer we have a 15m x about 100m field which I use for bending, poles, long lining over jumps etc, introducing new stuff under saddle or long lining etc.

[wabuska]

Jen... you're hilarious.

[jen1]

i just find them boring, ive actually used the indoor for all but 5 mins, i taught fleur to lead ride when she was 2 and only did it twice so i had a bash today and it went really well, so i went out onto my farm track by next week it will be a pottle on busy rd with someone on the ground, both barney and fleur are bomb proof , i just see my stomping ground as mine for the usuing and get bored in the school unless im having a lesson,

[wabuska]

But, but, I'm fantasising about arenas Jen, and how it will change my life forever, stop it!!!!!!!!!

[Bella]

I think ours is about 60 x 30, its huge. I normally do groundwork and longline in ours. Usually 3/4 times a week I do 25mins schooling and then go out for a hack or the other way round

[Amanda Seater]

My new indoor will be just 30x15m - I am looking forward to doing all sorts of daft agility stuff in it and trick training in the winter along with more careful and acurate ridden work . All with out getting wet , muddy and the skin blown off my face.
My outdoor arena until one is built will be the field or better still the small beach at teh end of a 5 min track!! I am sure water and cliffs will make good fences!

[jinglejoys]

70' round pen used mainly for begining groundwork,practicing groundwork with Blue in the Saddlechariot and doing liberty with Malaga

[rifruffian]

Our outdoor arena is roughly 40 metres by 25 metres, unfortuneately prone to flooding. When serviceable I find it very useful.

If there has been a break of seven days or more in our ride routine, I restart with a short arena session. If either rider or horse has suffered any kind of illness or injury, the arena is where we restart. Sometimes I lay out cavaletti in it. Any manoeuvre that is new to the horse or rider, that is where we start it. Any phase of handling, mounting, riding at all gaits and dismounting.....when anything shows signs of 'not under control', the arena is where we try to sort it.

In this year 2011, I have the idea to experiment from the saddle handling garrocha and the arena is where we will try it.

Some others on the farm jump within this arena but that is not for me.

I rate it as a vital facility.

[jill]

Mine is 30m x 18m and is great for slowing down horses that are too forward - OTOH for horses like Caspar who is a bit on the laid back side it does back them off even more. For ages he didn't think he could canter in it, and because of his front legs anything other than a decent surface isn't comfortable for him - not even grass. We school a lot and try our very best to do classical dressage - not for competing, just to see how far we can go.
SO next week it is being enlarged to 20m x 40m. Local people hire it now and again, so although it is a bit of an indulgence it does work for me.

[anastasia55555]

0x0 metres lol!

Have just found out about one up the road, we have to join local dressage group, which is £10 a year and then the school is up for hire for £5 per hour. Bit limited to when can ride in there, but we are more interested in using it for long lining etc for Bobby, and getting him going, might take Tiny in there to ride a bit with him, but Apollo and Toffee probably wont visit it lol! Not sure how big it is at the moment, but it is indoors, has a viewing gallery (never been to one that has!) but no lights when we went to have a look there was a horse in there that really needed not to be disturbed lol!

[ellibell]

20m X 40m, sand and rubber chip.. Use it for schooling western and reining. ALso as a sick paddock, and a winter turn out, and a fatty paddock. WOudl notbe without it even thoit gets used mostly as turnout over winter and ridden on mostly over summer.

[tomrabbit]

About 30x20. Don't really like schooling that much - tend to school on hacks, but use it for lessons, jumping, practising dressage moves, long lining, lungeing, groundwork, and taking various friends/relatives on their first riding experiences. Also use it for beach volley, kids obstacle courses, badminton, boules .... and for the past 3 weeks as an ice rink...

[Mellymoo]

I think ours is 30x15m, but not sure. It has a woodchip base. At the moment it is turnout, but during the summer we ride in it. It is a handy extra emergency turnout area if needed. I would like it more if Jos didn't have a breakdown each time we go near the top end of it, but hey ho... ;-)