Make your own Menage...

Danyele · #1 20th May 2006, 01:33 PM

Well, My mum is trying to persuade my stepdad to let us take a leeeeetle tiny weeny bit of his land to turn into a menage. does anyone have an Idea how much it will cost? we don't want anything posh, no floodlights or anything, just a simple outdoor sand school.

Oh, and what dimensions are your average schools?

Danyele · #2 20th May 2006, 01:36 PM

Bump

Danyele · #3 20th May 2006, 01:56 PM

Bumpbump

claire louise u · #4 20th May 2006, 02:16 PM

you should ask JOHNB he has just built his own menage, there is a picture on DUMMER&DRUMMERS thread from yesterday

chickflick1066 · #5 20th May 2006, 04:41 PM

Our menage is 20 x 40, we used logs from around the yard to make the perimeter, old fencing (with a bit of new fencing) as the fences and then hired a digger to help distribute a ton of free shavings we got.

Our menage cost about £100 mainly for the margin of new fencing we got and hire costs of the digger.

It took a long time but we had lots of help

Danyele · #6 20th May 2006, 05:00 PM

Thanks! we've NEARLY persuaded him, but you know what farmers are like!

and are you working in feet or meters? sorry!

Ross · #7 21st May 2006, 10:42 AM

Sorry, can't help about the costs, but make sure you get the drainage sorted out - it'll probably cost a bit extra but will be well worth it. There is nothing worse than water logged sand to try and work on...

Ross

Danyele · #8 21st May 2006, 02:01 PM

Thanks Ross, We'll bear that in mind!

teapot · #9 21st May 2006, 02:56 PM

average size I would say would be 40 by 20m - although could be interesting if you were wanting to jump big and long courses.

40 by 40 would be good

Danyele · #10 21st May 2006, 04:20 PM

thanks teapot- Interesting name

Jaimee · #11 22nd May 2006, 03:50 AM

It really depends what end of the scale you want to do it on. Is the land completely flat or slightly sloping?? If it's got a slope to it you probably wont have to worry about draining, unless your soil is really heavy. If it is completely flat you should get drainage dug into it unless you never have a mud problem on the land you have.

To get it done properly you need a compacted base (crusher dust or similar) Then your riding surface ontop. Be warned though if you jump on it you may dig up the base and ruin the surface. But an arena done properly should last ages as long the weeds are kept clear.

Your other option is go for a cheaper one, just have the bare minimum of what you can get away with. Then you can pay less but resurface it every few years. This one you cuold probably jump on a little if you dig it up every now and then to resurface.

I'm sorry I cant help you with pricing. Im on the other side of the world

BeachRiding · #12 22nd May 2006, 04:10 AM

hmm, 100x 200ft arenas area REALLY nice sizeif you want to do some jumping or reining. Can't help with cost as my instructor's was VERY expensive due to it being of nice quality!

Colonel · #13 23rd May 2006, 09:52 AM

Don't you have to have planning permission where you are?

Local Point to point/SJ yard down the road from me took 3 years to get planning permission for 20m x 40m all weather arena.

Trewsers · #14 23rd May 2006, 09:59 AM

Good thread, as I'll be wanting to build one too soon (ok folks I'll shut up about moving house soon

)!!! Cost is a factor for me - I'd really like the rubber surface but I believe its really expensive. I'll probably have to make do with some cones dotted around in a field to be going on with! Hey, I'm not bothered tho - will have tons of great hacking where we're going to be living. Ok, am really going to stop gloating now.......

johnb · #15 23rd May 2006, 01:39 PM

I built my own 40x20m school about 5years ago and there is a lot to plan before you start I will give you a rough idea what it cost me I am on clay so there was a lot of drainage to put in here goes
Planning permission £180
hire of digger £385 per week
Fencing £600
land drains £250
Crushed concrete 300 tonne @ £11.25 per tonne
liner £120
silica sand 120 tonne £12 per tonne
Hire someone to help me £300 per week
In all it cost me about £6000
You have to dig out the base and get it level put the drainage in and fill in with the crushed concrete do not try and skimp on the drainage or base.
it took us two weeks to complete
Johnb

Trewsers · #16 23rd May 2006, 03:19 PM

Crumbs, I had no idea how much there was involved!!!

Danyele · #17 24th May 2006, 03:30 PM

Planning permission £180

Okay, don't ask me to get all involved in the complicated stuff because I really don't know, but my stepdad, the land owner, says we don't have to have planning permission because of something to do with the business.

hire of digger £385 per week

We have our own

Fencing £600

Do you reckon ranch fencing would be okay? we built the fencing in this pic from our own wood, does it look okay?

land drains £25

That means nothing to me, but the land is slightly sloping, but not much??

Crushed concrete 300 tonne @ £11.25 per tonne
liner £120
silica sand 120 tonne £12 per tonne

ouch.

Hire someone to help me £300 per week

theres lots of us at home willing to help... as long as I let them use it!

Thanks johnb, thats really helpful.