What is a good size for a small riding arena?

[BeardedChick]

Yeah, 50' across is a little small. Too small of circles can be detrimental to a horse's joints. I have a 70' x 150' for my small arena and it's a decent size for basic flat work and a few cavalettis...

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Our round pen is only about 50' across and it works fine, never had any problems with it. But we train and show Racking Horses.

 

[Bec]

I could maybe go another 10 feet across and maybe another 10 feet in the length, but we don't want to take too much of their grazing pasture. A round pen isn't an option because we are on limited space, but I am sure she will be fine. She has been riding coming up on a year in March. The farm that she started taking lessons at had a large arena so she is used to the control.
As of right now she is riding in a small area behind the barn, but it just isn't enough to do what she needs to move onto doing.
She rides Western right now, but we are looking into getting her an English saddle in the near future.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

I wasnt suggesting a round pen. I was just letting you know that 50' across works fine. After we get our horses going we usually move them out of the round pen and into a bigger ring so we can get more speed out of them.

 

[Bec]

No, someone on the first page suggested one because of her age, but anything we do will take away grazing room, so we are limited!

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Oh ok, I misunderstood you. If grazing space is an issue, Id rather have a little smaller ring, and plenty of pasture, than have a bigger ring and not enough pasture. Around here if you end having to buy hay, its pretty expensive.

 

[Bec]

You are not kidding! We just bought hay yesterday at 6.25 a bale! I think I may just stick to what we have planned, they will still be able to graze IN it, but of course there won;t be as much grass as before.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

I dont blame you. Weve been lucky enough to put up enough hay to feed our horses and cattle so far. But another dry summer and that might be a different story. Good luck to you. I really like you daughters horse.

 

[Bec]

Thank You very much

 

[skirbo]

Quote:
My thought with suggesting the size I did is that even if your daughter moves up to taking riding lessons at a place off your farm, she'll still have exercises and patterns to do at home. If the arena is the correct size then you can put orange cones out as markers so she knows she's making her transitions at the right point and her circles the right size.

I mean, her instructor can tell her to do a sitting trot from X to Y and everyone will then be on the same page as to what that will be.

Sarah