Training / Driving Arena

[Genie]

Would any of those who have a training arena please provide some feedback with regard to best material for the floor?

It will be 40 by 80 and will be under construction mid May.

The contractor is not familiar with miniature horses and suggested base of a 3 inches of stone chips and stone dust and three inches of sand on top of the base.

I said three inches of sand would likely be too deep for drving.

Another suggestion was just the base of crushed stone and topped with stone dust, which after time will harden like the material on a race track.

We also saw a product advertised which is shredded rubber.

 

[Genie]

Would any of those who have a training arena please provide some feedback with regard to best material for the floor?

It will be 40 by 80 and will be under construction mid May.

The contractor is not familiar with miniature horses and suggested base of a 3 inches of stone chips and stone dust and three inches of sand on top of the base.

I said three inches of sand would likely be too deep for drving.

Another suggestion was just the base of crushed stone and topped with stone dust, which after time will harden like the material on a race track.

We also saw a product advertised which is shredded rubber.

Maybe someone could direct me to one of our forum members who has an arena and I could p.m. them?

 

[Genie]

Thank you so much. I was beginning to feel ignored

 

[LAminiatures]

I use stone dust, washed sand and sawdust. It drains well doesn't make to much dust and gives them a good work out without over doing it...........soft but sturdy if you will.

 

[Genie]

Thank you for that info.

I would not have thought of sawdust.

 

[ClickMini]

I have an indoor arena, and I can assure you that 3" of footing on top of your base is TOO MUCH!

I originally had my arena set for riding horses. It has a 12" base compacted to 8" depth, it is like concrete. On top of that, 2" of coarse washed sand and 1" of crumb rubber. IT IS NOT GOOD FOR DRIVING.

I am going to remove about 1-1/2" of the footing and hopefully that will be good enough. I will tell you that sand is loose, and you HAVE to keep it watered so it doesn't break away under your horse's feet. Think about walking on a beach, and how hard it is where the sand is dry, yet very nice down where it is wet. If I had it to do over now, I would put a sand/clay mix over the top of the base, and that could be compacted.

My 2 cents, for what it is worth.

 

[keely2682]

we used shell as footing in our arena

(we also have shell/sand roads in our area)

it compacts enough to make a good footing for driving

but is much softer than pavement or limerock base

a sand arena would get your horses in great shape

i drive on sand trails and it does a great job building muscle

i would use pnematic wheels in a sand arena though b/c solid rubber will dig in