The original footing had literally blown away. I guess it can be windy on the North Shore of Long Island.
Step one in our plan to make the footing permanent was to replace the 1×6 inch kickboard with something more substantial.
We decided on 2×12 presure treated lumber in 16 foot lengths. My back still hurts!
When choosing a kickboard design you must consider several factors.
The most important being the safety of the horse (and rider). Ensure the distance between the kickboard and the next rail is less than eight inches to prevent the horse from stepping out of the arena.
Don’t make the kickboard so fancy the person dragging the arena is too scared to get close to the edge.
Try to make the joints between each piece as smooth as possible.
This will allow you to brush the harrow up against the kickboard without any surprises during dragging.
We recently completed an installation in Whister, British Columbia.
The design included a tapered liner with an extra “piece” to protect the liner.
I liked this design because it would be simple to replace the kickboad if it was ever damaged by equipment or a horse.
Planning, Planning, Planning.
We know the devil is in the detail. And with building arenas or planning a barn, planning is key. This continuing series on Farm Design in The Chronicle of the Horse which ended last week gives a through look at all aspects of the subject.
It is all about setting a Master Plan. For the arena, there can be issues with site selection, drainage, arena size and budgetary considerations. And this is only a portion of task at hand. Gathering as much information as possible and consulting with true equine specialists can make the overwhelming seem “doable.”
There are a few other magazines that have been spot on with this planning theme. Here are links to those as well:
The July 2008 issue of Dressage Today featuring an overview of footing.
The California Riding Magazine focused on the science behind our products.
Stable Management, a magazine for the horse professionals, also tackled this topic in its July 2008 issue.
The United States Dressage Federation has published a wonderful “how-to” booklet on arena construction and footing. Underfoot: USDF Guide to Dressage Arena Construction, Maintenance and Repair which is available on their website.
Part II of Our Continuing Series on Basic Arena Building
Before you move on to the base or footing, it is important to plan for drainage and containment. Basically, think of your arena like a big sandbox.
For an arena that is less than 100 feet wide, we recommend beginning at the longer, lower side and excavating a 2×2 foot trench. Centered along the length of the trench and continuing around the perimeter of the rest of the arena, 4×4 fence posts should be cemented 2 feet deep. These posts should be 12 inches above the top of the dirt, unless you have plans for a three-rail fence. If so, those posts should be higher to accommodate the fence rails. To ensure a longer life span, we recommend using pressure-treated or synthetic plastic lumber.
The plan is to get the water moving across the grade of this arena. As it hits the drainage underneath the kickboard on this lower end, it will exit the arena through the drainage pipe that is laid in the trench. Here are the steps for this process: First, cover the entire arena and the trench with a non-woven 3-1/2 oz. Geotextile fabric.
Lay the fabric on the low side first and overlap the fabric by at least 18 inches. You should then attach your containment boards to the bottom of the fence posts. These should be 2×12 pressure-treated or synthetic plastic lumber boards. For drainage, place a 4-inch perforated pipe in the trench and plumb it so it can move the water to lower ground.
You will then be ready for the next step … the base, which will be highlighted with our next newsletter.
A solid, level base is one of the most important parts of your finished arena
By participating in public programs and sponsoring educational efforts, Attwood Equestrian Surfaces is committed to the “art” of arena building. For example, each year we sponsor the United States Dressage Federation’s Under Foot book. This guide to arena building is a great resource for anyone just getting started or with questions about their current arena.
Continue reading ‘Arena Building 101: The Dirt/Sub-Base’
