How to set up an arena

Current competition

February 2012

Entries close:

Feb

Class 1 (Intro)
British Dressage

Class 2 (Prelim)
British Dressage

Class 3 (Nov)
British Dressage

Sponsored by Through the eye of the judge

Novice 20 (2007)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Novice 39 (2010)

Arena: 20m x 60m

Prizes: £16, £14, £12

Entry fee: £12.00

Enter Now

Class 4 (Elem)
British Dressage

Class 5 (Med)
British Dressage

Medium 71 (2002)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Medium 75 (2002)

Arena: 20m x 60m

Prizes: £18, £16, £14

Entry fee: £14.00

Enter Now

Class 6 (Adv Med)
British Dressage

Advanced Medium 84 (2008)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Advanced Medium 98 (2002)

Arena: 20m x 60m

Prizes: £18, £16, £14

Entry fee: £14.00

Enter Now

Class 7 (PSG)
FEI

Prix St Georges (2009)

Arena: 20m x 60m

Prizes: £20, £18, £16

Entry fee: £16.00

Enter Now

Class 8
Practice tests
FEI Challenge

FEI CHALLENGE

Pick Your Own

Select from any FEI Challenge test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

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Class 9 (Intro)
Riding for the Disabled Association

Dressage Grade Ib Test 12 (Walk & Trot) (2010)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Dressage Grade II Test 22 (Walk & Trot) (2010)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Dressage Grade III Test 31 (Walk, Trot & Canter) (2010)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Introduction to Dressage Test D (Walk or Walk & Trot) (2004)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Prizes: £14, £12, £10

Entry fee: £10.00

Enter Now

Class 10 (Nov)
Pony Club

Intermediate Dressage Test 2009 (2009)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Introductory Dressage Test 2007 (2009)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Novice 2009 (2009)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Open Dressage Test 2008 (2008)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Prizes: Prizes in kind

Entry fee: £10.00

Enter Now

Class 11
Practice tests
British Dressage

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Select from any British Dressage test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

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Class 12
Practice tests
FEI Seniors

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Select from any FEI Seniors test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

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Class 13
Practice tests
FEI Under 21s

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Select from any FEI Under 21s test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

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Class 14
Practice tests
FEI PARA

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Select from any FEI PARA test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

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Class 15
Practice tests
FEI Eventing

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Select from any FEI Eventing test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

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Class 16
Practice tests
British Eventing

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Select from any British Eventing test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

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Introductory B (2009)

Wellington Riding

Arena 20m x 40m Movements include working trot 20 metre diameter half circles, 20 metre circle allowing horse to stretch, medium walk, free walk on a long rein, halt from walk.

Preliminary 19 (2008)

Bossy Bibs

Arena 20m x 60m Movements include working trot 15 metre circles, medium walk, free walk on a long rein, working canter 20 metre circles, halt from trot.

Preliminary 7 (2002)

Bossy Bibs

Arena 20m x 40m Movements include halt from trot, trot circles 20m and transitions to canter on circle, working canter round arena, medium walk, walk on a long rein, trot may be ridden sitting or rising.

Novice 20 (2007)

Through the eye of the judge

Arena 20m x 40m Movements include working trot 20 metre and 12 metre circles, some medium trot strides, stretching in trot on circle, medium walk, free walk on a long rein, working canter 20 metre circle, canter/trot/canter transitions, halt from trot.

Novice 39 (2010)

Through the eye of the judge

Elementary 49 (2009)

Horsepitality

Working trot 15m circles, medium trot, leg yield, medium and free walk on long rein, rein back, working canter 15m circles, give and retake rein in canter, loops in canter, 10m half circles with change of leg through trot, stretch in canter.

Elementary 59 (2010)

Horsepitality

Working trot half 10m and 20m circles, medium trot, leg yielding, medium and free walk on long rein, rein back 2-5 steps, working canter 10m half circle, 20m circle with transition 2-5steps trot and then canter, give and retake reins in canter, medium canter, simple change.

Medium 71 (2002)

Arena 20m x 40m Movements include collected trot, half 10m circles, medium trot, half-pass, travers, collected canter, extended and collected walk, medium canter, rein back, halt from trot.

