I have been searching old threads but most I have found are really old, so hoping for updated opinions. We have a small arena that just a drag works well on, but hubby is hoping to find an arena tool that will help us maintain our long gravel driveway and maybe even help smooth out gravel in the new heavy use drylots we are installing. We will be using a four wheel drive UTV. We do not have a tractor (as we have a skid steer). Hubby spoke to the arena rascal people at the Equine Affair and was ready to buy then, they convinced him it would do all that. I did check with the ez groom folks, and theirs is not marketed for gravel though they said it should work (but I bet that voids any warranty). So do you have any thoughts or opinions on a small and fairly economical tool that might work? Would appreciate prices on the implements you have purchased if you don’t mind sharing. Since we are looking at driveway maintenance, it needs to be pretty tough. I had considered the DR, but have heard many negative reviews, as early as last week from a coworker who hasn’t had his for a couple months. Any advice is appreciated, except telling me to buy a tractor 
I have an EZ Groomer and I would NOT use it for gravel, I think it would tear up the tines pretty fast.
What about buying a cheap mat type tine harrow? That’s what I use to ‘scratch up’ the gravel on my driveway. I drag it tines down, facing rear. My neighbor runs his box scraper over it lightly to groom the gravel road. I’ve done that as well and it works fine as long as you are careful not to dig in too hard.
I have a mat type harrow for the arena, and honestly it does a great job. But for the driveway, it doesn’t make a dent. We had the driveway redone two years ago, and it’s already pot hole city. So we need something we can maintain it pretty well. Other uses would be a bonus. Good to know on the EZ Groomer though, will rule that one out!
They do make a skid steer version of the TR3
http://www.abiattachments.com/landscape-rake/sr3-skid-steer-scarifier-grading-rake/
It depends how much you like driving backwards and how price sensitive you are, but the tractor version is awesome so the skid steer one likely is too.
I don’t get the difference between the gravel rascal and the arena rascal
http://www.abiattachments.com/driveway-road-grader/gravel-rascal-atv-driveway-grader/
They look a lot less heavy than the TR3 so I’d guess they are good on routine arena maintenance, but take more passes than the heavier versions for hard driveways or rehabbing a neglected arena.
I just spoke with the company, they said the only difference between the gravel rascal and arena rascal is the name. Just depends on who it is being marketed too. I couldn’t figure it out either 
[QUOTE=equislover;8117666]
I have a mat type harrow for the arena, and honestly it does a great job. But for the driveway, it doesn’t make a dent. We had the driveway redone two years ago, and it’s already pot hole city. So we need something we can maintain it pretty well. Other uses would be a bonus. Good to know on the EZ Groomer though, will rule that one out![/QUOTE]
Well in that case, I would lower the teeth on my box scraper, rip the driveway to the depth of the pot holes, then crown and re-compact it. IME, this is the ONLY way to repair pot holes long-term. I’ve also had luck filling the pot holes with large, angular drain rock (like 3/4 drain rock, no fines). That holds remarkably well. (Is my life so sad that I know all about fixing pot holes?)
This is an AWESOME resouce, The Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies. http://www.dirtandgravel.psu.edu/
For gravel driveway and arena grooming, we use TR3. It works really well, but is not cheap, and I don’t know whether it can be pulled by a UTV. May need to talk to the company.
