Good Morning,

My husband and I are finally putting in an actual outdoor arena! For years I have just had an open area to ride where I have worn down all the grass. I have some questions though for the best outlook:

What is the best tool to break up the sod and black dirt initially? Tiller, Field Cultivator etc?

What depth should we go down? 6, 8 inches etc?

Do we spray round up before and / or after we work the ground to reduce weed growth?

We live in NW IA so we have thick black dirt. Do we mix sand or clay in? If so how much?

After we have established the arena, does anyone ever go back in with a large piece of equipment to reduce the development of a hard pan underneath what the small arena drag gets?

Any and all positive input is appreciated! Note, this will be for personal use and not public use. 

So, my dirt is way different than yours, I’m in south Ga. Here’s what we did initially and what we are doing now...so initially my “arena” was a pasture, my husband harrowed it multiple times and kept it worked to keep grass gone. we have a sand/clay mix on our property. One side of my arena is sandy and the other clay. (I moved from an area that was straight beach sand and I miss it so bad!)

We have a problem with part of the arena getting really hard because of the clay, once it rains and the sun comes out it bakes like pottery. Harrowing it breaks it up but then it’s so lumpy to ride on so we got a field cultivator and cut it down to size. It works great and has a thing to level behind it. I’d rather have depth to my dirt than hardness so he digs it 6-8” probably? Once it’s smoothed out the horses feet don’t sink that far but it gives cushion. Every now and then especially in the summer when it gets real dry and hot we will have to bottom plow it and re level because the other implements have a hard time busting it (we are working with old equipment). Our pen gets worked often enough that we don’t have to worry about grass/weeds growing back, my husband is almost a fanatic about working it so much, so I have to sometimes say I just got my tracks how I want them leave it be! ?? 

I am in the same process as you and am so excited to finally have an arena! I live in Eastern Washington and my dirt looks like it is going to be a clay, sand mix. Well, from what I can tell where the dogs have dug for mice. 

I am going to measure it out looking at going 100X170. Then my hubby and I are going to mow it as short as possible. Kill the grass with round up. I bought a TR3 E sieries from ABI Attachements (comes in 3-4 weeks!) The dealer told me I can use that to work the gorund. I am going to use the profiler blade to take the sod off the top and then use the scarring tines (I think they are called that). I am going to start shallow then go deeper as I break up the ground. I am not sure how far I can go without hitting rock. I might add sand but all depends on how it looks when I am done.

Good luck! We will have to share photos of our progress. 

We have a TR3 and love it! Our arena is just black dirt right now, but we usually go as deep as we can to give the horses cushion. This works it up really well. i would like to mix sand in, but can't at the moment.

With our TR3 have use used it anywhere else on your property? We bought it becuase we have a long gravel driveway to maintian and I didnt want a million implents. I am so excited for it to come!

we use it on our driveway also.My husband doesn't have enough good words for it.

So I did it! Made my arena and am on cloud 9! I have always wanted an arena and am so blessed to be where I am at in my life. Here are before and after pictures. 

adugan6914    The new arena looks amazing! Way to go!

Thank you! I am just so excited about it!

I live in Iowa with heavy black dirt.  I took a disc and went over the area where the arena was to be.  Didn't put in the fencing until after the ground work.  I spent  hours with the disc first, then went to a modified field cultivator and worked it until the ground was really mello.  We hauled in clean sand to help lighten the soil.  I do have to add sand every couple of years.  I use the modified field cultivator (my husband made) as my arena tool.  It works great.    If you buy sand make sure it's not regular river sand becuase that comes with a lot of rocks.  The ground holds up pretty well and I don't have any complaints. 

Hope it all works out well for you!