[jjw]

Hi from New Zealand: I have a small business here based around a Thomas mini-excavator. Do a lot of landscaping jobs, post holes, trenching, stump grinding, dirt from A to B, etc, etc. Not a bad life.

Here's the current question- I have been asked to build a horse arena. This requires a very specialized surface. No mud, no sinking. Must be excellent drainage, and able to withstand- well, horses.
Has anyone out there had experiences of building them?

Jon Woolf, The Red Digger Company

[Green4Me]

I used to work at a sand and gravel company and we sold materials and did sitework all the time for horse arenas. This is quite an expensive hobby.

Start with excavation of about 18", place 6" of 3/4 minus crushed rock and compact, then place 12" of fine sand like mason sand on top. I suppose concrete sand would do. Concrete sand here has 3/8" pebbles in it.

Here, because of the rains, the riding arenas us sand to cushion the horses hooves, allow liquids to drain, easily re-grading, minimal dust. Check out this website for a unique grading tool,
www.tr3rake.com

I am always amazed at the money people spend to keep a horse. Many here have private riding arenas, elaborate barns, wash down areas, etc.

Good Luck

[ianc]

In Canada: the horse folks either are slow paying or do not pay at all,

do not get in to far without progress draws

[AZTLANLC]

wouldn't it be better to use 6" of shale like big sizes then 6" of crush shale 3/4 minus and only 6" of sand and I think that still a lot of sand.
Seem to me like 12" of sand is quite too much specially if they want good drainage.

Also depending on ground conditions you mght need some pipes.

[HardDaysKnight]

We used the bobcat rockhound for the horse farms.
Rubber mulch is getting very popular.
http://www.rubbermulch.com/arena_footing.htm

[start2finish]

horse people are notorious for not paying or very slow paying in our area as well. sad to let a few bad apples create a reputation for honest folks, but generally speaking around 2 out of 3 give our neighbors trouble paying for grain/feed and hay.