Restrictions on new arena footing.

[KBC]

My barn has taken advantage of the Covid restrictions to dig out all the old footing from the arena, level it all out, and bring in new sand, and we are all dying to try it out. The old surface was field sand, hauled in from a local pit, so was dark in colour and had stones in it. The new stuff is golden, and sifted and GORGEOUS looking.

I have to admit if I had invested all that money in an upgrade I would be reluctant to let people do more than look at it! But it is there for riding, and can’t wait to see it, I bet it makes the whole arena feel different, just like putting down a different carpet!

BUT, they have also said that there is to be no loose turnout in there, no rolling, no lunging.

I haven’t had a chance to catch up with them to find out if this is short term, long term, for ever…they are putting up a round pen, outside the indoor for those purposes, which is fine when it’s not raining, freezing, bug infested…I’m just seeing a lot of questions, which I know I have to ask them…but are these restrictions normal on a new surface until it settles? Are the “new to barn owning” owners just being over cautious?

Thoughts?

[Redlei44]

Did they do any work on the base? Those are common restrictions (assuming that there is a dedicated lunging area instead), but more to protect the base than the footing, in my experience.

They may just be taking the opportunity to better protect the arena in general.

[Timex]

well, think about what a horse turned loose in a ring will do to the footing (and the base, as Rediei44 pointed out) as it gallops around, sudden turns and stops, they can really dig up the footing. rolling can pack it down, lunging can pack the footing down where the handler is standing, and where the circle is, the footing can pushed around. so, i can see thier point. moreso in the case of turnout and rolling, but it’s their ring, thier rules. and i’ve seen those rules in place at lots of barns over the years. so it isn’t out of the ordinary.

[fancy.pants]

I have the same restrictions on my $$$ arena. Lunging, rolling (and the digging that precedes it) and running around can wreck the base of an arena. I’m surprised they were letting you do all of that before!

[CanteringCarrot]

It’s quite common here for lunging, free lunging/running, rolling, and anything other than riding to not be allowed in an indoor arena. Usually there is an outdoor arena, round pen (covered or not) or alternate small arena available.

[KBC]

@fancy.pants

I have the same restrictions on my $$$ arena. Lunging, rolling (and the digging that precedes it) and running around can wreck the base of an arena. I’m surprised they were letting you do all of that before!

I have only ever boarded here, under the last, and now new owners. We are in the frozen north, whips out tiny violin and plays a dirge, it snowed here on Friday night. We have always used the indoor for everything, being as from November to April, depending on the year, we can’t go outside much!

[pluvinel]

I have seen people with “fahncy” footing restrict activities such as any lunging, free lunging etc.

Since I don’t own these facilities, the rules of “Their Barn, Their Rules” governs.

Personally, if I had spent $$$$ on my personal farm’s footing, for my personal use, I would not restrict activities that I did with my horses in there

In my mind…good footing is there to prevent injuries to horses, regardless of what they activity are doing.

But, in the OP’s case…“Their Barn, Their Rules” governs.

[Ghazzu]

I know of a case where a boarder longed several of his horses one weekend in the same corner of the indoor, and wore a track through the base. It cost $$$ to repair. IIRC, boarder was asked to leave.

[staceymc]

That gorgeous to die for footing is uber expensive. Like take your breath away expensive. All the banned activities you mentioned are terribly hard on that footing and the base. If you did any of those activities on an area where I paid for all that nice footing, I would murder you.

The barn owners are constructing a separate area for those activities, so you can still lunge and turn your horse loose and let him roll. Just not on the uber expensive footing. This is both totally customary and beyond reasonable.

[RedHorses]

@Ghazzu

I know of a case where a boarder longed several of his horses one weekend in the same corner of the indoor, and wore a track through the base. It cost $$$ to repair. IIRC, boarder was asked to leave.

I’d have been going after the company that did a bad job installing the base…

[Demerara_Stables]

I have been learning this lesson the hard way. I, too spent a lot on proper footing construction by a reputable company (the construction of the arena isn’t the problem).

I have a horse here that needs a fair bit of longeing and she likes to play - she also has teeny tiny feet that seem to poke holes in the footing everywhere she trots or canters. I’ve had to double the amount of watering and dragging I do in order to keep the footing solid and level for my personal mare that is rehabbing and needs perfect footing.

