How big should horse riding arenas be?

20 x 40m and 20 x 60m riding arenas are generally the most common sizes as they are the two standard dimensions for dressage tests.

However, 20m can feel quite narrow for jumping and be limiting for building courses. Even an extra 5m width can make a big difference, but at least 30 x 50m would be more suitable for jumping. I used to have a client with a 30 x 60m private outdoor arena and this was a wonderful versatile size to ride in - plenty big enough for any dressage test, and the extra width made it great for jumping too.

20 x 40m should really be the smallest arena to go for. However, the smallest one I've ridden in was a 60 x 100 foot barn (just over 18 x 30m) that had been converted into an indoor school. It was usable for one horse at a time, but did feel tiny and had the wrong width/length ratio to practice a basic dressage test (there was also a large outdoor arena on site, so this was more of a bonus space for when the weather was awful). Therefore, as an absolute minimum, I'd say no narrower than 18m, and no shorter than 35/36m - any smaller will make practicing dressage tests and typical schooling movements difficult (especially when riding larger, unbalanced, or green horses), but these dimensions will feel very compact!

At the other end of the scale, there is really no upper limit to arena size - the only constraints are planning permission, available space, and of course, budget! Some of the nicest outdoor riding arenas I've ridden in (usually at competition venues) have been huge… 40 - 50m x 60 - 70m, which allow loads of room for jumping, but also space for dressage boards to be fitted inside when needed for flatwork.

For indoor schools, there is no limit on length, but there will be a constraint of how wide they can be to allow for a clear span building that has no support posts interrupting your schooling space (especially for wooden frames which usually stop at around 80 - 90 feet / approx. 24 - 27m, although steel frames can be made wider). I will discuss the ceiling height need for an indoor school later on.

Location

• Planning permission may dictate the position of your arena, for example, neighbours can object, and floodlights close to roads can be an issue.
• Whilst it is possible to build on a slope, siting your arena on flat, well-draining land will make the construction much easier, and therefore cheaper too.
• Ideally for convenience, your arena should be as close to the yard as possible, and near to your tack room and grooming / wash bays.
• Having a view of the menage from your yard can be particularly nice - it is also a good way to keep an eye on people riding in case of accidents.
• Weather conditions are also a factor, so consider sunlight (for example, arenas that get to morning sun will melt morning frost or snow much quicker), and try to shield your arena from prevailing winds, etc.