# Arena Boards on outside, ideas for making it safe?



## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

The arena at my boarding facility has the fence boards on the outside of the arena, so it is pretty sketchy and unsafe because you could catch a toe on a fence post. Any ideas on making it safe? The owner put them on the outside for aesthetic reasons, and he doesn't want to move them. How can I meet both ends to make it safe and keep it aesthetically appealing for the owner?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Do you have his permission to add something to his fencing? That's the first step.


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

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Hmmm..... Actually, almost every Fence I can remember seeing was built just like the ones in your picture.

I will have to look around at some more of my neighbors farther down the road, but I know ours and everyone else's close by are built just like those are built.

The 6 or 7 riding arenas at the Horse riding clubs we visit/go to are also built like that.

Never heard of any problems.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

STG, a lot of wood fencing has the boards on the inside but it's not for rider safety, it's to present a stronger fence to horses that lean. Which most like to do.


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## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

It will depend on what it is. He's generally very open with anything I ask. I'm the trainer at the ranch. Just looking for ideas. It doesn't necessarily even need to be an addition to the fence, maybe something like a dressage arena inside the arena?


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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

Speed Racer said:


> STG, a lot of wood fencing has the boards on the inside but it's not for rider safety, it's to present a stronger fence to horses that lean. Which most like to do.


That is very true, we have had to do a few repairs over the years because of that :lol:

Just saying around here, most people go for the eye appeal when building a fence 


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

That could work; a movable dressage type ring inside the actual arena, leaving just enough room between the ring ropes and wood posts so nobody gets snagged.


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## littleamy76 (Jun 30, 2011)

I've seen and ridden in arenas like this and nothing has gone wrong. Then again, most riders don't ride THAT close to a wall/fence anyways.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

You can snag your foot on the fencepost if the boards are on the inside too.... been there, done that, got laughed at a lot by my trainer because if I had been riding correctly, it never would have happened.

I don't think it's a huge safety hazard. Snag your foot, hurts a bit and reminds you that your toes shouldn't be sticking way out in the first place!


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

Our arena has been like that for 4 years, and no one has ever caught themselves on the fence posts. Our posts are railroad ties...I can't imagine the pain of running into one of those at a lope.


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