Longeing and rolling creates a LOT more work to keep the footing in place and level.

[KBC]

Oh, we will obey the rules, no worries about that, and I totally understand…

BUT, I would imagine that there will be jumps set up before long, doesn’t that do a number on the ground as well?

I am so looking forward to getting out there and seeing it, walking on it, riding on it…it’s very exciting

[fordtraktor]

Jumping under saddle is not nearly as hard as horses tearing around free.

i permit longeing on a line, controlled, but we all try to make sure the horses aren’t too naughty so they don’t dig down to the base. No free longeing and no rolling.

my base is like concrete but a horse tearing around will punch down to it and potentially damage it. I spent $40k+ on the base and the fancy sand and fiber footing…not to mention the expensive drag and mag flakes to eliminate dust…respect the rules! Imagine how long it takes me to get a return on that investment given all the other boarding costs. The answer is never. I did it for me and I am not going to hesitate to ask anyone who doesn’t treat it carefully to leave.

Also goes for picking up poop, making sure you don’t track footing out, etc. rules are there for a reason.

[Ghazzu]

@RedHorses

I’d have been going after the company that did a bad job installing the base…

The arena had been fine for many years.
This guy was a particularly weird dude with a bunch of Andalusians or Lusitanos or some such.
And he apparently longed 5 or 6 of them at mach speed in a smallish circle, according to witnesses.
(BOs were away for the weekend.)

[poltroon]

Lunging is hard on an arena because of the narrow track, the shear force as the horses hit the ground at speed and on an angle, and the fact that horses tend to be goofballs on the longe. With a well behaved horse and a handler that keeps moving around the ring, these things can be mitigated, but few people can be trusted to both have and exercise this level of control.

Good footing is usually only around 2" over the base. Watch any horse before they roll - they like to paw and dig and the ground first to … I dunno… get the feel of it? Loosen it up? In any case it only takes maybe two or three strikes to start hitting base - and if they’re shod they especially have shovels on the tips of their toes.

[RedHorses]

@Ghazzu

The arena had been fine for many years.
This guy was a particularly weird dude with a bunch of Andalusians or Lusitanos or some such.
And he apparently longed 5 or 6 of them at mach speed in a smallish circle, according to witnesses.
(BOs were away for the weekend.)

Ah, yes. THAT kind of lunging is very hard on footing.

Sorry, I longe one of mine quite often and we’ve never left a beaten track in the surface layer. Hence the sort of lunging in your story is not the first to spring to mind.

And for anyone who noticed - the spelling variations are entirely deliberate.

[NaturallyHappy]

@fordtraktor

Jumping under saddle is not nearly as hard as horses tearing around free.

i permit longeing on a line, controlled, but we all try to make sure the horses aren’t too naughty so they don’t dig down to the base. No free longeing and no rolling.

my base is like concrete but a horse tearing around will punch down to it and potentially damage it. I spent $40k+ on the base and the fancy sand and fiber footing…not to mention the expensive drag and mag flakes to eliminate dust…respect the rules! Imagine how long it takes me to get a return on that investment given all the other boarding costs. The answer is never. I did it for me and I am not going to hesitate to ask anyone who doesn’t treat it carefully to leave.

Also goes for picking up poop, making sure you don’t track footing out, etc. rules are there for a reason.

^^^^ This

[fjordmom]

Part of the reason these very common sense rules are put in place is so that all you boarders will have a very nice arena with reliable base and footing to ride in. Look how many threads there are complaining about how bad the arena footing is at so many barns and the BO won’t do anything about it. You are lucky to have a BO willing and able to make the substantial investment it takes. It looks like you certainly realize and appreciate that. Adding ground driving to your and your horse’s skill set may be a good solution to the “no lunging” issue and make all concerned better educated too boot.

[KBC]

@fjordmom My guy ground drives really well, but my short fat hairy legs have trouble keeping up with his beautiful long slender ones:lol::lol:

I do realize and heartily appreciate what they have done, still waiting to get and see it, have permission to visit tomorrow, can’t wait to see my boy, and the new sand pit:)

[candyappy]

It sounds ridiculous to me. An arena is for boarders to use and that means to use in normal circumstances( which includes lunging and the need for occasional loose horses). They should have the means to maintain the arena by dragging or harrowing ?

That should keep it level and usable under normal use.