Finally, Started on Arena

[O So]

Today we finally started working on the rails to the "small scale" arena! I have been trying to get hubby on this project for a while now. We got 2 sides up today. Only need to put one side up tomorrow and make a gate. Then we need to find fill dirt. At least the rails will be up so I can do some free lunging!!

Here are a few pics.

We took these, (old Costco display poles, used previously for my pool deck)

and these, (previously used as deck boards for the old pool)

With a little of this,

We turned it all into this,

Yah, that tree is in the arena! Not ideal but they have enough room to run between it and the fence. I also still have enough room to lunge them on a lunge line in a circle, at the other end of the arena.

It's not the biggest arena, but it will do for the space we have! I still take them down to the local stables to use their big arena, but having a place at home will be nice. Specially when we can't go to the big arena. We haven't been able to go for the last month do to the EHV-1 going around. They closed the stables to the public till this thing gets over with.

The plan is to just do light work in this arena. Mainly free lunging to get some exercise other then them playing. O So needs some forced exercise! LOL He is getting pretty plump. "instert shocked smiley here" ran out of pic space in post! LOL

 

[mydaddysjag]

Very nice, especially for something made with materials you already had on hand! Wish I could get that lucky, lol I bet it would double as a nice safe area to turn them out too.

 

[O So]

Very nice, especially for something made with materials you already had on hand! Wish I could get that lucky, lol I bet it would double as a nice safe area to turn them out too.

So far it has only cost me 90 dollars. LOL That was for the brackets to hold the boards to the poles. We are willing to pay for dirt, but hubby is trying to get some free dirt from a guy he knows that hauls dirt quite often. Just turns out the guy isn't hauling any yet!

I actually have been turning them out in this area ever since I got rid of the pool and the grass/weeds started growing. I had a post here a long time ago on what I should do for the footing. I am actually thinking of just leveling it out ( once I have fill dirt) and then just planting pasture grass. That way I can use it as an exercise area and a turn out area. The other areas that they live in are dry lots, so this way they would have the ability to graze at least once a week or so. I am thinking I could probably just use the rototiller to make a nice footing for them along the rails, and leave the center areas all grass. We will see as time goes by if my plan will work or not!

On the subject of footing. I wonder how a little sand would do mixed in with the dirt? I really don't want the ground to get real hard packed like it is now. I want to ad something so it will stay somewhat soft but still grow grass. At the same time, I don't want it so soft that the boys will be able to pull the grass out roots and all. If I have to, I will just plan on rotortiling the outer edges more often to keep that area soft and let the center get hard for the grass.