Adding and Removing Outdoor Arena Material

[mstraebel]

We have a 60’ x 180’ outdoor arena. Compacted limestone base. 2.5" to 3.0" angular sand on top. Arena is used lightly–just 1-2 horses per day. Lower level dressage. The sand is too deep and does not have stability or structure. Horses step into the sand with deep hoof prints and seem to slide. Better when wet but still too deep. We plan to remove an inch of sand and maybe add a small amount of stone dust to the sand to add structure.

Two questions:

1. I’m hoping we can remove the excess sand ourselves. We have a small tractor and a TR3 drag. We can borrow a neighbor’s tractor with a front end loader ourselves. Is it feasible for us to remove 1" of sand without hiring a contractor? Don’t want to damage the base which is good.

2. When we go to add the stone dust how do you add it so that it is spread somewhat evenly across the arena?

Thanks, in advance, for any advice!

[OneTwoMany]

Footing can be a very costly project. I would suggest you make one adjustment at a time. For example you might, remove some sand, ride in the arena and decide if you really need to add more material (which will add more depth). If you take out footing, pile it up somewhere. Over time, you are likely to need to add more material when the existing footing gets too packed down.

[spacehorse]

I have done half of what you are asking about. My arena builder did not stop adding sand when I told him to…saying “well this is what the book says” :mad::mad::mad:

Anywho, removing sand is a beeeotch but it is possible. I used my tractor bucket and drug backwards, made long piles that I shoveled manually as to not hit my base. It took a few rounds of this (MONTHS) to eventually get it where I wanted it. I didn’t have a proper drag at the time which kind of screwed up the evenness of the footing while it was a work in progress. I now have an Arena Rascal which I really needed to level it after I was done removing the footing as it was really uneven, as hard as I tried to keep it level.

If you have access to a proper drag to level, I would definitely do that after you work on it. Once it rains on your sand, it packs it down and makes it that much harder to get loose/level.

No advice on adding footing, that job I would consider hiring someone with a bobcat with the attachment as to make sure it gets added somewhat evenly.

[horsepoor]

We’ve not really removed footing from mine so much as just moved it around, like from a deep place to a thinner place. My partner does the tractor work, I just direct! He usually has used the drag with the blade part down a bit more to drag the footing into more of a pile then as spacehorse said, shoveled into the bucket as he (or I!) was afraid of gouging the base if he just did the bucket. Move a little, drag the ring to make it all nice and even, and see where you are before moving more.

For adding sand, we have done two methods. Have a pile dropped outside the ring and move it bucket by bucket with the tractor. Distribute the buckets around where needed, drag to level, see if it needs more, add as needed. But last time, we had a trucking company that blows the stuff in to place come and do that and it was so much better. I knew I needed at least 1/2" over the whole ring, so we had them do that, with one end getting a little heavier coverage as it had gotten especially thin, and they did a great job. I think that added about $300 to the delivery price, but it was worth it. I don’t know if this kind of thing can work with stone dust but I’d sure look into it if were me.

[mstraebel]

Thanks, horsepoor and spacehorse! It sounds like a lot of work to remove sand on your own! I’m so worried about damaging the base! Might experiment with using our TR3 with the blade down to pull it into piles, and then using a bucket to get most of what’s in the piles.

Never hear of blowing in material! I’ll have to check that out!

Also, I might call some excavating companies and just see what the quote would be to have someone else do it. I’m sure it will not be cheap!

Thanks, again!

[Arigold]

I have almost the same size ring as you. Mine is just a bit larger. The footing is a mixture of stone screenings and sand. I also felt it rode too deep when not quite wet. With the stone screenings mixture the hoofs do not slide, so your idea of adding some to the sand may well help. Though I have a tractor with loader and a drag after some experimentation decided cutting into the base was just too risky. I hired one of our local arena builders to come relevel my footing, and if still needed remove some. He had a skid steer with a laser controlled front bucket. It was beautiful to watch!! Took him about 9 hours to relevel to a depth of 2.5". $3000 later with rain my ring rides really well!

Hire it done!

[mstraebel]

Arigold thank you so much! I have come to the decision to hire out this job! Our base is great and don’t want to mess with it. Didn’t know there was such a thing as a skid steer with laser controlled bucket! And thanks for input on the screenings. I really think this might prevent the “slide” factor with our sand that we are getting!

[Arigold]

mstraebel go to the FB site, SCF Siteworks. The guy who did my footing relevel has a video showing his laser machine. Many arena guys have a laser for their buckets, but it is just attached to the bucket. It does not actually control the bucket. Those are not as accurate. Additional, I used washed stone screenings with my sand. In my part of the country those are crushed granite. And water, water!!