Posted 2014-04-10 11:23 PM Subject: We broke ground on my arena today!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 696 Location: Sunny California
I've never actually had an arena at any of my places, so I've either had to travel or have kept my horses at the trainer to be worked. We've decided we are going to stay here awhile, so I talked my husband into putting in an actual arena. I'm so excited! The only downfall is it's soooo expensive when you live on a hill and have to hire someone to do the excavation (there's a lot of dirt to be moved). Hopefully by this time next week I'll be able to ride in it. Yay!
Posted 2014-04-10 11:58 PM Subject: RE: We broke ground on my arena today!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1118 Location: The South
Omigosh me too!!! I'm so excited, I can barely contain myself. It took us forever to find someone to do the dirt work. It's alot higher on one end so we've got a bunch of dirt to move too.
What are you doing after you get yours level? We're thinking of packing it down and bringing in sand. And maybe adding some dirt back on top to mix in with the sand?
Posted 2014-04-11 11:42 PM Subject: RE: We broke ground on my arena today!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 696 Location: Sunny California
They are going to pack it and slope it slightly for drainage, then we are just going to have them bring in sand. I can't believe how much dirt has been moved and how high the area is now.
Posted 2014-04-12 8:03 AM Subject: RE: We broke ground on my arena today!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1118 Location: The South
Awesome! Ours didn't get packed like we were planning on because a part went out on his dozer. It seems like it's packed down pretty good though so I'm gonna hope for the best. I'm shocked at how much dirt has been moved too!! It was 6 feet higher at one end, so he cut in 3 feet on that end and brought the low end up 2 feet. (I think that's right, I might be confused lol). What are they doing to pack yours? Our guy was going to go over it a bunch with his dozer but since that's out I might see if I can rent one of those roller things.
Posted 2014-04-12 10:35 PM Subject: RE: We broke ground on my arena today!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 696 Location: Sunny California
LindsayJordan84 - 2014-04-12 6:03 AM
Awesome! Ours didn't get packed like we were planning on because a part went out on his dozer. It seems like it's packed down pretty good though so I'm gonna hope for the best. I'm shocked at how much dirt has been moved too!! It was 6 feet higher at one end, so he cut in 3 feet on that end and brought the low end up 2 feet. (I think that's right, I might be confused lol). What are they doing to pack yours? Our guy was going to go over it a bunch with his dozer but since that's out I might see if I can rent one of those roller things.
I believe they are just packing it down with the dozer. Then they are going to go over it with the road grader to smooth it out. I don't know how much they built it up on the high end, but the dirt is taller than I am. Let me see if I can attach a pic.
One last thing you need to make sure that it happens ...
On the grassy side with the high hill side slope of your arena ....
Dig you a ditch twice as deep and wide as you think you will need to re-direct the water running off the hillside of your arena.... and use that dirt to form a terrace on the arena side of the ditch ....
Why twice as big.... this ditch will silt in if you make it pretty right now and it will just disappear ....... grow some grass on this ditch area as quickly as you can ... this will keep your arena from washing away ....
One last thing you need to make sure that it happens ...
On the grassy side with the high hill side slope of your arena ....
Dig you a ditch twice as deep and wide as you think you will need to re-direct the water running off the hillside of your arena.... and use that dirt to form a terrace on the arena side of the ditch ....
Why twice as big.... this ditch will silt in if you make it pretty right now and it will just disappear ....... grow some grass on this ditch area as quickly as you can ... this will keep your arena from washing away ....
We broke ground on my arena today!
