Arena troubleshooting

Arenas are a big investment, so it’s key to get it right first time. Stephanie Bateman asks the experts about how to tackle any snags

- Stephanie Bateman

Q: CAN I BUILD AN ARENA ON A HILL?

A: “YES, you can build an arena on a hill,” says Thomas Harper of Equestrian Surfaces Ltd. “The steepness of the hill does not matter, as the process to build the arena is the same in all cases. Approximately 95% of arena builds done by Equestrian Surfaces Ltd are on a slope of varying degrees. There are three main considerations for choosing to build on a hill; how it will be levelled, drainage, and fencing.

“Firstly, you must decide how to make the site level; either by cutting into the hill on one side and using that soil to raise the other side, or levelling to the lowest part of the land which will move more soil and take more time and money. Draining on the uphill side of the arena should be installed to divert hillside water around the perimeter of the arena so that the arena drainage is not overloaded.

“Finally, to put fencing on the side of the arena that had been filled, it is integral to ensure it is really well compacted and that there is a metre or two of banking with stone beyond the fence before it starts to decline, so that there is enough support to keep the fence upright, even as the soil settles.”

Q: I HAVE AN EXISTING ARENA IN POOR CONDITION, CAN I REFURBISH IT OR SHOULD I START AGAIN?

A: “OLD arenas can certainly be refurbished, but it depends on a few things,” says James Riley, director of Equestrian Direct Ltd. “Firstly, assess what you have, so I’d start by checking the depth of the surface around the arena to see how level it is. As a rule of thumb, you should have around 125mm to 150mm of surface consistently around the arena.