Equestrian sports are profitable because many horse owners haven’t got the facilities to exercise their horses. Or, they haven’t got the money or knowledge to buy a horse of their own.
Furthermore, many regions of the US have weather conditions that prevent many people from enjoying an outdoor riding experience all year round. Either it’s too hot in the summer or too cold and snowy in the winter.
That’s why many horse owners and equestrian businesses have started exercising their horses using a solid enclosure or fabric-covered indoor horse riding arenas.
For typical 100ft x 200ft clearSpan equestrian arena kits, you’ll pay around $100,000-$580,000, based on a unit price of $5-$29/sq.ft.
When designing an indoor equestrian arena, we must consider how to support the roof, as conventional poles and pillars take up a lot of room on the floor and can get in the way of horse riding.
ClearSpan is the solution to the problem, meaning each roof arch contains its own support structure. Then, the loads transfer through the steel to the legs and the foundations.
What Sizes Are Riding Arenas?
When you choose a ClearSpan indoor equestrian arena from Rex Metal Buildings, you can be assured that there won’t be any posts or support pillars in the way, preventing your enjoyment of the riding experience.
Our designers provide you with a completely self-supporting roof covering a good-sized arena. But, what is a “good-sized arena”?
To make the riding experience worthwhile, an indoor arena should be at least 60ft. wide x 120ft. long, giving a minimum area of 7,200sq.ft. Furthermore, the best height should be at least 16ft.
However, ClearSpan arenas can’t be wider than 300ft. because of limitations with the truss frame technology. However, the arena can be as long as you want by adding more trusses.
Rex Metal Buildings hold in stock many standard-sized enclosures or can design and build a customized arena to suit your requirements
Indoor Horse Riding Arena Cost Estimates*
The primary factors determining the price of a ClearSpan equestrian arena are its floor area and canopy material.
We find that our customers choose from a range of favorite sizes. But, we can supply any customized floor area up to 300ft. wide.
| Dimensions | Area | Estimated Price |
| 60ft. x 120ft. | 7,200sq.ft. | $36,000-$208,800 |
| 100ft. x 200ft. | 20,000sq.ft. | $100,000-$580,000 |
| 220ft. x 400ft. | 88,000sq.ft. | $440,000-$2,552,000 |
| 300ft. x 600ft. | 180,000sq.ft. | $900,000-$5,220,000 |
Note: Prices are subject to availability, type of cover material, and accessory choice. All prices mentioned in this guide are estimates only, dependent on several factors, and you should use them as a start in your research.
For a complete list of our products or a tailored quote for your business, call us today at (855) 202-1242 or fill out the contact form on the page to get in touch with our sales agents.
8 Indoor Covered Riding Arena Pricing Factors
There are several pricing factors that you should consider when preparing your budget. Let’s look at each to get a feel for their scale.
1. How Much Land
Probably the most important is how much land you must devote to the arena. And, it’s not just about the size of the arena itself. You also must consider room for parking cars and horseboxes with enough space for maneuvering.
Also, provide somewhere for the horses to wait when they’re not in the arena itself. Typically, the length of the arena will be twice as long as the width.
But, the overall size depends on what equestrian activities you intend to do. Generally, the maximum free width of a ClearSpan fabric-covered area would be around 300ft.
The following are the minimum recommended sizes.
- General riding – 60ft. x 120ft. or 7,200sq.ft.
- Driving – 130ft. x 260ft. or 33,800sq.ft.
- Dressage – 70ft. x 130ft., 70ft. x 200ft. or 100ft. x 200ft.
- Competitions – 660ft. x 660ft. or 435,600sq.ft.
However, we can customize these designs and build one to suit your requirements.
2. Weather Conditions
Generally, we design our standard arenas to withstand a snow load of 20 lbs/sq.ft. and a wind speed of 90mph. However, we can create your arena to suit any weather conditions.
3. Open Or Closed-Ended
Depending on your preference, you can have a fully enclosed arena with both ends enclosed and a suitable-sized door built into it. Or, you can have an open-ended arena if keeping warm isn’t an issue.
4. Size
As you’d expect, the size of the enclosure determines the cost. Generally, a standard indoor riding arena has the following minimum dimensions.
- Length – 120ft.
- Width – 60ft.
- Height – 16ft. But, if you intend to incorporate jumps, add at least another 2ft. to the height.
5. Foundations
Don’t forget foundations, as these prevent movement in the frame and subsidence in the ground.