Medium 75 (2002)

Arena 20m x 60m Movements include collected canter, shoulder-in, collected trot, travers, half-pass, extended and collected walk, half pirouettes, medium and collected canter, counter canter, extended trot, halt from trot.

Advanced Medium 84 (2008)

Advanced Medium 98 (2002)

Collected trot 8m circles, shoulder in, half passes, medium trot, collected, medium and extended walks, half pirouettes in walk, collected canter half passes, medium and extended canter, single flying changes.

Prix St Georges (2009)

Dressage Grade Ib Test 12 (Walk & Trot) (2010)

Dressage Grade II Test 22 (Walk & Trot) (2010)

Dressage Grade III Test 31 (Walk, Trot & Canter) (2010)

Introduction to Dressage Test D (Walk or Walk & Trot) (2004)

Intermediate Dressage Test 2009 (2009)

10 m circles, give and retake rein, trot/walk/trot transitions, 15m circles, working canter 20m circles, 15m half circles, stretching in trot, medium and free walk

Introductory Dressage Test 2007 (2009)

May be ridden in any riding bit. Working trot 20m circles, 1/2 10m half circle, working canter, med and free walk

Novice 2009 (2009)

Working trot 20 m circles, give and retake rein, trot/walk/trot transitions, 3 loop serpentine, working canter 20m circles, medium and free walk

Open Dressage Test 2008 (2008)

Working trot 10m half circles, transitions trot/walk/trot, 3 loop serpentine with 10m circles, some medium trot strides, stretching in trot, medium and free walk, walk to canter direct transition, half 10m circles, simple changes, 4-5m loops in canter

Next competition

March 2012

Entries close:

Mar

Class 1 (Intro)
British Dressage

Class 2 (Prelim)
British Dressage

Class 3 (Nov)
British Dressage

Sponsored by Through the eye of the judge

Novice 23 (2012)

Arena: 20m x 60m

Novice 34 (2009)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Prizes: £16, £14, £12

Entry fee: £12.00

Enter Now

Class 4 (Elem)
British Dressage

Class 5 (Med)
British Dressage

Medium 63 (2002)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Medium 73 (2007)

Arena: 20m x 60m

Prizes: £18, £16, £14

Entry fee: £14.00

Enter Now

Class 6 (Adv Med)
British Dressage

Advanced Medium 90 (2012)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Team Competition Test (Juniors) (2009)

Arena: 20m x 60m

Prizes: £18, £16, £14

Entry fee: £14.00

Enter Now

Class 7 (PSG)
FEI

Class 8
Practice tests
FEI Challenge

FEI CHALLENGE

Pick Your Own

Select from any FEI Challenge test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

Enter Now

Class 9 (Intro)
Riding for the Disabled Association

Dressage Grade Ib Test 12 (Walk & Trot) (2010)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Dressage Grade II Test 22 (Walk & Trot) (2010)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Dressage Grade III Test 31 (Walk, Trot & Canter) (2010)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Introduction to Dressage Test D (Walk or Walk & Trot) (2004)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Prizes: £14, £12, £10

Entry fee: £10.00

Enter Now

Class 10 (Nov)
Pony Club

Intermediate Dressage Test 2009 (2009)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Introductory Dressage Test 2007 (2009)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Novice 2009 (2009)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Open Dressage Test 2008 (2008)

Arena: 20m x 40m

Prizes: Prizes in kind

Entry fee: £10.00

Enter Now

Class 11
Practice tests
British Dressage

Pick Your Own

Select from any British Dressage test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

Enter Now

Class 12
Practice tests
FEI Seniors

Pick Your Own

Select from any FEI Seniors test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

Enter Now

Class 13
Practice tests
FEI Under 21s

Pick Your Own

Select from any FEI Under 21s test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

Enter Now

Class 14
Practice tests
FEI PARA

Pick Your Own

Select from any FEI PARA test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

Enter Now

Class 15
Practice tests
FEI Eventing

Pick Your Own

Select from any FEI Eventing test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

Enter Now

Class 16
Practice tests
British Eventing

Pick Your Own

Select from any British Eventing test currently in use.

Entry fee: £16.00

Enter Now

Introductory A (2008)

Wellington Riding

Arena: 20m x40m Movements include working trot 20m diameter circles, 10m half circles, medium walk, free walk on a long rein, halt from walk.

