I have a grass berm along the ring which holds my footing, then drains cut in with large shells or rock piled up which allow the water through bit catch rhe sand.
I had the compacted clay with mason sand (was here when I bought my place) and I hated it because the mason sand was not angular enough and the horses would slide over the base when it was wet. But I don’t have an indoor so I rode in very wet conditions. I replaced it recently with crushed limestone, mixing in a little of the sand and it has been wonderful. So much better and the footing doesn’t shift nearly to the extent that it did before. I just put a couple inches in to start, I’ll add a couple more next spring probably once this packs but I didn’t want it to get too deep. I hate deep footing.
I would be wary of just sand if you are going to use it in very wet conditions. In a dry area in CA, I bet the sand will be fine. My sand was great to ride in when it was dry but basically unsafe when soggy. Of course the clay contributed to that because clay is very slick, and the and just rolled around on it when saturated. Like riding on a slip N slide.
The old footing was so bad I let grass grow all over the arena to stabilize it! On purpose! :lol: it is so great to just have footing now!
[QUOTE=Mosey_2003;8405379]
I wonder if you could put some french drains in and cut down on the amount of traveling water?[/QUOTE]
i have french drains. the actual riding surface was orginally graded too steep. the person who renovated rather than regrade, built up the base with more screenings which just washed away.
[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8408044]
I had the compacted clay with mason sand (was here when I bought my place) and I hated it because the mason sand was not angular enough and the horses would slide over the base when it was wet. But I don’t have an indoor so I rode in very wet conditions. I replaced it recently with crushed limestone, mixing in a little of the sand and it has been wonderful. So much better and the footing doesn’t shift nearly to the extent that it did before. I just put a couple inches in to start, I’ll add a couple more next spring probably once this packs but I didn’t want it to get too deep. I hate deep footing.
I would be wary of just sand if you are going to use it in very wet conditions. In a dry area in CA, I bet the sand will be fine. My sand was great to ride in when it was dry but basically unsafe when soggy. Of course the clay contributed to that because clay is very slick, and the and just rolled around on it when saturated. Like riding on a slip N slide.
The old footing was so bad I let grass grow all over the arena to stabilize it! On purpose! :lol: it is so great to just have footing now![/QUOTE]
Interesting! I will look into that further. I ride on limestone when I show away, but no one has it here and I think it is not local/cost prohibitive to get. I do recall that it can basically turn into rock if you don’t work it and water it. It was a very find sand–probably older if I had to guess. What do you use to drag?
This person with the mason sand hosts clinics and everyone seems to like the footing. In fact, when I was there asking about it, we had just had days with inches of rain. What I liked about it in particular was that you could get a decent “pack,” but not too firm. The angular quartzite I mentioned before seems to be so uniform in shape and size that it doesn’t compact at all and I think it is a little “loose.” It does better in an indoor mixed with rubber. It definitely isn’t like beach sand (round) which is very slippery, but seems to give too much. It is hard to describe these things–hopefully I’m making sense.
I sometimes wonder if there are regional variances when we are calling stuff the same thing.
[QUOTE=Jumper_girl221;8405421]
A cheap fix we did for ours is cut a few small drains into the ring, then add some larger gravel. The water drains out, but the gravel helps “catch” the sand so we don’t lose that.[/QUOTE]
that’s interesting. do you just put the gravel on the edge? ANy specific gravel?
I’m wondering why river sand is advised against as I know quite a few people back home (Australia) who have built or are currently building arenas with washed river sand. Is it just too slippery or dusty?
Does anyone know what can be used instead of crushed limestone? I asked at my local landscaping places and they looked at me like I was on crack, then directed me to crushed road base. Which I think would work for a base, but obviously will not work to mix with sand because theres tons of gravel sized rocks in it, along with the dusty stuff (I assume the dusty stuff is what yall are calling “screens”). Anyone in the western mid-west (nebraska, wyoming, colorado) who have any outdoor arena experience? I don’t have clay, but have extremely hard ground and I’m curious if I even need a base once I remove the top soil.
Sorry to hijack!!
[QUOTE=half*pass;8442724]
I’m wondering why river sand is advised against as I know quite a few people back home (Australia) who have built or are currently building arenas with washed river sand. Is it just too slippery or dusty?[/QUOTE]
It’s too slippery alone.
Road base will pack in if you wet it.
[QUOTE=BroncoMo;8444665]
Does anyone know what can be used instead of crushed limestone? I asked at my local landscaping places and they looked at me like I was on crack, then directed me to crushed road base. Which I think would work for a base, but obviously will not work to mix with sand because theres tons of gravel sized rocks in it, along with the dusty stuff (I assume the dusty stuff is what yall are calling “screens”). Anyone in the western mid-west (nebraska, wyoming, colorado) who have any outdoor arena experience? I don’t have clay, but have extremely hard ground and I’m curious if I even need a base once I remove the top soil.
Sorry to hijack!![/QUOTE]
So much of your cost will be hauling. So for your top layer, my suggestion is to start with local public and private arenas. You can check out as many as possible in person and talk the owners. For the ones you don’t know about, there are several FB groups form my area, for example, and people would gladly say what quarry they used I bet. Also, if you can get a local material list and start a thread on here I’ve seen people give targeted advice. Of course your arena builder should be able to guide you too (if you are using one).
Limestone is popular to the east of me, but is not locally feasible.
Finally, have you bought “Under Foot”? Great booklet to read published by USDF.
You have to check local. The name it’s called doesn’t mean a thing. Here, river sand is ideal because of the quarry that it comes from. “river sand” will vary from one bend in the river to the next.
Almost all of the cost is hauling. I think the last I bought cost $5.50 a ton, but that was when we had a couple of dump trucks.
Thanks for the input, and sorry again to hijack.
Theres not much in my area for arenas. More of a ranching area, some occasional barrel racers and team ropers, but I’m pretty much the only one with hunters. And I don’t personally know the other arena owners.
I intend on doing much of it myself. I’ll probably have a friend of a friend do the leveling so I can ensure I get the best drainage. Otherwise I think once the dirt is brought in I can do the packing and spreading myself. My ground is so hard, water does not absorb; it just sits on top. During rains and snow melt, I have puddles with sold ground underneath. Very little mud. And where there’s a little bit of slope, the water will run and wash away. So that’s why I’m curious about not putting down a base layer once the area is leveled (or sloped rather) and prepared for footing to be placed.
An out door arena is like a marriage good foundation importalnd but will need regular loving input!
IN PNW mr yinf is carved in a hillside has drains aboer rinf and across it also base is “reject” muddy 1/4 to 1/2" gravel over the years I keep adding sand. Avoind sand wirh clay in it. Two years ago I added 3 ton of “Crumb Rubber” now softer in the hot dry summer and less muddy in monsoon season.
Like any good relationship attention and care really help.
