We only have 1 indoor arena and it is not attached to the barn, so cleaning of the hooves has to happen inside the arena. I should have been paying more attention because the horse being lunged can be a jerk. In general, all of the horses are quite well mannered while being lunged. (I suspect it has to do with the natural trainer that does ground work with many of the horses. She really does bring out the best in the horses.)
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I understand what you are saying. The barn I’ve just moved to has all sorts of stuff I’m not used to going on in the arena at once–lunging, riding, dogs wandering through, cats behind the kickboards, a reiner doing her spins and stuff–I was a bit horrified at first, but have come to realize that its (nearly) all carefully supervised, and the horses are pretty chill about stuff happening around them once the riders get chill about it. I’m still working on that!
They do very well at shows where others, including me, are fazed by ridiculousness, however. I’m hoping I’ll become as chill about distractions as they are. I’ve been in the “Cathedral of Silence” style barn for the past few years and its done me no good at all.
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You get infinity bonus points for correctly using “fazed”. I truly cannot recall the last time I saw anyone, anywhere, use it. It’s always “phased/unphased” and it makes me twitchy and teeth-grind-y.
Thank you, @atr, thank you so much.
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My teeth have been grinding right along with yours!
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I do like the idea of having a spot right outside the arena that then can be swept back into the arena, but my experience is that places with fancy footing want you to pick the feet before you leave the arena. The others using the arena know this is happening and should plan accordingly (like not jump the line that makes you almost run into that corner when someone is picking their horse’s feet).
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@Rackonteur Generally at the barns I have been to with the fancy footing they expect you to hoof pick before you come in the ring and then hoof pick before you leave the ring. This way you don’t track dirt/manure into the ring and you leave the fancy footing in the ring not track it out of the ring.
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Both barns I’ve ridden at with nice indoor footing have a matted area just outside the exit for hoofpicking.
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Most dressage barn work such that slower Gaits stay off the rail. The Hunter Jumper Barns I’ve been and do it the opposite way. And I’m not sure about Western.
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Small update on my conundrum regarding the hunter pony lease a few months ago. Pony went home early off lease at the end of August. Pony won a Champion and Reserve in the low children’s (so 2’ ish) in her home state. One of those weird dealies where a prestigious rated show location holds what is technically a non-rated winter series, yet everyone treats it as rated. So…I guess I sort of know what I’m talking about? It was a trainer personality thing and not a pony problem.
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Speaking of arena etiquette, have you all ever been at a barn that requires you say “door” when entering an enclosed arena? In my 20+ years of riding in enclosed indoors I have never heard of such a rule.
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Oh wow. I thought everyone did that. As long as I can remember that is what people did anywhere that entry door was in the path of a person riding and the person riding could not see the person coming.
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I don’t know that it’s required at ours, but the majority of folks are in the habit of doing so. I knew of the practice, but had never encountered it until this barn.
At the previous hunter barn, which had only an outdoor, I ran into a reverse of the situation. An older adult recreational rider stated that my opening the barn door to bring our horse out made her horse to spook, causing her to fall. I seemed unlikely: the barn was about 50 yards from the ring; the sliding door in question was well within normal noise parameters for any barn door I’ve encountered; I wasn’t being rough or hasty in opening it; and it was winter and already pretty noisy what with the weather, other horses and small children. Still, I felt badly and apologized. Because who knows?
Even in an outdoor dressage arena with only one person riding in it, it is etiquette to ask for permission to enter.
The person riding may have been preparing for an exercise that goes past A. They say yes you can enter before you enter.
With only 2 of us at home we still ask for permission to enter.
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Yes, always.
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Not a rule, but certainly common practice at the barns with indoor arenas that I’ve boarded at. I suppose it depends on the sight lines, though. I’ve been in some indoor arenas that are directly connected to barns and they often have clearer sight lines (maybe a half wall along some portion of the arena) than stand-alone indoors.
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Our arena kind-of has blind corners. I think it’s good for the horses to deal with it.
Now, the shop man-door that opens directly into the arena… that one has almost gotten me decked a few times. 
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Yes. Very common. I once T-boned a kid on her horse when she darted into the arena from a (poorly placed) door to the arena without announcing.
That’s been the rule at most places where I’ve ridden. Haven’t you ever had a child or some clueless adult ever pop up by the gate without announcing themselves first? My horse isn’t particularly spooky but it surprises her (and me!) every time.
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I yell door if there’s a lesson going on in the arena or if it’s crowded.
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Clearly the area of the US I rode in before was the exception not the rule! I’ve always asked to enter when a lesson is going on but the facilities I’ve ridden at had gates that were well placed so horse and rider could easily see who is coming.
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