Hi all! I am in the process of planning a long term project: an indoor arena. Being located in southwestern VA weather gets in the way A LOT of riding. We loose a good three to four months due to snow and rain. Needless to say an indoor arena is a necessity so we can continue to bring in profit. I have three questions with this: How big is necessary for a hunter/jumper but something that can also be used for a smaller pattern with barrel horses? Also, what are some of the cheapest options? I have no idea what companies to even look at for this. Finally, what footing would you recommend? We currently have two outdoor arenas (one for hunter/jumper and one for barrels) and they each have different footing. Thanks in advanced!
Do you want a full jump course? 150x300 is the number I see tossed around a lot. Ideal footing for jumping is going to be too shallow for barrel racing, but I’d rather run on ground a little too hard than jump out of footing too deep.
I would talk to people in the area about base and footing. Here, as long as the elevation is right, we can get by with just removing grass and tilling 3 inches. I realize most places are not that lucky.
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I boarded for years at a barn with an arena 50’ x110’ (from the base of the kick boards, not the support posts. It was a thriving HJ lesson/show barn. We could do a small course in it. They had gone the rototiller and ocassion used shavings load route for footing. It was dusty and needed calcium (I think that’s what they used) a couple of times each winter. They were a non poop scooping barn.
I moved to a place that had a 70’x160’ Coverall arena. It was wonderfully spacious. We actually ran a mini short course one winter, and cut about 15’ off one end for the judge and holding area. I don’t remember what they used for dust control but the initial footing was diamond sand which packs too hard over time. This was a non lesson barn, just boarders who brought in coaches for personal lessons. This was a pick your poop barn.
Next was a 60’x120’ Coverall. This was a much smaller, boarders only facility and worked okay if there weren’t more than 3-4 horses. We could do a small course comfortably without having to shove the jumps against the walls. I don’t know what dust control got used, but they had sand footing.
My current winter barn has a tiny 17m x 30m arena. I don’t know what the dust control is but it’s good - though it may be partly due to the low traffic. This is my third winter here and I’m only now seeing dust. This is a traditional steel siding, post and roof trusses construction sort of thing. He did one absolutely brilliant thing when building and put clear plastic, corrugated siding on one side of the roof. This lets tons of light in during the day, and in the winter allows the sun to warm up the inside air to a surprising degree (during the day). Even with the row of solar panels blocking part of the roof!
I really feel the 50’x110’ arena was too small. The extra 10’ in the 60’x120’ made a significant difference.
The advice I have always heard is to build as wide as you can, because it is easier to add length later than to change the width. Width change would be a major rebuild.
I ride alone in my tiny arena as much as I can, but I don’t jump in there. Anything more than a one or two stride line would be ridiculous. Even without jumping I wish it were 5-10m longer.
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if you are near Lynchburg go look at Randolph College’s The Claire Noyes Cox indoor arena …it is 120’ x 300’
Don’t get your heart set on something like 150x300 unless you are very, very rich. I just got a quote from Iron Horse Structures for an 80x160 for $290,000.
60x120 is rideable but I would do 70,72, or 80 if you can possibly afford it. The width is where all the money is but it also is what makes something rideable versus too small.
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In H/J land an 80’x200’ indoor is quite common. You can set a full course in that space although the lines usually need to be set a little shorter. The fabric covered buildings tend to price out cheaper than steel buildings and steel buildings tend to price out cheaper than wood frame buildings.
For a quote on a steel indoor, I’d reach out to Morton Buildings. For a quote on a wood frame indoor, I’d reach out to King Construction. In our area, Morton tended to be higher priced than local options. King was bang in line with our local builders. We went with King and I would highly recommend them if you decide to go with a wood frame indoor.
Regarding footing, a good base is key. We used 8" of compacted crushed gravel. Our first attempt at footing was straight sand, but that was very dusty. We watered in the spring/summer/fall, but watering in the winter was not realistic as the footing would freeze. After a few years, we replaced the sand with all-weather footing. It is a hefty investment, but well worth it IMO.
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Not to totally hijack, but here I was, strongly considering a move to SW VA, and thinking that I could get away with riding outside year round with only a well-drained outdoor with all weather footing. Am I delusional? Advice via PMs would be welcome!
OP- how much terrain do you have on your property? It seems like excavation and having to do major earth work can add significant expense. I am currently in a very hilly area and there are some folks who have opted for a slightly smaller arena because the expense of even making it just a little bigger shot up due to all of the backfill that would be required.
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found out it only cost $300,000 per year to maintain this little H/J arena… that does not include debt service…
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/randolph-college-riding-center-in-danger-of-closure
I’ve found 70x200 doable. Regarding footing, cost will vary in your area depending on availability and distance of trucking. Your base is very important. Here in the NE we use compacted stone dust. As far as depth of your top layer, you will find that barrel racers, and reiners want a depth of footing that most h/j and dressage people consider too deep.
I know riders in Staunton area of Va, which is pretty SW,close to I-81, and they survive with a well drained out door. Even if you insist on a covered arena, leaving sides open can cut costs… In any case footing needs Rx, for dust etc. BO here uses Mag Chlor.
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We live near Knoxville and our climate is similar to yours. I suspect you lose more days to wet weather than to cold (or heat). We did a 20m x 60m cover. This is NOT cheaper to build as the structure must be more robust without walls. But we have no expenses for air movement as we picked a site with a pretty steady breeze even on the warmest of days. We lose a total of about 30 day/year for heat, cold, and the rare hurricane remnant that soaks the entire structure (intense rain being blown by a 55 mph wind can go a long way under a cover!!!).
When we built the money was in the width. Starting at about 55 feet for each 10 feet of width you went over that you saw a 50% increase in cost. IIRC our trusses were custom at our size. I saw on another thread that standard size trusses now go up to 80 feet so you might not get his as hard as we did when going wide.
If wind is an issue you can find systems that will allow you to put up permanent or temporary walls on one or more sides. If we are going to get a lot of blowing rain it will come from the southwest. Cold winds come from the northwest. Snow comes from there, too, but our average is under 9"/yr. so it’s really not much of an issue. But the real cold seldom lasts longer that a day or so and is gone. We made the decision that rain was more of a problem because it’s effect lasted longer. You’ll have to look at your local mini-climate and decide what you want to do.
Indoor structures are nice but are vastly more expensive to operate than a cover.
Good luck in your project! 
G.
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No problem! I sent you a pm! As for excavation though it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. I have a pretty large area, but thankfully my brother in law has his own construction company and can do any excavation work I need done.
And thanks for the feedback everyone!
Can’t comment on size or footing, other than for jumps get the shorter 10’ poles rather than 12’ so you have more room. A few months ago I went with a friend to look at a horse, it was night and cold when we got to see the horse. She rode in one of the nicest indoors I’ve seen. Nice footing but what she did was put in clear plastic sliding windows. I’ve seen plenty of indoors with windows but none the size of these… The owner/trainer said that because of the clear windows the ring stayed pretty warm on sunny winter days. I’m posting a link to her website so you can see. We have a lot of indoor arenas around me but none quite as nice as this one. This barn is in Maryland so somewhat similar climate.
http://fineideafarm.net/boarding/
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Their glazed sliding windows are genius. Thank you for sharing! Love to know how they perform on super windy days…
The woman who owns that facility is really very nice so I’m sure you could reach out to her about her indoor. I believe she sometimes writes for the Chronicle and Eventing Nation. If my BO ever retires and I’m still riding - that’s where I’m boarding LOL
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Good, happy building
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