What size to make a small riding ring?

[Mudder]

Anyone have any suggestions on what size would be good to make a small riding ring? Unfortunately our terrian is not the best, so to avoid 'bad' spots, I have to stick to a smaller size. Would 80' x 100' be too small? It would only ever be me riding in there alone... I could probably go up to 150' on the 100' side, but then I'm at the road on one side and it goes down hill the other way.

[Amwrider]

I think a lot depends on what kind of riding you are doing. I have a small lesson ring that is 60 x 120 and it is good for flat lessons for no more than 3. Anything more than 3 in the ring gets a little crowded. My larger horses also have some trouble negotiating the turns at the canter.

Ideally I would have loved an 80 x 140 but had to work with what was already here.

[greysandbays]

I found an oval about 70' wide and 80' long to be sufficient for most riding.

This just happened to be what was fairly level, high enough that water didn't lay on it, and would dry up fairly soon after a rain. Sometimes, during dryer spells, I could have corners on the oval and/or make the oval a little bigger.

This was just an open patch out in a field. No rail or anything.

However, my 'perfect' ring would be 100'x200'.

[poltroon]

At your smallest, I would want to be able to make a rectangle 20m x40m, which is about 66' by 132'. This is the size of a small dressage court and gives you room for two large circles in a figure eight. It is barely enough room for a couple of standalone jumps in a pinch.

Obviously, if you don't have that much room available, you make do, but it is hard to do real schooling over the long term (with straight lines, circles, and changes of bend) in a smaller space.

[Bluey]

Here is a picture for size.
They were having a clinic in this 100' x 100' place, with 8 horseback participants and 2 or 3 times as many auditors.
In a well run class, they all got to work and the arena was large enough, although all didn't have room to ride at the same time other than slowly:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a298/Robintoo/12_workshop.jpg?t=1242492842

I bet you can use your imagination and make any size arena work just fine.
If you have a choice, alway try for larger.;)

[MunchkinsMom]

Anyone have any suggestions on what size would be good to make a small riding ring? Unfortunately our terrian is not the best, so to avoid 'bad' spots, I have to stick to a smaller size. Would 80' x 100' be too small? It would only ever be me riding in there alone... I could probably go up to 150' on the 100' side, but then I'm at the road on one side and it goes down hill the other way.

That is about the size of my riding ring, the long side might be more like 120 on mine. It works fine for two of us (only my daughter and I ride). I do our training work in the ring, and then we can go "trail" riding on the rest of the farm to give the horses a reward for good work. It's funny, the horses live on this 9 acres, yet they alway seem more alert when riding on the same property that they live on.

[InstigatorKate]

Ditto on the small dressage arena if you have any inkling to do dressage. Generally 60x120 would be the smallest I'd consider. Where I went to school one indoor was 70'x110' and was adequate for most riding. I also like 70x140 indoors.

[JellyBeanQueen]

Our riding ring is 75 by 100. It serves our purpose pretty well. THe farm where I work has a 100 by 140. I dont think that is considered small though.

[YankeeLawyer]

Mine is 90 x 150; the idea was to have enough room to make a small dressage court with a perimeter "warm-up" area. It is just about the smallest I would go, ideally. It is perfect for flat work for 1-2 horses at a time, and we can set up 4 jumps in there without a problem, but it really is not sufficient if jumping is a focus (we do dressage) or to work more than 2 horses at a time.

[Bluey]

Here is a site with much information on everything to do with arenas, including sizes and pictures:

http://www.ranchandgolf.com/examplelayoutsarenas.html

[3Dogs]

Two of my favorite hunter/jumper trainers have NO ring - they work out in the field and the jumps are set up "out in the field" - I guess it depends on what discipline you are in.

[Bluey]

Two of my favorite hunter/jumper trainers have NO ring - they work out in the field and the jumps are set up "out in the field" - I guess it depends on what discipline you are in.

Our reining arena is not fenced all the way around either and we don't seem to have any problem because of that.

We are in the planning stages of covering our roping arena, so we will have a place to keep riding in bad weather and so have the ground protected from rain, snow and freezing.

[YankeeLawyer]

Two of my favorite hunter/jumper trainers have NO ring - they work out in the field and the jumps are set up "out in the field" - I guess it depends on what discipline you are in.

I have fields where we can set up plenty of jumps, but we have clay soil in Northern Virginia and at times they can be rock hard or slick. My arena is all weather and has great footing nearly year round; it can be used in all but extreme weather and drains very quickly after heavy rain.

[ReSomething]

The indoor I ride in now is 40 x 100, I'm pretty sure about the 40 and supposedly that tight a circle is hard on horses' hocks, especially the greenies and the old guys. I'd go with the 66 by 132, dressage court size. I'd also be happier with a fenced arena if I were planning to ride green horses or have real beginner riders on the place. Confinement is really useful in some situations.

[YankeeLawyer]

FWIW, if you do opt for a 66 x 132 court, make sure that your contractor understands that is to be the finished size of the arena. I cannot tell you how many of my friends asked for this size ring and ended up with one a few feet short in either direction (it is one reason why we specified a slightly larger ring - to make absolutely certain that once finished and fenced, the available area was at least the size of a small court).

[merrygoround]

Anyone have any suggestions on what size would be good to make a small riding ring? Unfortunately our terrian is not the best, so to avoid 'bad' spots, I have to stick to a smaller size. Would 80' x 100' be too small? It would only ever be me riding in there alone... I could probably go up to 150' on the 100' side, but then I'm at the road on one side and it goes down hill the other way.

For one or even two people riding that would be adequate. I feel it is important to maintain the width, but for length 100 feet, should work. More is always nice.

[Mudder]

Thank you, everyone!

Bluey, that is a good site.

I have to have it completely fenced since I have no way to shut out the horse I am not riding otherwise. Right now, we are looking at 80' x 120'... but going out the 20 more feet, there is some clay in that area, should I be concerned about that?? I think if I keep them shut-off all the time except when riding, grass might grow there and then it should be OK...

[PONYPULR]

My old ring was 80 x 145 and I thought it was the cat's meow!! Now that we changed everything around and have a 100 x 200 ring, I don't know how I got along with something smaller!

I guess you make do with whatever you've got!!

[billiebob]

Our indoor is 20mx40m and it's fine, although it does get busy with more than a few people riding in there at the same time. We manage pretty well, though, even jumping-wise. It teaches the kids to think fast after fences and plan their turns wisely.

However, the last barn I rode at had a polo-sized indoor (about 40mx100m) and that was like heaven.

[3Dogs]

yes - I forgot to add that they are in the sandy soil of the Southern Pines - Camden - Aiken axis - soil type does make a huge difference. I have ridden on that rock hard clay - no thanks!