# Is 60 x 100-foot Indoor Arena too Small?



## Almond Joy (Dec 4, 2011)

The barn I lesson at has an indoor arena that is 60 by 124 feet... Yes, it is big enough, and during the dead of winter you can fit 5-6 riders in there (EXTREMELY cramped!) There are 24 boarders there and 13 lesson horses, so the indoor gets lots of use. 
It is big enough for dressage, we have the letters and everything in our arena. The trainers use it a lot for training some greenies, so I'm sure it would work. I would say go for it!


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

It's pretty tiny. It's actually smaller than the "small" dressage arena they use for the dressage test at horse trials and lower level events. 

A small dressage arena is 66' X 132', a standard arena is 66' x 198'.

You can't put two people in this arena both working on 20 meter circles. 

You can't actually work on a 20 meter circle, the arena isn't wide enough. 

You can't school a small arena dressage test correctly. 

You can work out of the cold and rain, but an unfit or green horse won't even be able to canter in that arena. 

Depending on your part of the world, you'd be better off with an outdoor with good all weather footing. If you're in the snow belt, well, it might be worth being here for the winter.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Might be ok, but that's pretty small, I have an outdoor arena, 90' X 100', still seems too small for me, chop off another 30' and I probably would hate it.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

If it is a choice between that and no riding, I would take the small arena. You can do a lot in a small space, even if it is only at a walk, or in hand work, but I can walk trot and canter my guys in a 50' round pen, so 60' would seem OK.

Obviously in a perfect world a full size arena would be awesome, but the small one wouldn't necessarily be a deal killer for me, just one of lots of things to think about.


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