Outdoor arena Sprinklers; anyone got recommedations?

[ToTheNines]

After much consideration, and thank you everyone, for the input on footing in my prior post, I have decided that footing is as much about moisture as it is about materials.

I am planning a sprinkler system for my outdoor arena, which is about 210 x 150.

I am editing the original post because I had originally thought I could use “gun” type impact sprinklers set back from my arena fence. But my fence is too close to the retaining wall to do that, so I am now planning on pop-up type sprinklers mounted to the arena fence. I want a good timer system so I can cycle them.

Would GREATLY appreciate any advice and tips.

[Bluey]

You could ask here:

http://www.nelsonirrigation.com/media/resources/BG_FEEDLOT.pdf

They can tell you which kinds of sprinklers would work best for you, what kind of water supply you need to run those, maybe staggered if you don’t have a strong enough well, etc.

Those are very common in feedlots, they have that kind of watering down to a science, pick their brains.

[Jim_in_PA]

The barn we board at put in a formal sprinkler system for the primary outdoor arena last year. The heads are “pop up” and are mounted on pipe that is bound to the arena fence posts at intervals. The system cycles so that only one head is active at a given time which helps maintain pressure for a given line size and actually allows riding to continue while the arena is being watered since it’s easy to avoid the one head that’s going “at the moment”. I don’t know the brand of the heads, however. Water for arena wetting is collected from the barn roof (rain) into a large holding tank and pumped with a booster pump to power the system. It can be switched to the well if necessary, AFAIK.

[ToTheNines]

Thanks so far! I wish this forum had a search feature like the old one did. I found this COH thread on google tho. https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/around-the-farm/329222-diy-outdoor-arena-sprinkler-system

[Color_of_Light]

We have gun type sprinklers (not nearly that big) and black pop up sprinklers. When designing a sprinkler system, it’s tricky. You need to lay out the sprinklers for the most even coverage possible. This means that sprinklers will overlap as close to head to head as possible. Kind of like this diagram, but needs to be a much tighter/full coverage. Like, if that was a diagram of one of my arenas, where one half arch of a sprinkler ends, it is where a sprinkler head sits.
http://www.refrigo.com.hk/images/VP2%20plan.jpg

Using a big gun sprinkler like the one in Bluey’s link will not provide even coverage, unless you use enough sprinklers. But maybe that’s ok. The strongest coverage will be way out at the end of the arch of water, with the least coverage being the mist that falls in the area right below the sprinkler head, on out for several feet.

It depends on what your goals are in watering and what kind of riding you do, and what type of footing you have. Holding down some dust is one thing, but if you prefer very well watered and evenly watered footing, it’s another. Too much water in some spots makes for slippery footing. Too little in other areas makes for loose footing.

[Bluey]

This, in the SW at least, is considered the best arena plow and waterer:

http://www.abiattachments.com/arena-drag/kiser-dragmaster/

It grooms and waters evenly, is what most barns have, for indoor and outdoor arena grooming.
Is what the big facilities use also, like fairs and show grounds.

[Minxitbabe]

You might be able to pay an irrigation company do a design for you. They can let you know what sprinkler heads would work best and the spacing needed. Nelson isn’t the only one that would have sprinkles that would work. Check out Hunter they have long range sprinklers as well.

[OTTB2]

At our barn we use golf course industrial sprinkler heads and they are great.

[Bluey]

Spammer reported to be checked out.

[Lucassb]

@AnEquineAddiction

We have tried everything from Sprinklers around the edges to water wagons. The best and safest is the Micro Rain automated system. For more information is www.anequineaddiction.com They are fully automated and put themselves away when finished.

There is a prohibition regarding advertising here, @AnEquineAddiction

FWIW I tested a Micro Rain system when we installed our arena last year. My ring is 100’ x 150’ and it took 3 hours. I can do the entire arena in an hour and fifteen minutes with regular sprinklers. And for thousands less…

[PonyPenny]

Rain bird Falcon Roters. Great for large areas. Each head was individually valued for pressure. I used them for my 1/2 acre pasture in So Cal. I had over 100 lbs of pressure off the main line. https://www.rainbird.com/products/falcon-6504-series.