The type of foundation you choose will depend on the size and weight of the structure and the local soil conditions. Always use a qualified civil or structural engineer to calculate the foundation size and type.
Alternatively, our design team can provide you with calculations and design a foundation at an additional cost. Or, sign up for our turnkey package, where Rex Metal Buildings takes on the entire job, so you don’t have to worry about managing contractors.
6. Floor Material
A riding arena’s floor must be safe for horses to use without a chance of them stumbling or skidding. Typically, the following floor surfaces are the favorite among our customers:
- Synthetic mats – $0.50-$2/sq.ft.
- Rubber mulch or mats – $1.50-$4/sq.ft.
- Sand – $1-$2/sq.ft.
- Wood mulch – $0.50-$0.75/sq.ft.
You also need to supply a sub-base layer to support the top surface. Typically, this layer is compressed gravel, which costs up to $2/sq.ft.
7. Groundwork
Before building the foundations and installing the ClearSpan structure, you must clear and grade the existing ground. Generally, the price for this work is as follows:
- Land clearance – $1.50-$2/sq.ft.
- Tree removal – $400-$1,300/tree.
- Excavation – $50-$250/cu.yd.
- Grading and leveling – $1-$2/sq.ft.
- Installing land drains can cost $2,000-$10,000.
8. Accessories
Rex Metal Buildings can supply many accessories for your design. But, the prices will vary depending on the number of each you choose. Accessories include:
- Attached stables, and having direct access to the arena.
- Roof material can be rigid metal or flexible fabric. We can insulate rigid roofs against extreme summer or winter temperatures. Unfortunately, however, this isn’t usually possible with flexible roofs.
- Skylights provide natural lighting reducing the need for artificial lighting.
- End walls are optional.
- Spectators’ enclosures keep non-riders away from the horses preventing accidents caused by spooked animals.
- Ventilation provides regulated temperature control to prevent horses from overheating.
- Lighting is essential if you expect nighttime riding.
- A Tack room keeps the horses’ tack all in one place and provides a suitable place for maintaining the various pieces of equipment.
Fabric Covering Options
There are different options for covering the steel framework to provide a watertight and windproof enclosure.
Standard Polyethylene
Rather than have a solid covering for your arena, you can choose a fabric-covered option. This choice comprises a steel frame covered in a translucent fabric roof, so you have plenty of daylight without glare.
Typically, the cover is polyethylene, and this lightweight enclosure means you save on the price of steel framework and don’t need heavy foundations.
Although you can use concrete foundations with this lightweight enclosure, you can also use a temporary Helical Anchoring System.
However, polyurethane’s main disadvantage is that its difficult to insulate. But, a fully enclosed roof protects from snow and rain, while fabric walls prevent the wind from making the experience unpleasant.
Armor Shield
If your arena enclosure needs a more robust fabric cover, use Armor Shield. This material is a vinyl cover made using seven laminations.
Therefore, it will last for decades. And, to prove it, we offer a 30-year warranty.
Another advantage is using temporary Helical Anchoring foundations, like standard polyurethane.
Solid Metal Panels
Suppose you want your arena in a particularly cold and hostile environment.
In that case, enclosing the steel framing with insulated solid metal panels makes sense to protect the interior from the elements.
Advantages include:
- More robust against extreme winds.
- You can insulate the walls and roof to protect against extreme temperatures.
- The enclosure is a more secure space.
Disadvantages include:
- The enclosure is more expensive than a polyurethane or Armor Shield covering.
- The complete structure is heavy. Therefore, you need stronger foundations to support the enclosure.
- The amount of steel in the structure must be strong enough to support its own weight and the extra weight of the wall and roof panels.
Indoor Riding Arena Building Kit Pointers
There are several pointers we can give to help you make an ideal arena for your horses.
Level
Make sure the site you choose for the arena is as level as possible.
If you can’t find a naturally level space, you must do significant groundwork to make it level.
Prepare The Site
You must ensure the ground is stable, free-draining, and strong enough to support thousands of hours of horse hooves.
You need to hire a civil engineer for this task.
Drainage
Although you need the ground inside the enclosure to be level, try to make the exterior ground slope away from the arena walls.
This prevents flooding from surface water runoff.
Flooring
Horses can only perform their best if they have a suitable top surface on which to run and jump.
Anything else will cause your mount to stumble and be nervous about the flooring.
