What do you think about this oddly shaped arena layout?

[eastendjumper]

Budgeting out arena costs and layout of new outdoor. Based on how the land is naturally sloped, the great views along this particular edge of the property and the odd shape of the land parcel itself, I’m thinking about doing this shape arena (hopefully it makes sense how I describe it): 260’ length, one short end at 80’, opposite short end 130’, to a long, sloped side maybe 275’ or so? I’d dog ear the acute angle between this long side and the 130’ side to even out the deep corner there. Doing it this way helps to square up the rest of the property and seems to allow more efficient use of the land.

Hoping to eventually host small shows at some point, besides odd Hunter courses, is there a drawback I’m not thinking of in not having a traditional rectangle shaped arena? I kind of like this shape idea for different schooling needs…

[brody]

Just building complications I’d think. Ie cost. Although if you mean outdoor wouldn’t change much.

[Calvincrowe]

Outdoor, I assume? Just dragging an odd shape like that would be difficult. You’ll end up with unused spaces/corners. Just building it oddly will add to the costs, as regular shapes are easier to deal with. But a contractor will have an accurate cost estimate.

[RockinHorse]

Assuming I am picturing this correctly, it might be fine for personal use but I do not think it would be suitable for shows, even schooling shows.

[Pally]

I used to work/ride at a place with an irregular outdoor. Kind of a “peanut” shape where the middle of the long sides was skinniest, and one end was a bit narrower than the other. I don’t know the actual dimensions, but it would have been wider than 80’. That would be my concern in your plan, as that end might get a little tight and leave you “trapped” down there. Our ring was unfenced and surrounded by natural obstacles (bank, grab, table). While some horses might have left you begging for a fence, for the most part, it was a nice, fun place to ride.

We did not host shows, but pretty much always had a jumper course set in it without issue. Maybe I’m missing something because I don’t show myself, but I’m not sure why jumping would have to take place in a rectangular ring. The only trouble I envision is hack classes with inexperienced riders…could be a traffic bottleneck:lol:

[mpsbarnmanager]

That sounds less thank ideal for shows.

[Pennywell_Bay]

[QUOTE=eastendjumper;7993247]
Budgeting out arena costs and layout of new outdoor. Based on how the land is naturally sloped, the great views along this particular edge of the property and the odd shape of the land parcel itself, I’m thinking about doing this shape arena (hopefully it makes sense how I describe it): 260’ length, one short end at 80’, opposite short end 130’, to a long, sloped side maybe 275’ or so? I’d dog ear the acute angle between this long side and the 130’ side to even out the deep corner there. Doing it this way helps to square up the rest of the property and seems to allow more efficient use of the land.

Hoping to eventually host small shows at some point, besides odd Hunter courses, is there a drawback I’m not thinking of in not having a traditional rectangle shaped arena? I kind of like this shape idea for different schooling needs…[/QUOTE]

All I can think of is the schooling shows I have seen that the participants are lucky to get inside/outside/inside/outside in a regular rectangle =) (myself included taking my green bean). I am generalizing and there are plenty of people at schooling shows who could rock it, but GENERALIZING, people are not looking to be overfaced at schooling shows and want a pleasant experience. Beginners and newbies may have trouble finding their way around an odd shaped ring without disaster. IF they don’t have fun, they won’t come back.

I can’t imagine it in an oddly shaped ring. I can see the additional expense of an ambulance carting the judge away from the nightmare that may unfold.

That said, it’s your ring so build it as you see fit.

[netg]

Personally, I wanted to make my ring the largest I possibly could. It’s 200’x180’ except for the corner cut off to allow the driveway to go where it needed.

I am no show facility, but have had clinics here, and the oddly shaped part worked for warmup while riders in the clinic were in the rectangular part, separated by ground poles. Jumping, you can use standards and poles at the top to separate out the rectangular and irregular parts.

I so go as large as you can, because it’s easy to cut part off, but not so easy to add back on. (And also, 80’ is wider than a standard dressage arena, for reference.)

[GaMare]

For schooling shows, could you put up a temporary fence (jump standards & poles) to split the space into a rectangular show arena and separate warm up space? If so, I think you’d be fine.

Depending upon where you are in the country, you could even turn the odd shape into a positive by hosting a few Pony Final prep days. Every year there are kids who have a tough time with the unusual shape of the arena in KY so local trainers might jump at the chance to give their kids a low stress opportunity to ride in a non-rectangle.

[ToTheNines]

My arena was irregular for a long time before I fenced it. Partially to save a tree.

