What Is a Good Size for an Indoor Riding Arena?
Steel construction is often the first choice among buyers looking to build indoor riding arenas. Economical, low maintenance and highly customizable, steel equestrian arenas are easy to modify in accordance with your needs, making them well-suited for training horses, showing horses or conducting riding lessons, among other applications.
Indoor riding arenas are an ideal solution in areas that see distinct seasonal climate differences, as they provide all-season spaces for riders to hone their skills without having to worry about temperatures of the elements. Indoor equestrian arenas come in many sizes, and while the size that might best suit your needs will depend on how you plan to use the building, many people buy metal arenas in one of the following three popular sizes.
80’x100’ Riding Arenas
We recommend riding arenas that are at least 80’x100’ in size to ensure that you have enough space for horses to gain speed and make turns. Ideal for personal as well as commercial use, 80’x100’ indoor arenas are suitable for dressage, feature 8,000 square feet of space and are available with clear-span designs that eliminate interior supports, freeing up more room for riding.
100’x120’ Riding Arenas
A 100’x120’ indoor arena offers 12,000 feet of usable space, making it suitable for any number of different disciplines. If you are looking to offer group riding or host competitive events, you may want to choose a metal arena between 100’ and 200’ wide.
100’x200’ Riding Arenas
A 100’x200’ indoor arena should easily accommodate dressage, driving, jumping, barrel-racing and most other Western disciplines. It is also a suitable size for a rodeo. These expansive, enclosed steel arenas offer 20,000 square feet of usable space, making them popular among those looking to open commercial operations, and they are also highly customizable in terms of wind loads, snow loads and ceiling height, among other areas.
While the sizes outlined above are some of the most popular indoor riding arena sizes, they are not the only options available. Ultimately, the size of your property and the disciplines you plan to offer should help you determine what size arena best suits your needs.
