A good footing is invisible when it's right and painfully noticeable when it isn't. The same holds whether you're building a new arena on your own property or improving an existing one: the structure beneath the surface determines whether you can ride safely all year round, and how long the footing lasts.
Why the Base Matters More Than the Top Layer
Most people, looking at a riding arena, focus on the top layer — the sand or sand mix the horse moves on. But most of the work and the budget goes into what lies underneath. An arena is, in effect, a layered system, and every layer has its own job.
From bottom to top, a typical build-up looks like this:
| Layer | Function | Approximate thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-base (excavated and compacted) | Stable, level foundation | n/a |
| Drainage layer (gravel or crushed stone) | Carries water away downward | 15–30 cm |
| Separation layer (geotextile) | Keeps layers separate, prevents mixing | thin |
| Base layer (compacted) | Load-bearing capacity and levelness | 10–20 cm |
| Top layer (sand or sand mix) | Cushioning and grip for the horse | 8–15 cm |
An expensive top layer on a poor sub-base turns into a mud pit or a rock-hard slab within a single season. Conversely, a simple top layer performs perfectly well for years on a well-built, well-drained sub-base. So a significant part of the money goes into what's under the ground.
Drainage: The Silent Failure Point
By far most problems with a riding arena come down to water that can't get away. If rainwater sits, the footing becomes too deep and heavy; if it then dries out too fast, it turns hard and dusty. A footing that stays usable all year round stands or falls with its drainage.
Two approaches are most common:
- Drainage downward — water sinks through the top layer and the drainage layer into the ground. This works well on permeable, sandy subsoil.
- Drainage via pipes — perforated drainage pipes in the drainage layer carry water away to a ditch or sump. Needed on poorly permeable ground, such as clay or peat.
Which approach fits depends heavily on the soil type at your location. On sandy ground in, for example, the Brabant region, water can often drain away on its own; on clay soil in the river areas, a drainage system is almost always needed. If in doubt, have the soil assessed before you start digging — getting this wrong is the most expensive thing to fix after the fact.
Choosing the Top Layer
The top layer determines how the footing feels to the horse: the cushioning on landing and the grip on push-off. Too deep strains the tendons, too hard strains the joints and hooves. The right layer sits in between, and depends partly on your discipline.
- Special arena sand — washed, angular sand that stays in place well and doesn't shift too much. The basis for most arenas.
- Sand with fiber or textile (a "mixed" or fiber footing) — added fibers or shreds keep the footing more stable and reduce dust and drying out. More expensive, but lower-maintenance and with more cushioning.
- Sand with rubber or another additive — provides extra cushioning; used mainly for jumping arenas.
Broadly, dressage calls for a somewhat more stable, not-too-deep footing for pure gaits, while jumping benefits from more cushioning for landings. For mixed use on your own property, a good sand mix is usually perfectly fine. Don't experiment on your own with sharp fill sand or masonry sand from the building supplies store: it compacts hard, holds water, and rides heavy. A supplier specializing in arena sand can advise you on what suits your ground and your use.
What It Roughly Costs
Exact prices vary a lot by region, soil type, size, and how much you do yourself. Still, a rough order of magnitude is possible. For a standard 20-by-40-meter arena, budget roughly for:
| Item | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| Groundwork (excavating, compacting, leveling) | €3,000–€8,000 |
| Drainage (layer plus pipes if needed) | €2,000–€6,000 |
| Geotextile and base layer | €2,000–€5,000 |
| Top layer (sand or sand mix) | €3,000–€10,000 |
| Fencing and finishing | €1,500–€5,000 |
Altogether, a complete outdoor arena of 20 by 40 meters therefore often comes to somewhere in the range of €12,000 to €30,000 or more, depending on the choices made and the starting situation. A fiber or textile footing and difficult, wet ground push the amount up; favorable sandy soil and doing a lot yourself push it down. An indoor riding hall is a whole different story and costs a multiple of that, mostly because of the construction and permits.
Anyone who just wants to improve an existing arena usually gets off cheaper: topping up or replacing the top layer, or repairing the drainage, is often enough, without redoing the entire build-up.
Permits and Rules
An arena on your own property isn't always automatically allowed. Whether you need a permit depends on the size, the height of the fencing or lighting, the location (for example, in a rural zone), and the zoning plan (bestemmingsplan) for your parcel of land. Separate rules can apply to manure storage near the stable and to drainage into a ditch.
The rules differ by municipality and by situation. Before you start, check with your municipality or the Omgevingsloket (the Dutch national permits portal) what applies in your case, and bring in an advisor if needed. Legalizing or adjusting things after the fact is almost always more expensive than researching it properly beforehand.
Maintenance Keeps the Footing in Shape
Building a good footing is half the job; keeping it in good shape is the other half. Without maintenance, the top layer compacts on the well-used lines, holes form along the track, and the footing dries out unevenly.
What generally helps:
- Regular harrowing with an arena harrow, so the sand stays evenly distributed and doesn't compact on the well-used lines.
- Watering during dry spells, so the footing doesn't become too hard and dusty. A fiber or textile footing needs this less often.
- Removing manure, since manure left behind breaks down and eventually disrupts the composition of the top layer.
- Keeping the top layer topped up by replenishing every few years what's lost to wind and use.
In Short
Start at the bottom and work your way up: a stable sub-base and good drainage matter more than the most expensive top layer. Have your soil type assessed before you dig, since that determines whether you need to drain water downward or via pipes. Budget for a complete outdoor arena of 20 by 40 meters in the range of €12,000 to €30,000, depending on the ground and your choices, and check with your municipality beforehand which permits apply. Improving an existing arena is usually considerably cheaper than building it from scratch. If you're unsure about the right build-up or the sand, put it to a specialized supplier or groundworker who can assess your location.
See also: Full board, half-board, or your own stable · How much time does owning a horse take per day? · Level: Considering Your Own Horse