Took me years to decide to take the tree down, square up the corners and fence it. Mostly because the corners are so important showing hunters. I can now so much more easily practice turns and changes.

If I were in your situation, I would make the two long sides the same. If you really can’t do more than 80’ at one end, fine. I school at my trainers in a long dressage-dimensioned covered, and it is great practice for shows. Keeping your pace at the ends, nice turns etc. I personally would not stretch the wider short end as much as 180’. Maybe 150’ - 160’. I like your idea about dog-earing the corners at that end. Maybe you can square those two corners. My horses are so much better with changes and turns now that I have square corners to practice with.

All this being said, I do show hunters only, where timely changes and smooth turns are so important.

[pattnic]

http://threebearsfarm.com/Facilities.html

[netg]

[QUOTE=ToTheNines;7993894]
My arena was irregular for a long time before I fenced it. Partially to save a tree.

Took me years to decide to take the tree down, square up the corners and fence it. Mostly because the corners are so important showing hunters. I can now so much more easily practice turns and changes.

If I were in your situation, I would make the two long sides the same. If you really can’t do more than 80’ at one end, fine. I school at my trainers in a long dressage-dimensioned covered, and it is great practice for shows. Keeping your pace at the ends, nice turns etc. I personally would not stretch the wider short end as much as 180’. Maybe 150’ - 160’. I like your idea about dog-earing the corners at that end. Maybe you can square those two corners. My horses are so much better with changes and turns now that I have square corners to practice with.

All this being said, I do show hunters only, where timely changes and smooth turns are so important.[/QUOTE]

Easy solution is create false corners with ground poles. Then you have to steer, too, and can’t rely on the fence.

[eastendjumper]

[QUOTE=pattnic;7993900]
http://threebearsfarm.com/Facilities.html[/QUOTE]

What a gorgeous place!

Arena would be very similar to this shape, thank you so much for posting that link. So we would have 2, 90 degree corners, one obtuse angled corner, and one acutely angled corner, I think I would round out the odd corners. That’s a good idea separating out a chunk, it’s my intention to cut off the 80’ side to make a rough 80’ x 80’ space to work with beginner kids in, and use the whole space for the more advanced students. I couldn’t cut off the sloped portion to create a rectangle to leave warmup space, would be too narrow I think (winds up being 50’ wide at widest part if I did) but it’s a good thought.

I’m really mulling this over, thanks so much for your replies. I definitely don’t want to have the barn with “that weird arena that’s hard to ride in”, especially doing schooling shows, but if it also allows us to come up with fun and different course setups that ride well, it could be a selling point.

[Eilsel]

I think it would be fine. Heaven forbid someone at a schooling show or riding a hunter might have to steer! Honestly I think an irregularly shaped ring is not a problem especially if it gives you more room than if you made it rectangular. Sounds like you could have plenty of room for a full course and room at the end for flatwork or lunging or all sorts of activities!

[CHT]

I would go with the odd shape. it will give you more options when coming up with courses for schooling, and you can always square it up for shows…although I don’t think it is needed. The hunter rings I grew up showing in weren’t perfect rectangles and I think it was good to learn to not rely on the rail to square up the turn.

[trubandloki]

I see nothing wrong with the odd shape. Make your ring as large as you can, there is no rule that says it has to be a perfect rectangle.

Isn’t the ring where pony finals held an odd shape? No one screams about that being wrong.

[Muppet]

I think odd shape would be fine, and just round the corners. Extra cost but I would imagine it would be worth it. For jumping a funny shaped arena with rounded corners would be much easier than a perfect shaped arena with sharp corners!

[horsepoor]

I think the shape would be fine, especially if you round the corners like the one in the aerial photo pattnic posted. We have square corners on one end of my arena and rounded at the other end, and we basically made the curves on those rounded corners based on what the natural turn of our tractor with drag was (so it was laid out to be easy to drag). If you can, lay out the arena as you are envisioning it with stakes and string or something and see how it looks and feels - even if you can’t ride out there, just seeing the geometry of the thing laid out like that can help you decide. Good luck with the project!

[GoodTimes]

Go for the odd shape! Everyone making excuses for why they need a perfect shape to ride in are perfect examples of why they shouldn’t be riding in a perfect shape. That ring sounds plenty large to be able to practice riding straight lines, and making false corners if you had too.
Just because the ring is oddly shaped doesn’t mean that your courses can’t be simple for schooling shows, and honestly my first thought was that you could somehow work the shape of the ring into a fun derby course.

[kookicat]

I love riding in odd shaped sand schools! It’s good for the horses, too, lets you get away from the sides/fence more.