# DIY Arena Fencing



## Cowgirl_for_Christ77 (Mar 1, 2019)

Hey Everyone, 

I will be building an 80 by 100 foot arena in the near future and need some ideas for something to provide a barrier around the border of the arena. I most likely will not be using it for turnout as a dry lot but may change my mind later. I don't care for wood due to the expense and also hot wire (Too many bad incidences with previous horse). Looking for a relatively budget friendly type of barrier. My horse is not a tester of boundaries nor one that spooks and runs away. Just looking for a boundaries setter and looking to try to keep the footing in the arena but also allow space for drainage. PS. Pictures of what I am describing would be helpful too! 

Thanks everyone!


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## Apple6 (Jun 14, 2018)

Hello! 
Have you tried Craigslist or an Equestrian Retail Facebook page? Often times, you can find all sorts of maneuverable livestock fencing there that is metal.

My trainer uses a basic fencing for his arena that consists of metal post that plastic fencing slides through. It can be easily assembled and reconfigured, is low maintence, and strong enough to withstand even drafts.

I’ll send a picture, although the only one I have has one of my minis, Oliver, in it and is rather blurry from magnifying. I hope this helps!


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Cowgirl_for_Christ77 said:


> I will be building an 80 by 100 foot arena in the near future and need some ideas for something to provide a barrier around the border of the arena. I most likely will not be using it for turnout as a dry lot but may change my mind later. I don't care for wood due to the expense and also hot wire (Too many bad incidences with previous horse). Looking for a relatively budget friendly type of barrier. My horse is not a tester of boundaries nor one that spooks and runs away. Just looking for a boundaries setter and looking to try to keep the footing in the arena but also allow space for drainage. PS. Pictures of what I am describing would be helpful too!





If you are spending good money for good footing in your arena, I would not recommend that you use it for turn out. (in my opinion)


For arena fencing, my preference is wood or metal posts with metal piping such as this picture I found on Google.


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Do you have treed land? Previous trainer did a cool thing for fences one of the arenas. We went out and found smaller birch trees. Delimb them, pound posts, then use the trees as railings. Gave a cool aesthetic and for the season after the trees would still leaf in spots.

All it cost was posts, gas and nails.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

If you are having a surface put down on this arena you will need something to keepmthat surface inside the rails or it will man a lot of shovelling and taking tomkeep it inside. 

All arenas I have known have had boarding to do the job.


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## Filou (Jan 16, 2014)

To keep footing in without a fence you don't need much more than some 4x4s around the perimeter. I personally don't like fencing for an arena that goes too high up. I don't like it when my stirrups clank against the rail, while infrequent, it does happen!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

No advice for fencing, but my neighbors have an indoor which they use as turnout for their two horses. Seems like a good idea, until you see the results. They've invited me to ride there, but I won't because the air quality is so bad from horses urinating and pooping in there 24/7, 365 days a year. You have to spend an hour cleaning manure just to be able to ride. The footing is ruined - as soon as you pick up so much as a trot, fine particles of dust get kicked up and you can't breathe. So make sure you have good ventilation, and try to avoid using it as turnout if you can. They also have a major pigeon problem which contributes to the poor air quality. It's such a shame to see a beautiful, completely enclosed indoor arena get ruined so fast.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Apart from the need to keep the footing in, which you might do with low boards, do you need more than a few posts and one run of (non-electric) white tape at a fairly low height?


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## AndyTheCornbread (Feb 3, 2019)

If you want to go full ******* you can drive two '6 T-Posts per pallet segment and then stack two pallets high on them around your arena. Then you can take short cheap board segments between each pallet segment and screw them together along the outside of the fence. If you live near someplace where they have free pallets you can fence in a large area this way very cheaply. It's also an eye sore to say the least but I know a guy who has done all his corral fencing this way. It holds up and it works but it sure isn't pretty. It looks like this picture except yours would be two pallets high and your T-Posts need to be inside the pallet for best results. You can do a T-Post every couple of pallets too if you screw them together correctly, the sky is the limit with how ******* you want to go to do it cheaply.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

My arena is roughly 220× 280? If I remember correctly.

Made from 16' Powder River heavy duty panels panels set with rail road tie posts. The heavy duty panels are spendy but if you're not working cattle in your arena then you obviously don't need that heavy of a panel saving you money. Also checking FB or CL for used panels is an option.(I think someone mentioned it already)

Needing something along the bottom keeping the footing in I think is dependent on how light it heavy of the footing you chose and what you're using your arena for.
My footing is a heavy, dense sand. Too heavy for what I like. But it doesn't travel. Even if the water is running out of it during the spring thaw or a heavy rain.
But if you need help keeping the footing contained hanging used conveyor belting off the bottom rail of the panels can do the job. That is something I can get for free or close to nothing in cost.

In the end you have to consider what is readily available to you if you want to save money. Here, used panels are cheap as the same with railroad ties. Finding oil field pipe and sucker rod is horrible expensive here but was super cheap when we lived in TX.

Anyhow, not a good picture but you can see the panels and RR tie combination.


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