Building an indoor vs. covered arena?

[bathsheba8542]

I am very lucky to have a husband that has suggested it might be time for an indoor, or at least a new covered arena. I am sure there are a million threads about this already, so I apologize for asking again.

I am interested in hearing what people who have built them find out along the way, and what is critical/not critical. I have an outdoor that I rebuilt a few years ago, but the original installation placed it ridiculously far away from from the barn (not my plan) and I would like a new one closer to the barn. I do not need stalls, so perhaps a covered arena would suffice. We live in Maryland, so the weather (with the exception of a few brief weeks in the winter) is generally tolerable for a covered arena, although I have been told that it doesn’t cost that much more to add full walls, etc.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

[Jim_in_PA]

Climate is the factor to consider when looking at indoor vs covered. Covered is going to be the stronger choice in warm environments to provide a retreat from the sun and inclement weather. An indoor is going to be the stronger choice in climates where there is “winter”. Personally, I’d choose the indoor where you are because I’d want to be able to get out of the cold wind, even when it’s a “temperate” winter. But that’s me…I mind the cold.

[Bluey]

There will be an important difference in how it is built, between an indoor and a covered arena.

Which one will work best for you depends on your location and use.

A warehouse type building you can use/sell for multi-purpose use easier than a covered one.

A covered one will be fine, with solid sides part way to protect the footing from winds, but you can’t enclose it later.

The framing for a covered arena will be different because the stress will be different than a closed in one, where the walls will have to take the wind and will push into the framing.

An enclosed building makes more sense, if you can ventilate it really well, or it may be more dusty and hot than a covered one.
You can do what we do here, have a covered arena and use wind screens on the sides, which adds to the cost also, better figure that in your budget.

Why not get bids for both and see what the differences are in your area?

[Guilherme]

We are outside of Knoxville. When we considered “covered vs. indoor” we went with the cover because the enemy of horses is heat, not cold. We lived in Silver Spring for six years. If I were going to build there (and that’s not so far from you) I think I’d still go with a cover vice full indoor.

My decision would be based on the fact that horses handle cold quite well and heat less well. We are “down” right now because of ice and snow and cold with wind. The horses are fine; the humans right now are in the “wuss” category. But we lose, maybe, 30 days per year for heat and cold (our climate is damp and when you get 90 degree temps with 60% humidity you have to be really careful even if you’re not in the Sun). It would be possible to build a “wind break” on the northern corners of the arena but the cost is well outweighed by reality of local climate.

One of the downsides of an indoor is that in the winter it will break wind (no pun intended, here ) but will trap cold air. It can become a “cold box.” The horses handle that just fine; riders, not so much. So if you’re going for rider comfort you’ll need a heat source. In the summer they can become “hot boxes.” That’s bad for horses and riders; you’ll need some sort of “cooling” system. That doesn’t need to be HVAC; maybe just ceiling fans will do. Or maybe lots of turbo-vents. It is something that has to be done.

Covers are not necessarily cheaper than indoor structures. The indoor has the strength of integrated walls and roof to give it rigidity. The outdoor can become an “airfoil” and must be built of significantly stronger material.

You can work more hours in an outdoor without artificial light than in an indoor.

An indoor with lots of windows and some large doors can address many of the indoor’s problems. Windows and doors, however, increase the cost of construction significantly (both in cost of the item and the labor to install it).

It’s a closer call in MD than in TN, but I’d still likely vote for the cover over the indoor.

Good luck in your program.

G.

[clanter]

[QUOTE=bathsheba8542;8015843]
I am very lucky to have a husband that has suggested it might be time for an indoor, or at least a new covered arena.

Any thoughts are appreciated![/QUOTE]

check his temperature, take two aspirins and send to bed or refer to doctor at once

[AKB]

Years ago, when my younger daughter did Polocrosse, they used to use a covered arena that belonged to a pony club family in PG County, Maryland. That ring had an attached barn on one side, but was otherwise open. It was wonderful. The ring was sheltered from strong wind by the barn on the one side, but was light, airy, and pleasant every time we were there.

[merrygoround]

Or you can do a covered with everything open above kickboard height. It will give you light and air, and a lot of windbreak.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

[QUOTE=bathsheba8542;8015843]
I am very lucky to have a husband that has suggested it might be time for an indoor, or at least a new covered arena. I am sure there are a million threads about this already, so I apologize for asking again.

I am interested in hearing what people who have built them find out along the way, and what is critical/not critical. I have an outdoor that I rebuilt a few years ago, but the original installation placed it ridiculously far away from from the barn (not my plan) and I would like a new one closer to the barn. I do not need stalls, so perhaps a covered arena would suffice. We live in Maryland, so the weather (with the exception of a few brief weeks in the winter) is generally tolerable for a covered arena, although I have been told that it doesn’t cost that much more to add full walls, etc.

Any thoughts are appreciated![/QUOTE]

Ours is “indoor” but open on one side. There can be wind, but it’s very much limited compared to an outdoor. In summer that serves to keep things shaded without any accumulated heat.

The open side has boarding about 5 feet high so that further reduces the wind from hitting you, at least when you’re not on horseback.

In winter it gets cold, but I’m not sure it’s much colder than a fully enclosed / uninsulated indoor.

