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  Discussion on Outdoor arena base
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Member:
stek

Posted on Monday, Apr 6, 2009 - 12:38 pm:

Talked to a heavy equipment guy yesterday in planning for the outdoor arena we will be building this spring. The conversation brought up three questions:

1) Is it better to have something free-draining (but that still packs) for the base or something with fines that packs solid? Contractor says he uses a free draining washed material under sports fields but there is some concern with just a couple inches of footing on top that it will work itself loose into the footing. Material with fines packs solid and is not free draining, right? More like a parking lot?

2) If we use something with fines, assuming we lay it when the ground is firm and not sloppy, would smaller (5/8-) or larger (1.25-) be better? Has anyone used one or the other? I have heard great things about stone dust (like ag lime) but we don't have that here.

3) The slope of our spot would make it a lot easier to have one grade to the whole thing, say a 1% slope from left to right down the long axis. However I think we will be forever fighting the slope, and putting a 'peak' down the middle of the long axis with a 1% slope off either side would be more balanced for riding on. Any input?

OK one more (but not about the base!) .. I was thinking of putting the posts for the fence around it at say a 5% outward slope to protect the riders legs, similar to a kick wall in an indoor. Has anyone tried this?

Thanks!
Member:
dres

Posted on Monday, Apr 6, 2009 - 3:02 pm:

Shannon we used 3/4 inch road base..4-6 inches deep under the sand but the rocks to surface with time.. we have not had a problem with it tho.. Our arena is a 1% slope down the long axis, I can ride on my arena during a rain storm it drains that quickly.. ALL THO the silt from the sand gives it the appearance of swamp if ridden on ..
Our arena is 10 years old.. and wearing well ..

have fun..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
stek

Posted on Monday, Apr 6, 2009 - 3:57 pm:

Ann, do you notice the slope when riding on it? And when you had the base laid in did you have it rolled or just compacted by the dozer or whatever was doing the spreading?

I think I would be enjoying this more if I wasn't sick at the thought of spending the money to do it. At least half of me wants to just bury it in savings, but we gotta stimulate the economy, right?

Thanks!
Shannon
Member:
dres

Posted on Monday, Apr 6, 2009 - 5:47 pm:

Shannon we rolled it and let it set up but not for long, maybe a week.. Then we added 2.5 inches of sand .. I don't notice the grade at all.. My gal friend put in a arena a long / LONG time ago , thru the years it has developed waves.. that i do notice,, makes you and the horse balance a whole lot harder ..
Yup , after you spend you can save by vacationing at home..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
stek

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 7, 2009 - 5:01 pm:

Thanks Ann. We are still a month or more out from starting but I'd like to have a good plan and get on the same page as our excavator guy well before the fact. I think in the meantime I'm going to get some samples of the different materials I'm considering for base and use them to fill potholes in the driveway and see what compacts the best. My husband will be happy about that for sure!
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