If you are not going to address the dressage specific differences (especially people doing lateral work, half passes, serpentines, tempi changes, etc.) you should at least SAY that you are not addressing dressage schooling (which definitely falls under the general category of “English style riding”).
Saying “Always call your diagonal (in dressage)” is the least of the differences.
This is a good idea. What else do you think I ought to add? I am unaware of any specific rules, so feel free to suggest anything!
I agree when you have upper level dressage riders in the mix it gets very complex. I would say in dressage walking on the outside as long as the arena isn’t tiny is more the norm. We usually yield to people doing upper levels movements and let them have the middle because otherwise it’s almost impossible to stay out of the way of someone doing canter zig zags, tempi changes and canter pirouettes. This has only become more challenging with the advent of headset lessons (I’m still proheadsets, but it’s a very real issue) or even worse pixio based lessons where you can’t even see the instructor walking around or occasionally hear them talking when you’re near by. I’ve only been at a handful of upper level dressage barns but I’ve honestly never seen specific arena rules aside from the ultra basics posted. In my experience people only call out if they sense an impending crash.
I personally feel terrible for the really low level riders who just aren’t familiar with the upper level exercises and can’t spot them and plan for them. I’m not an FEI rider but at least I’ve watched enough tests to know what the start of a canter halfpass zig zag looks like and get out of the way.
Small section on dressage added!
Both of these things! ^^^
I board at a welsh pony farm–so lots and lots of kids–and the most basic rule is that lessons always have the right of way. I also have big horses, so I try to leave EXTRA EXTRA room between me and the ponies, but when someone decides to circle abruptly without communicating it, disaster almost always follows.
I would suggest that you include COMMUNICATION in your post. Tell riders to call “inside” or “outside” or even just say “I’m circling” loudly enough so that other riders can hear. I always let other people in the ring know what I am doing–even when it’s my lesson and I have the right of way.
And, as for the second bit above, encourage people to understand that sharing time in an arena–whether it’s at home or in the schooling ring–requires cooperation. It’s not the time to be training your horse, it’s the time to be moving and warming up and doing what you can within the reality you are presented with. If I had $5 for every time I wanted to canter during a kids’ lesson and chose not to because of not wanting to add to the chaos level, I’d have a year’s worth of board. You have to be flexible when sharing…anything, really.
I’m a little surprised that you are writing “rules” (for public consumption) for something that you don’t seem to know much about.
Why do you think I don’t know much about it? I have spent years sharing arenas 
That said, I don’t have much experience with the Western horse world, but I do say that in the blog! Similarly, I haven’t ridden in arenas all over the world, and my learning comes from English-tradition (UK based) instructors… so. Experience, yes. Omniscient no.
And I can forget even the things I do know. And not all barns have the same rules. That’s why I always welcome comments.
That said, I cannot include EVERYTHING in a single blog post. It would be far too long. I tried to include the essential bits, but it is still just an overview.
That’s a great idea! I refer to the importance of communicating throughout, but I have added it as a specific DO at the top of the list!
Thanks 
You are in the UK, or your instructors are from the UK? You were in the Pony Club program then?
I had instructors from the UK when I was a kid… no Pony Club in my area, to my GREAT disappointment 
I did read as much as I could about it.
Pony Club is great, and I include a link to their arena etiquette in my post
I don’t know about NOW, because my own kids only did a few years of riding instruction (and not with the level of instructors I had, but then, they were not that interested), but when I was taking lessons, etc. (1980s-early 90s), in the USA, riding etiquette for English styles was heavily influenced by UK traditions. Maybe it has changed, I dunno…
That’s kinda why I ask for feedback. So far, the feedback I have got pretty much suggests that things haven’t changed that much.
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