How to Build a Dressage Arena

Dressage is an equestrian sport that develops and challenges the discipline and connectedness of the horse and rider. The sport was developed in the Renaissance and has changed little over time. In dressage, the horse and rider are required to complete a pattern and a series of gaits around the arena as smoothly and efficiently as possible. The arena is bounded by a fence and indexed by evenly spaced, lettered markers around the arena.

Things You'll Need

  • Grading equipment
  • Sand
  • Sod
  • Fencing
  • Paint
  • Lumber
  • Metric measuring tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Grade a level ground surface that meets the dressage arena requirements—large arenas require 100m by 60m of level ground, and small arenas require 80m by 60m. Grade a shallow slope of 2 percent across the ground surface to allow for water runoff. Large arenas have a 60m by 20m performance area with a 20m buffer zone on each side of the rectangular dressage space. Small arenas have a 40m by 20m performance area with a 20m buffer zone on each side. The audience seating is located beyond the buffer zone, so a dressage arena’s layout may require a level ground surface larger than the dimensions given above, depending on the seating requirements.

    • 2

      Install a 1/2m high fence in the form of a rectangle with the dimensions 60m by 20m for a large arena or 40m by 20m for a small arena in the center of the graded space. On the centerline on the short end of one side, place a gate or removable fence to allow the horse and rider to enter the arena. Opposite the gate or removable fence on the outside of the other short side of the arena, build a jury stand that allows clear views of all parts of the arena.

      Place the 10 appropriate letters, five on each side, along the outside of the long sides of the rectangular fence at 12m on center for the large arena and 8m on center for the small arena. The third letter in each series is placed at the midpoint of the long sides, leaving a distance of 6m, for large arenas, from the first and fifth letters to the fence ends and a distance of 4m, for small arenas, from the first and fifth letters to the fence ends. The letter sequence is: H, S, E, V, and K for the right side of the arena, viewed from the jury stand, and M, R, B, P, and F for the left side of the arena, viewed from the jury stand. Paint a vertical red stripe on the interior of the fence at each letter.

      Place the letter C on the outside of the fence at the centerline in front of the jury stand, and place the letter A on the outside of the fence at the centerline on the gate or removable fence.

      The dressage arena floor can be sand or grass. If the arena floor is grass, mow the grass strip along the centerline shorter than the rest of the arena, mark it with lime, and mark the letters G, X, and D on the turf in lime, along the centerline. G is placed 6m—4m for small arenas—from the jury stand fence, between letters H and M. X is placed at the midpoint, between E and B. Finally, D is placed 6m—4m for small arenas—from the entry gate or removable fence, between K and F. If sand is used, mark the centerline and letters, as given above, with a rake.

    • 3

      Finish the arena with audience stands outside the buffer zone.