Yes, another arena drag question, sorry :(

[JB]

I know there are a ton of these threads. I have very specific needs so I’m hoping there will be a small number of choices I have.

I’ve been using a chain-type drag. It’s been ok - teeth down to start, flip it for teeth up to smooth the surface. But it’s a huge pita to flip, I can’t get corners, and I drag footing out when I’m done and drag some rocks in when I start.

I want something I can do a teeth and smooth in 1 pass, and that the PTO can lift so I can get corners and keep all material in and out of the ring as appropriate.

My only requirement I’m willing to give up is the flipping - if I need to change something, or flip it, to do the final smoothing, I’m ok with that if necessary.

I’ve been scouring the drag threads, and it seems that a lot of folks don’t smooth after they drag. At times, that’s fine for the footing I have (screenings), but especially in the Summer where the footing can go from nicely damp to rock hard in a day, leaving it with furrows doesn’t make for nice riding sometimes, hence my smoothing most every time.

[EquineJunky]

Hubby bought one of these for the driveway and now uses it for the arena. He has to raise it and back up to ‘clear’ it as some footing does build up in it. Then I use a manure fork to scoop it up and shake it out to distribute it back out. http://www.drpower.com/power-equipment/power-graders/power-grader-48-in-w-remote.axd?ctm_id=23247&src=AW82265XE3463309&gclid=CKjsjPTqr8ACFcZQ7Aod9n4AGA

He doesn’t get totally into the corners. He’d have to back into the corners, lower it and drive out to do that. I don’t care so don’t make him do it.

I’m not a big user of the arena. But since previous owner spent the time and money building it I try to keep it up. From time to time I do use it if short on time to ride or someone needs to remember some manners. Works for me.

[JB]

I’m ok with raising, backing into a corner, and driving out, as that’s what I’d have to do no matter what I used, since the tractor won’t turn small enough to allow anything pull-behind to get there.

But, I’m not going to deal with having to manually redistribute footing LOL Or even mechanically, if it’s going to happen every time. I have to do a little bit of it now, every now and then, if I end up dragging and the footing is a bit too wet, but I try to avoid having to do that.

Is the buildup a function of the type of footing you have?

[tangledweb]

Most of the dedicated arena rakes have more than one row of ground contacting tools, so they break it up with bigger teeth first, then run a comb or roller at the back to smooth it back down. So most people with a dedicated tool are smoothing after they drag, just at the same time.

https://www.google.com/search?q=arena+groomer&client=ubuntu&hs=y1d&channel=fs&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-pb8U8zlI4SyyASm74Jg&ved=0CEUQsAQ&biw=1301&bih=673

I can’t think of anything attached to a 3 point hitch that requires manual flipping, and practically anything will do a better job than a chain drag so it’s just a matter of how much you want to spend and which ones you like.

You still might want to do multiple passes depending on how much breaking up it needed but if you are an every day user a good rake will work in one pass.

[JB]

I haven’t run across threads on the Dragonfly - comments?
http://www.footingdrag.com/dragnflygroomer.php

I am indeed a regular user, so it would be very rare to have to to multiple passes just to break things up, unless it wasn’t used for a week or 2 after a good rain in July where heat and sun then baked it like concrete LOL

I’m running across quite a few that don’t have a 3-pt hitch and don’t have wheels, so I’m trying to weed out those. It’s also very frustrating to not have prices on some of these sites Obviously shipping costs will vary, but isn’t the price of the thing the price of the thing? LOL

[EquineJunky]

If you look at the video on the website I posted, you’ll see as he goes there is some material building up in front of the very back portion that is smoothing things out as he goes (and some is spilling over the top). The ‘smoother’ piece at the back gathers up the footing taller than it and builds up in front of it as it goes along. Hope that makes sense! I don’t remember there being any way for hubby to make that piece shorter so that less footing builds up in front before it spills over.

[JB]

Ah, I see what you mean.

[ToTheNines]

JB, I am shopping for an arena drag too. Do you or any one else here have thoughts on the ones that move in the circular motion? Are they called rotary?

ETA: I am considering this one
http://www.countrymfg.com/rotaryconditioner.htm

[JB]

I was also wondering how this rotaries work, both mechanically, and functionally. Their motion makes it seem like they’d be less likely to cause waves over time - ?

And what would make that one, with multiple rotary things, better or worse than the other I’ve seen which is a single, but bigger rotary thing? I’d LOVE to have something 5-6’ wide to cut down time.

[Watermark_Farm]

I bought an EZ Groomer (ezgroomer.com) and have been super happy with it. Simple, well made, easy to use and adjust. It has teeth, a leveling bar, and a flywheel roller. I have sand, felt and rubber footing.

I bought the drag with the wheels attachment as a safety device to keep from accidently getting into base, but wound up taking them off as it’s super easy to adjust from the rear 3 point on my tractor to get the desired depth. I only drag about 1.5 inches. The rear flywheel does a good job smoothing the footing.

[JB]

Thanks, I like the look of that one. It looks like the leveling bar is a lot more forgiving than the DR. Has it ever engaged in a way you like or dislike?

Would removing the wheels make for a problem if there’s any sort of dip in the footing? I’ve got one section that’s a bit low, running lengthwise along one long side, that I don’t want to make worse, and haven’t so far by dragging along the length mostly, but when I smooth I do often make big circles. It’s really a job for someone with more knowledge than I have in using a box scrape or, probably more ideally, adding a bit more footing. I’ve been thinking of getting a bit of sand to mix in with the screenings anyway.

[candico]

FWIW, I have the three rotary wheel harrow and it was a PITA to hook up, worked pretty well at first, but very tricky not to get too deep and damage the base. It then became un-level as the outside wheels got worn down much faster since the arena edge was often the most compacted.
Much happier with my Kiser Edge. Leaves a smooth, moisture-retaining surface, yet you can pretty much get an exactly even depth all around with the profile blade. You can switch out to teeth if the ring gets super compacted via rain, etc. I wish the teeth were spaced closer and with a few more of them, so I often switch to my Dragster as needed. Hope that helps.

[JB]

Which “three rotary wheel harrow” are you referring to? The EZ Groomer?

I really like the look of the Kiser. There may be other groomer which do the same thing but so far I haven’t seen one who describes how/what they do like that one does. Hmmm…

[candico]

It is the six foot Country Manufacturing one. I think they refer to it as the spider. Money misspent…