# Cost and requirements for an indoor arena?



## Foxfolly (3 February 2009)

Just wondered inf anyone can advise of the cost and requirements?

We have an existing building which is currently used for cows, it is a suitable height and area, not quite 20 x 40 but big enough for backing and schooling, and a few jumps!! 
It has a concrete floor which can be pulled up easily enough by OH if necessary and that would leave hardstanding.

Is it better to leave the concrete down or pull it up?

What would we need and what surfaces are best for an indoor?


----------



## martlin (3 February 2009)

You need a surface and decent lighting, no need to pull concrete up as no drainage problem indoors. You might want to put some sort of boarding on the walls though to avoid knee crunching, especially with youngsters. 
It is better to have a waxed surface indoors as otherwise it will require regular watering, but you could always fit sprinklers in? I have heard that flexiride is good both in and outdoors, other than that, sand and rubber or pvc, anything really.
I presume if it is a cow shed it has electricity connected to it.


----------



## VLHIEASTON (3 February 2009)

From what i am aware, if you put any surface on top of concrete it will slip, as we had the same situation..
But, I believe this has been done at Gleneagles poss ?


----------



## flyingfeet (3 February 2009)

You can leave the concrete down. buit you might need twice as much topping, as you cannot risk the slipping down to concrete. 

So I'd cost it up and work out whether it would be most cost effective to take up the concrete or pay extra for surface.


----------



## martlin (3 February 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
From what i am aware, if you put any surface on top of concrete it will slip, as we had the same situation..
But, I believe this has been done at Gleneagles poss ? 

[/ QUOTE ]
It is also regularly done at Scope, NEC, Olympia etc. The concrete in livestock buildings also differs from the type of flooring you find at exhibition venues - it is more porous and less slippery. The surface needs to be well compacted and boarded, there should not be any more slippages then or hardcore if it's done correctly, you could also fit a membrane between the concrete and the surface at a cost of about £300 - £400.
Removing concrete flooring from buildings is a major job.


----------



## VLHIEASTON (3 February 2009)

yes i thought scope had done that, it is a major job and u have to get it removed  if no use to you...we ended up taking ours up though just in case.


----------



## Rainbowrider (3 February 2009)

I have always thought you would also need planning permission, and you would need to pay rates on it?  Maybe it depends if you are using it for personal or business use etc?  

I am also considering this, but a small one, just big enough for backing, and using for lunging and turnout.  I am thinking of calling it "indoor turnout area" rather than "indoor arena" !!


----------



## amandaco2 (3 February 2009)

i would also check if you need PP first
would have thought something like rubber type surfaces would be better as sand type can get really deep and dusty...?


----------



## Foxfolly (3 February 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
I have always thought you would also need planning permission, and you would need to pay rates on it?  Maybe it depends if you are using it for personal or business use etc?  

I am also considering this, but a small one, just big enough for backing, and using for lunging and turnout.  I am thinking of calling it "indoor turnout area" rather than "indoor arena" !! 

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmm good thinking!!

Yes we will need PP for change of use, also PP for a new shed for OH's moos!! 

We've already checked that the national parks are OK with it as we are just inside their boundary and they can be a bit of a problem, but the nice lady came out gave us advice and said she can't see a problem.. that was when we were asking about an outdoor arena so I imagine an indoor would be looked on better as it won't be an extra blot on the landscape!!


----------



## supagran (3 February 2009)

Just a thought - if you leave the concrete floor down, the surface could be scraped to one end and the building used for agricultural purposes (i.e. a lambing shed or fruit packing) - that may well mean you don't need PP as its still agricultural? I don't mind being shot down in flames for this suggestion!


----------



## Foxfolly (3 February 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
From what i am aware, if you put any surface on top of concrete it will slip, as we had the same situation..
But, I believe this has been done at Gleneagles poss ? 

[/ QUOTE ]
It is also regularly done at Scope, NEC, Olympia etc. The concrete in livestock buildings also differs from the type of flooring you find at exhibition venues - it is more porous and less slippery. The surface needs to be well compacted and boarded, there should not be any more slippages then or hardcore if it's done correctly, you could also fit a membrane between the concrete and the surface at a cost of about £300 - £400.
Removing concrete flooring from buildings is a major job. 

[/ QUOTE ]

I was wondering if a membrane was required or not....

The concrete on the floor in this barn is not that porous, it has been hatched with a criss cross pattern on it to give grip but isn't as good as the stuff you get at livestock marts etc..
You can just see it at the bottom of this photo.. excuse the skinny horse, this was my before photo the day I got him!!







It is also on the floor of his stable.. the old milking parlour and I have to deep litter otherwise it is a bit slippy with straw on top. 

I was wondering if we could just get something in to break up the contcrete but leave it in and put a membrane over it, then if we had a no waxed surface and put in sprinklers it could drain to a certain extent...


----------



## Rainbowrider (3 February 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
Just a thought - if you leave the concrete floor down, the surface could be scraped to one end and the building used for agricultural purposes (i.e. a lambing shed or fruit packing) - that may well mean you don't need PP as its still agricultural? I don't mind being shot down in flames for this suggestion! 

[/ QUOTE ]

I seem to remember there is a fellow HHO member who does this in her OH's cattle building?  Sounds a pretty good idea to me!


----------



## ester (3 February 2009)

One of our local DIY yards did this in a cattle barn. BUT there isn't really enough surface down and it can be very very slippy with the concrete underneath, I think it would be fine if sufficient surface and looked after correctly though.

Depends if water gets in, a bit gets into this barn and makes the slipping problem even worse, a horse can take a fair amount of surface with it if it stops at a jump/lungeing etc.


----------



## luckilotti (5 February 2009)

Hi, 
i'm going to take some pics for you i think of ours FoxFolly, might give you some ideas!


----------



## Tiggy1 (7 February 2009)

Wish my OH would let me do this with some of our cattle sheds!!


----------

