East-West Arena Construction Blog

The arena footing design and construction is critical to the success of the equestrian arena. The optimum riding surface must meet three conditions and include shear strength, minimal concussion and viscoelastic rebound. Horses experience a great deal of stress while performing at high levels and the right footing design will meet the demands of trainers and riders. The ideal arena footing deters injuries to the horse and helps boost performance.

Horse lameness is something every owner dreads. Nothing makes your heart sink faster than going into the barn, greeting your equine charge, and then noticing as you lead him out of the stall that he just isn't moving right. Maybe he's limping, favoring one leg, or there's something off with his rhythm. He's lame, but the good news is that more often than not you can do something about it.

There are few factors as important to arena performance as the footing your horse performs on. If the surface is something like concrete or hard-packed clay then that will lead to unnecessary impacts on the horse's legs and joints. Just like when people run or walk on a hard-packed surface all day, this impact can quickly lead to muscle pain at best, and joint damage at worst. On the other hand footing that's too soft, like deep sand or loose soil, will lead to a loss of traction. That means the horse will have to work extra hard to get traction, and that could lead to faster exhaustion, a loss of performance, and an increased heart rate.

Different horse sports ask horses to perform very different movements. For example, the sudden sharp movements of a cutting horse are very different from the controlled dance of a dressage horse. Not surprisingly, these different movements place different stresses on the horse's body. Arena footing that is ideal for one horse sport may not be suitable for another sport. 

If you are thinking of building an equestrian arena, here are the top 5 missteps to avoid in the construction of outdoor horse arena footing:

Horse stalls are the most effective way to keep your horse out of the harsh weather.  They offer protection and warmth for your equine companion.  However, horses are not necessarily meant to stay cooped up in a barn all day, so how can you maximize your resources in order to give your horse the protection he needs while giving him the freedom he deserves?

An indoor riding arena has probably been on every horse owner's wish list at some time (especially this winter!), but trainers might benefit from them most of all, for four reasons:  

• An indoor arena provides a "controlled environment" for lessons;
• An indoor arena completely eliminates outside distractions;
• An indoor arena provides superior footing, thereby decreasing the risk of horse and rider injuries;
• Indoor arenas modification allows pupils to gain more even benefit from their lessons.

When dealing with horses, the benefits of a controlled environment cannot be overstated. Having an area where weather (whether rainy, cold or overly hot) will not interfere with riding is of immense benefit, especially for trainers, who may work with multiple pupils each day.

Dealing with personalities in the ring has been a challenge for trainers and competitors alike since the dawn of horse shows, this is nothing new. After all, horses have distinct and individualized personalities just like their human handlers. Since a horse has no control over who owns him or where and under what conditions he lives, bonding between a horse and his owner isn't always a smooth process. Unfortunately, sometimes this animal-to-human bond never becomes firmly established. 

A horse's legs and feet are his life. How the floor takes the impact of hooves is very important for the horse's performance and his health and safety. The way the floor is built and the carpet of footing on the floor surface of primary importance when designing or maintaining an arena.