David

[BasqueMom]

Around here, a lot of the covered arenas have walls kick board height and then are open to the roof. The fancier ones have some sort of screening panels that
cut the sun and the wind and can be individually rolled up to allow more air, more
light, whatever.

[Sing_Mia_Song]

When are you going to use it? The covers are quite nice during the day, but brutal at night, in comparison to a traditional indoor.

[frisky]

I used to board in a three-sided arena and really liked it. Most of the time, the wind was stopped by the other sides and it was lovely ride in during the night or in the hot summer months. I’ve also ridden in and seen arenas that have a temporary screen that rolls down on the third open side during the winter, rainy season here. It will break some of the harsh wind, but also let in the light. Indoors are necessary in this part of the country and a lot of the enclosed arenas can be like riding in a shoe box.

It’s also nice to have a good safe wall on the third side just in case for turnout or general safety.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

The best arena I rode in had “hog” sides. So it was an indoor, but two and a half of the sides, above the kickboards and below the top four feet, which were the plexi-glass stuff for light, was a roll-up, heavy clear plastic like they use in confinement buildings.

In the winter it was a green-house effect and warmer than a regular indoor (assuming any sun). In the summer you could roll up the sides and have a nice breeze.

From the outside it was very utilitarian looking, but the owner did not have extra money to make it “pretty” either.

[gumtree]

You’re not far from us so you have the same climate. Your wind conditions may be different. I would not even consider going to the expense of building an indoor that couldn’t be completely enclosed when I wanted it. Any kind of wind driven snow storm would make it pretty much useless. The size of the structure will create a “vacuum” pretty much in the true sense of the word. You will get snow and snow drifts inside the thing. Pretty tough to get it out. Without the benefit of the sun it will be there for a long time. When we get a warming trend it will melt and then freeze the footing making areas unusable. We get the odd wind driven winter rain storms like we had not long ago. The footing will freeze up unless you use a lot of mag chloride in it or something of the like. I just don’t think the benefits of it being “airy” and comfortable in the summer out weight the hassles you will definitely encounter in the winter. When you want and need to use it most. Depending on budget there are a number of ways to “open it up” in the summer and still be able to close it up in the winter.

[airhorse]

We added 11 4’x4’ windows to our indoor for about 3K, absolutely stunning difference. We did 4 on the west end and 7 on the south long wall.

[Bluey]

A friend cutting trainer made the sides 8’ tall concrete walls, then above that the metal up to 20’ is made like sliding doors.
He can open those big sliding doors and practically be in there like a covered arena in the summers and close it up in the winter or when it rains or snows.

Remember whatever you want to do to the building, be sure the engineering crew knows about it, because they may have to reinforce this or that, depending on what you may leave open, open at times or never open.
That may bring different stresses to the structure.

[Blume_Farm]

I have a small covered arena and in my area a full indoor would be unnecessary. However, one long side is fully enclosed with 6 stalls, tack room, wash area and storage area. The structure is also surrounded by trees and sits down into a hillside so has a lot of natural coverage/ wind break. I love it!

If I was in a Northern climate I would want a full indoor with windows that could be removed in the summer. The most lovely indoor arena I have ever seen is at River Edge Farm in Md. It has a solid kick wall maybe 4’ or 5’ and then glass paned doors that go up like garage doors around three sides of the arena. The fourth side is attached to the barn. But I think you would need $1M to build it:)

[bathsheba8542]

Blume Farm, that is one gorgeous indoor! I’ll go get another lottery ticket! : )

[half_pass1]

I have no idea what the stuff is called, but I’ve seen a number of covered arenas here in Germany which have fabric wind walls that you can roll up and down depending on conditions. The wind netting is like super strong fly mesh.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=half*pass;8023329]
I have no idea what the stuff is called, but I’ve seen a number of covered arenas here in Germany which have fabric wind walls that you can roll up and down depending on conditions. The wind netting is like super strong fly mesh.[/QUOTE]

Any canvas supply store sells those.
They make them into awnings and signs, pool covers, porch enclosures, etc.

That is what we have for our covered arena, but we don’t roll them up, leave them down to keep rain and snow and some wind out of there.

Ours is a 70% shade, but they come in different %, from 50 to 90%.

That is what most covered arenas around here have.
Farmtek sells all kinds of those also and the parts to attach them to your barn.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

[QUOTE=gumtree;8019677]
You’re not far from us so you have the same climate. Your wind conditions may be different. I would not even consider going to the expense of building an indoor that couldn’t be completely enclosed when I wanted it. Any kind of wind driven snow storm would make it pretty much useless. The size of the structure will create a “vacuum” pretty much in the true sense of the word. You will get snow and snow drifts inside the thing. Pretty tough to get it out.[/QUOTE]

Knock on wood, that has not been our experience. We get a little snow in one or two spots but nothing that doesn’t drag out with the harrow. But I can see how that would be extremely site-specific - you won’t necessarily know how the snow/wind will play until its built. There is a patch of woods on the neighbors property that’s probably 60’ away from the walled long side of the building, and we have the barn itself attached to the middle of the open side in a “T” arrangement.

This is over the last two winters, just up the road from you.

David