A horse arena is an enclosed, dirt or turf-covered ring where equestrians practice their riding skills. Whether you are training horses or hosting an equestrian competition, you need to know how to properly maintain your arena to ensure that the riders and horses are safe.

The most important aspect of an arena is the base layer. A stable, compacted base provides a solid foundation for the arena fabric and footing layers.

This is the area that absorbs most of the horses’ weight and pressure as they ride. This area needs to be as strong as possible to minimize the impact on your facility and the horses’ hooves.

The Heart of Equestrian Activities: Exploring the Horse Arena

The base layer should be designed to “knit” to the loose arena footing material. This prevents the footing from drifting or causing ruts in the surface of the arena. This is most commonly achieved with a woven arena fabric or a geocells kids system.

Once the footing layer is in place, it must be kept hydrated. This will help to bind the sand grains together, reduce dust, and make the arena more stable for horses to work in.

A common method of reducing dust and retaining moisture in arena footing is the use of a salt product mixed into the arena. The salt holds the moisture in the footing and releases it over time between watering events. If you use this method, it is important to regularly inspect the arena and replace the salt as needed.