Building Codes
Building codes and zoning regulations can be a minefield if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Research and speak to someone local who has already built an indoor riding arena. Usually, they will be happy to pass on their experiences and tips.
Geography
No, you’re not back at high school. But, there are specific items of geography to consider if you want to make your arena a success.
- What is the prevailing wind direction? Orientate the enclosure’s axis so the wind doesn’t blow directly through it.
- Where is the sun low on the horizon? Early morning or evening riding can be fun. But not if the sun is in your eyes. Once again, orientate the arena so its long axis isn’t pointing due east/west.
- What is the ground like? Avoid low-lying or swampy patches, as they become waterlogged during heavy rain. Try to find well-drained soil.
- Which direction does the land slope? Remember, water always runs downhill, so choose your plot wisely so the arena doesn’t get flooded.
- Get a map of your property; the town hall usually has one. Then draw an approximate plan of your proposed arena, complete with car parking space. Next, transfer the outlined area to the ground using stakes or colored flags so you can see the arena’s extent in real life before you start moving lots of soil.
Contractors
If you don’t use Rex Metal Buildings’ turnkey package, where we manage every project stage, choose your contractors wisely. Speak to a neighbor with an arena to find out who built it for them.
Alternatively, select a locally based, trustworthy contractor with a good reputation, who will work at a reasonable price in the shortest possible time. Someone who has done this type of work previously is ideal.
Zoning Permits & Local Building Compliance Codes
Every US town, city, and state has unique building codes. So, we can only talk about these in the most general terms. It’s up to you to research your area’s building compliance codes and zoning permits.
Also, ask at the local council offices or where you buy permits for information on approval procedures and the fees you have to pay.
Probably, you’ll have to comply with agricultural or sporting regulations depending on whether you already own a farm or equestrian stables or whether it’s purely for your own use.
Don’t forget that if you’re constructing stables, you must also comply with local laws on housing animals and perhaps get the finished premises approved by your local veterinary surgeon or another qualified person.
Researching Building Permits
Before starting your indoor riding arena project, you must notify the permit office in your nearest town. Prepare to show them professionally drawn plans and calculations from a certified structural engineer.
Furthermore, to apply for a permit, you will have to satisfy specific factors. These include:
- Soil testing and geological borehole report.
- Water management information.
- Access roads.
- Zoning.
- Show how much land you’ve set aside for each horse.
- How far is the arena from your property boundaries?
- You may also need a report written by a qualified and certified professional.
The Permit Approval
After you’ve submitted your application with supporting evidence, you might not hear whether it’s been approved for up to 3 months. Holdups occur when applying for permits; you must be patient and supply more information if asked.
Typically, the most common issues include zoning restrictions, environmental issues, land drainage problems, and specific agricultural requirements.
Sometimes, you may be lucky and not need a permit if the equestrian arena is for personal use and not as part of a commercial venture.
But, you need insurance anyway, and you might find that an insurance company won’t issue a policy if you haven’t complied with the legal restrictions.
Also, get a qualified civil or structural engineer to sign off on the plans. Generally, as far as the insurance company is concerned, the best way to prove compliance is to have building code approval, whether you need it or not.
Remember that horses are expensive assets, and people are even more precious.
So, if you have proof that you have followed the building codes and considered the health and safety of the riders and horses in the arena, you won’t get caught with an inconvenient and expensive lawsuit.
Why Order With Rex Metal Buildings?
Why indeed?
Apart from the fact that Rex Metal Buildings specialize in all types of metal buildings, we also have a team ready to answer your email or phone call seven days a week.
Furthermore, we can ship our products anywhere in the US and comply with your local building codes in our designs.
We can either provide a kit for you to install yourself or ask about our special turnkey packages, where we take over the arena installation and do as much or as little as you prefer.
If you ask us to erect the arena as a turnkey project, you’ll probably be surprised at how low the price is.
Depending on the arena’s size and features, it can cost up to 30% less than if you organize your own contractors.
Rex Metal Buildings holds many standard-sized enclosures in stock, or we can develop a custom-made arena incorporating your ideas so you have a unique asset.
Choosing one of our ClearSpan arenas will surprise you with the low costs. And, if you intend to charge for its use as a commercial venture, you will probably get your money back after just a few years.
On top of this, we supply a 50-year warranty with all our arena frames.
Contact Rex Metal Buildings using the form on this page or call (855) 202-1242, and one of our sales team will deal with your inquiry.