Preliminary 1 (2006)

Horsepitality

Movements include: working trot half circles 20 metres, 10 metre half circles, working canter 20 metre circles, medium walk, free walk on a long rein, transitions which may be progressive, halt from trot.

Preliminary 15 (2008)

Horsepitality

Movements include working trot 20 metre circles, working canter 20 metre circles, medium walk, free walk on long rein 20 metre half circle, transitions which may be progressive, halt which may be progressive through walk.

Novice 23 (2012)

Through the eye of the judge

Novice 34 (2009)

Through the eye of the judge

Elementary 40 (2010)

Nupafeed

Arena: 20m x 60m Movements include working trot 10 metre half circles, stretching on a long rein in trot, medium trot, collected trot, medium walk, free walk on a long rein, working canter, medium canter, collected canter including give and retake the reins, counter canter, halt from trot.

Elementary 50 (2007)

Nupafeed

Arena 20m x 40m Movements include collected trot, 20m and 10m trot circles, medium trot, medium walk, walk on a long rein, collected canter, medium canter, half 10m circles, stretch on a long rein, halt from trot.

Medium 63 (2002)

Arena 20m x 40m Movements include entry in collected trot, shoulder in, half pass, medium trot, collected canter, half pass, half 10m circles, simple change, medium canter, collected walk, quarter pirouette in walk, extended walk, trot must be ridden sitting.

Medium 73 (2007)

Arena: 20m x 60m. Movements include collected trot, medium trot, shoulder-in, half passes in trot, 10m circle in trot, collected canter from walk, collected canter 10m circle, half passes in canter, simple changes of leg, collected walk, extended walk, walk half pirouettes.

Advanced Medium 90 (2012)

Team Competition Test (Juniors) (2009)

Prix St Georges (2009)

Nupafeed

Dressage Grade Ib Test 12 (Walk & Trot) (2010)

Dressage Grade II Test 22 (Walk & Trot) (2010)

Dressage Grade III Test 31 (Walk, Trot & Canter) (2010)

Introduction to Dressage Test D (Walk or Walk & Trot) (2004)

Intermediate Dressage Test 2009 (2009)

10 m circles, give and retake rein, trot/walk/trot transitions, 15m circles, working canter 20m circles, 15m half circles, stretching in trot, medium and free walk

Introductory Dressage Test 2007 (2009)

May be ridden in any riding bit. Working trot 20m circles, 1/2 10m half circle, working canter, med and free walk

Novice 2009 (2009)

Working trot 20 m circles, give and retake rein, trot/walk/trot transitions, 3 loop serpentine, working canter 20m circles, medium and free walk

Open Dressage Test 2008 (2008)

How to set up an arena

click on the diagrams to see larger versions

You will need:

A flat location slightly larger than the arena you want to make.
- Allow for an extra 1-2 metres all round so that you have room to place your markers a little way back from the sides of your arena.
Markers for the corners and sides of the arena.
- For the corners you could use posts or stakes if you want to make a more permanent arena or something like jump wings, upturned buckets or cones for a temporary arena.
- For the sides of the arena you could use fencing, jump poles or ropes laid on the ground.
- Most tack shops can supply ready-made dressage boards to mark out an arena.
Dressage markers
- You could use upturned buckets or cones with the letters painted on or make your own markers from off-cuts of wood. You can also buy ready-made markers.
Tape measure
- If you don’t have a long enough tape measure you could use a ball of string and mark it off in metres with a marker pen or you could hire a trundle wheel or a long tape measure from most hire shops.

When you have everything ready, you can mark out the arena

Using the measurements in the diagram for the size of arena you want to make, place your markers at the corners of the arena.
To check that your arena is square next measure the long diagonals and make sure that they are the same as each other.
It’s not essential but it will help you to ride a straight line if you can mark the sides of the arena. Make sure that you have left space to enter along the long side, e.g. at K or at F.
Next place your dressage markers using the diagrams above for reference. Make sure that each pair of markers is opposite each other and that all the letters can be clearly seen if you stand at C.

Ensure that all the tools and instruments used to mark out the arena are removed before you enter on your horse.