Ocala Florida arenas

[michi]

I am buying a property to start a farm just north of Ocala. I’m relocating from Ohio.
I’ve been trying to get quotes to have a sand arena put in - I expected there to be tons of options, but there’s not! I got one outrageous quote, definitely not happening. Then I got a good quote from one guy, but he really tried to push the sand/clay mix on me which I don’t want. I asked him to quote it with Concrete sand instead, and he did after a lot of pestering, then I never heard from him again to schedule.

I’ve noticed that a lot of barns in the arena don’t bother building rings, and just use a grass field as their riding space. Why is this?

Regardless, though, I really want my arena. I guess I’ll do it myself?

[TimeBandit]

Give Tony at Reeves Land Services a call 302 206 4643. Tell him what you are wanting to do. He is fair in prices, and professional. Tell him Vikki gave you his name.

[michi]

[QUOTE=TimeBandit;8885535]
Give Tony at Reeves Land Services a call 302 206 4643. Tell him what you are wanting to do. He is fair in prices, and professional. Tell him Vikki gave you his name.[/QUOTE]

Awesome thanks a TON!

[Meadow36]

Longwood Farm South - check them out on facebook. They just cleared/graded/seeded 10 acres for us and it looks amazing. They do arenas sand/clay or GGT. Sand/clay average size arena I think is going for roughly $12K.

[IPEsq]

Riding on grass is really nice! Used to be HITS (at the old place) was just out on the natural footing. Only tends to get slick/easily damaged in that area when you have days and days and days of rain. You just have to be willing to move jumps enough that you don’t get a lot of worn spots/tracks.

[AKB]

You might be ok riding on grass in Ocala. Most of the soil drains so well that you can ride on it even after it rains.

[lorilu]

Welcome to Ocala!
I think you will find that grass arenas have two issues here: They can be very slippery when damp with dew (we have that all year round), and you will wear areas down to the sand especially during the dry winter months.
Most of the folks I know have one of two types of arenas - sand/clay mix, or artificial footing.
It is most important to get a good base no matter what you do, since there is no real “base” to the native sandy soil - it will just get deeper and deeper and deeper as time goes on. Florida is, basicly, a big sand bar (yes, there is some limestone clay, and some limestone. But this is generally what happens)
Joe Watkins at Longwood has been putting lots of arenas, both grass (he is a polo player), sand, and footing. Find Longwood Farms South on facebook. He is running some specials right now. https://www.facebook.com/longwoodSouth/?fref=ts

[Cookiebakert]

Hi “Michi”,
i know this is an old post but I’m hoping you may still get a message from this post. I’m in the same position as you were a couple years back. I do have an arena on & round pen on the property we bought and the are fenced. Both appear (fencing aside) to me previous owner made. The round pen needs a little leveling base, drainage and masonry sand (like you were requesting). The arena is grass that has been neglected so is biumpy and could use the same treatment as the round pen. You would think in this area it would be soooooooo easy to find a great reasonable builder but I keep hitting walls too. No one calling me back. I think the first guy that came out must have been the same on you spoke too he pushed clay sand like crazy and no drainage, no thanks.

i had a bid from Longwood, they do appear to build beautiful areanas, but are just financially not within reach. I heard at one time their prices we great…not any more.

Any tips, suggestions or numbers you can help me with would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[lorilu]

@Cookiebakert

Hi “Michi”,
i know this is an old post but I’m hoping you may still get a message from this post. I’m in the same position as you were a couple years back. I do have an arena on & round pen on the property we bought and the are fenced. Both appear (fencing aside) to me previous owner made. The round pen needs a little leveling base, drainage and masonry sand (like you were requesting). The arena is grass that has been neglected so is biumpy and could use the same treatment as the round pen. You would think in this area it would be soooooooo easy to find a great reasonable builder but I keep hitting walls too. No one calling me back. I think the first guy that came out must have been the same on you spoke too he pushed clay sand like crazy and no drainage, no thanks.

i had a bid from Longwood, they do appear to build beautiful areanas, but are just financially not within reach. I heard at one time their prices we great…not any more.

Any tips, suggestions or numbers you can help me with would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

I recently had my one year old Longwood-build arena redone and some problems corrected by a wonderful guy Will Whiddon. He put the sand/clay arenas in at the Florida Horse Park. He worked with me to solve some topography problems and I can say that it all worked out very well even with the rain we have been having. 1-850-528-5007