Rope Arenas

[Courtney]

i don't know how many of you guys have had very very young horses, but besides the expense, the 60x20m pipe/pole arenas are much safer and easier to ride in. quite often they can be difficult to steer and a 20m is harder to ride than a canter zig-zag. I do alot of dressage (both straight and in eventing) and when horses run into the rope fencing it just stretches, then it shakes (this is apparently VERY scary), if they accidently touch one of the poles it makes a noise but nothing else happens. and as far as the 20m.40m arenas go, i know they are legal for levels intro to prelim (i think), but i could be called a bit of a dressage queen, but when your used to a 60x20m arena riding in a 40mx20m is very hard to do, and while your on that horse that can't canter a full 20m circle without falling on its face! that extra 10m at either end of the arena is an absolute luxury :-)

[Simone]

My young horse VERY VERY young (I think you will find most people have had exp with young horses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) he performed very well in the areana's used at Carrols Ranch (aside from jumping into the areana) but in the rope areanas I find it alot harder to ride corners and find myself very wary about horses hitting there legs on the metal poles.