4. Step One
You need to choose a location for your dressage arena.
You will need an area that is no smaller then 40 x 20
meters (131.23 ft. x 65.616 ft the size of a small dressage
arena) and no larger then 60 x 20 meters (196.850 ft. x
65.616 ft. the standard size of a dressage arena). The
area you choose should have good footing and be well
drained.
5. Step Two
Once you have chosen a place to set up your dressage
arena you will need to clearly mark the arena's
perimeters. There are several dressage arena kits
available in catalogs and at tack stores that you can
purchase. The problem with these kits is that they can
be expensive; you have more economical choices
available. If you are creating a grass arena you can use
spray paint to mark your arena's perimeter. The
problem with spray paint is that you will have to
repaint the grass every time you cut the grass. A second
option would be to use ground poles to mark your
arena.
6. Step Three
Anyone who has ever ridden a dressage test knows that
letters are used to mark the precise spot where a
dressage move is to be executed. In order to hone your
dressage moves at home you will have to create letters
for your dressage arena. Once again there are several
kits of dressage letters available for purchase. There are
also more economical ways to mark your dressage
arena. One method is to take old tires and spray paint
each letter on a tire. The tires are wonderful because
they won't hurt your horse if the two of you
inadvertently step on the tire.
7. Step Four
You will need a way to enter your homemade dressage
arena. If you have used ground poles to mark the
perimeter of the dressage arena you can simply ride
your horse over the ground poles to enter the arena. If
you used a fence or raised chain to mark your dressage
arena you will have to leave a wide enough entrance to
smoothly enter the arena at a trot and canter.
8. Step Five
Now that you have built your dressage arena you will
have to make sure the arena stays well maintained.
Walk the arena every few weeks to make sure rodents
haven't dog any holes that your dressage horse can step
in. Also remove any rocks and stones that have found
there way into the arena.
10. Where on the Web
http://www.ehow.com/how_2250602_setup-dressage-
arena-backyard.html
http://www.equiworld.net/uk/sports/dressage/arena.
GIF
http://www.nancylaterdressagehorses.com/dressage.h
tm
http://www.bandmvideos.co.uk/equine/equine_video
_samples.php
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_2_triangles_make_a_
square_or_a_rectangle
11. Fini
Aha! A dressage ring is actually two triangles placed with
their bases facing each other.
Draw a square on a sheet of paper. Draw a line diagonally
from one corner to the one opposite. Cut along this line
and you will have two triangles. Take them apart; if you put
them together again in the right way you will have a square.
Put together in different ways you can make an isosceles
triangle or an equilateral parallelogram.
If you do the same thing beginning with a rectangle, you
will be able to reassemble the triangles to form a
rectangle, isosceles triangle or a (non-equilateral)
parallelogram.
12.
13. Aha! Three loop serpentine = three twenty meter half circles!
Aha! To find the hypotenuse of a right triangle, the square root of
the sum of the squares of the shorter legs must be used. This is
the formula used to find the value of c.
C=√a²+b²
Letters are set 6 meters (19.8 feet) in from each corner, and then
the rest are 12 meters (39.4 feet) from each other. "A" and "C" are
set dead center 10 meters (33 feet). They should be set about
.5m/20" back from the arena fence. "A" should be set further
back to allow a horse to make a straight entry. The fence itself
should be about 18" high. The judge should be 5 meters or 16 ft
back from the letter.
