Debbie Keeping horses and riders safe in your arena is a priority everyone shares. While it’s impossible to eliminate all risks, horse show management can take several steps to establish and maintain safety standards throughout the day.
Sort and organize with this wall caddy. Schedule your week, jot to-dos on the front dry-erase surface, hang keys and scarves, or stash pens and devices in the rear compartments.
Safety First
The arena you choose should be functional and safe first and foremost – a poorly designed hall will be expensive in the long run and could lead to injury for yourself or your horses.
Whether you are riding dressage, jumping, or both, an arena should be a minimum of 30 x 50m, and it’s worth considering adding a few extra meters for flexibility. This size is plenty for most dressage tests and allows you to build courses that work well for jumpers.
Ensure the arena is flat and floodlights will not affect nearby houses or cause too many shadows. Consider applying for planning permission if your theater is close to the roads. Consider including an angled wall caddy at rider height to protect the hall and the horse from collision damage. You will also need fillers, planks, and a water tray for arena use.
Organize Your Poles
Pole caddy brackets keep your horse jump poles neatly organized and quickly located. Keeping your bars nearby makes switching courses or jumping heights easier during competition and reduces excessive course downtime between classes.
When not in use, these handy brackets also make storing your poles out of the way simple. This keeps your arena clean and safe for horses and riders.
Depending on the style (basket, hanging, freestanding, or pole caddy), these units may have bells and whistles to suit your needs. For example, some basket-shelf caddies include hooks for washcloths and loofahs, while others may feature a separate soap dish.
A kick wall is an attractive and functional addition to any arena. These versatile walls can be stained or painted in any color to match your fence line or hall. They can even be stored when not in use, keeping them out of the way and keeping your animals and trainers safer.
Keep Your Poles Safe
Keeping track of all your jump standards and rails can be exhausting. It’s tough to haul them across your arena, which can be a safety hazard for horses and humans. Adding mobile pole caddies to your hall can save you from this tiring chore, making changing jump heights and courses easier and safer.
Your tack and equipment can be kept in order and out of the way with the aid of a caddy. This keeps things from deteriorating or getting damaged, making locating the equipment you require for jumping practice or an event much more straightforward.
A few models with adhesive pads can be used in a kitchen as a spice or cooking tool racks (assuming they can be installed against smooth backsplash tile). Other tension pole models may require more patience to install as they must be marked on the wall and manually adhered.
Save Time
The work involved in maintaining an arena goes beyond just equestrian practice. There is ordering new footing, cleaning out the old base, hauling hay and equipment, and all the little things that make up a well-oiled machine. Having a way to change jump heights, courses, or color coordination quickly saves time and labor for those responsible for arena maintenance. Adding a few bracket sets to your arena will allow you to keep jumping poles nearby for easy access when they are needed and keep them away from traffic when not in use. Contact them immediately to learn more about how you can make your indoor riding arena safer and more convenient.
