Arena Equipment

How can I vary training in the riding arena?

A varied training programme for a horse consists of different disciplines. The variety of tasks in the riding arena can be very diverse:

• Cavaletti work and jumping
• Trot poles
• Trail courses
• Loose jumping
• Lungeing, double lungeing and long reining
• Groundwork
• Balance training with balance pads
• Riding without a saddle, with a bareback pad
• Trick training and liberty training
• Spook busting training

You can train your horse just as well from the ground as from the saddle. Pole work can be incorporated into a dressage horse's training, and a walk also offers plenty of variety for every horse.
Whether in-hand, in the saddle or on the lunge rein: a course or trail made of poles, pylons and foam noodles can be set up quickly in the riding arena and offers a whole range of tasks for horse and rider. As inspiration for a small course, we have designed an example here. You can find further inspiration for training horses from the ground in our Guide on Groundwork.

At Kramer Equestrian, you can buy riding arena accessories for varied and creative training of your horse. The pole blocks, stand poles and screw-together poles are weatherproof and can therefore also be stored outdoors. For groundwork, lungeing and driving, you can purchase further pylon sets from SHOWMASTER in our online shop. Anyone who wants to ride accurate school figures can purchase dressage markers and marker frames from Kramer.

To make training in the riding arena more enjoyable, and for horse and human to concentrate on the training and not on an uneven surface, good riding arena maintenance is necessary. Regular riding arena maintenance includes:

• Dragging the surface
• Poo picking
• Levelling
• Watering

You can set off with a manure fork straight after training and collect horse droppings. The fewer contaminants left in the riding arena, the longer the footing layer will remain safe to walk on, shock-absorbing and durable. You can pull sand piled up at the edge into the middle with a rake or an arena leveller so that the surface remains elastic. It is also the responsibility of the yard manager to level the riding arena with an arena leveller and then water the surface so that it does not become dusty in summer, which would be a strain on the horses' lungs.
For easy arena maintenance, you can purchase manure forks, rakes and brooms from Kramer Equestrian. Different handle lengths allow for a choice of mucking out equipment for different body sizes, making work easier.