What kind of harrow to use in a horse rink?

Rollerskate · May 24, 2004

We bought a place with an very poorly maintained outdoor rink. Later this week we are going to have it reconditioned and made a little bit bigger. Unlike the previous owner we plan on taking good care of it. I have been looking around for a harrow and found rotary, chain and tine harrows. Does anyone know if it matters which one you use? One thing I noticed it looked like a tine harrow can be used to maintain fields too.

Thanks,
Rollerskate

Laminarman · May 24, 2004

Only have used the chain harrows, and they work well for leveling clumps and grass balls. Don't aggressively cut into sod, if your rink is overgrown. Hope that helps, sorry.

Inspector507 · May 25, 2004

Take a look here

MikePA · May 25, 2004

outdoor rink. 
rink or ring? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

We use a drag harrow purchased (approx $300) at Tractor Supply for our outdoor ring. The harrow can be dragged 3 different ways by hooking the tractor at either end of the harrow or flipping the harrow over. The 3 different ways offer 3 different levels of depth of digging action. We've also used it in the pasture. One of the things about a harrow you drag is that you don't need a tractor with a 3ph to use it. More often than not, we use our garden tractor. Just be carefull where you store the harrow, wouldn't want humans or horses to get tangle up in it. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

cowboydoc · May 25, 2004

It all depends on what your arena is made of. If you've got sand a simple drag harrow will be fine. If you have clay or dirt based arena a drag harrow will do nothing to help you. You need an agressive arena groomer. Something like a Parma Groomer, Groundhog, Kiser, TR3, or a rotary harrow will work too.

Soundguy · May 25, 2004

If the rotary harrow looks like a spider .. thingy.. then that is what profesional rodeo' use to maintain their dirt areena.

I've had luck using a dsic harrow to make a new areena.. that is to break the ground.. and other than thak, I use a heavy chain drag style harrow to maintain mine. I'me sure just about any type of harrow, cultivator etc.. will maintain the fresh turned earth look.. etc. Heck.. I bet you cout use a 2 bottom plow and turn it real shallow too..

Soundguy

cowboydoc · May 25, 2004

"Heck.. I bet you cout use a 2 bottom plow and turn it real shallow too.."

If you want an arena that will not injure your horse you need a couple of things. First a plow is not what you want to use. Most people make the mistake of working the ground too deep. 2-4" is the max that you want in loose fitting. Anymore than that and it is really hard on horses legs. You want a very good solid base and using a plow, disc harrow, etc. works too much of the ground up. A good solid base will give the horse a foundation to work off of and the 2-4" on top will give the shock absorbtion and traction.

Soundguy · May 25, 2004

( First a plow is not what you want to use. )

I said 'might'.. and implied that you would have to be carefull and work it shallow. Besides.. if you are converting a grassy well ridden and packed field to an areena.. you will have to remove the grass anyway.. and it is alot easier to skim it shallow with a moldboard plow in a single pass than to disc the fire out of it..

( 2-4" is the max that you want in loose fitting. )

Yeah.. that is somewhat similar to 'shallow'.. like I said in my message.

( You want a very good solid base and using a plow, disc harrow, etc. works too much of the ground up )

I'm not sure what type of tractor you have.. but mine has a 3 point lift.. which means I can drag my harrow 1" deep if I want too. Besides.. disc's aren't well known for their ability to bit deep anyway. On hard packed ground.. you will be extremely lucky to get 4" of bite.. probably only 3" if we are talking about the usual light/medium duty 2 ganged disc that we commonly see behind a CUT. Again.. that is where the 3pt lift comes in.. ( even if you don't have draft control).

I'll let everything I said stand. I live right in the middle of horse country. I've got horses.. my friends have horses.. our neighbors have horses.. etc.. etc. Our vet and farier ride in our areena..

I think you are off base saying a disc is not a good areena maintenance tool. Our local livestock pavilion routinely has pro-rodeo events.. nearly every weekend during performance season... they run a harrow real shallow in between every event.
AQHA is out their alot to with training sessions... that same CUT and harrow is out there smoothing the field in between events.
If it's good enough for pro-rodeo.. or the AQHA.. I'm guessing it is a pretty safe practice.

Soundguy

cowboydoc · May 25, 2004

Once you've got your arena prepped a harrow is ok to go over the arena but it's not going to condition it at all. And it isn't going to keep your arena in good condition. I guess you get out of something what you put into it. Rodeo arenas, even professional ones, are some of the worst arenas that there are. The small aqha shows also usually have pretty poor arenas. There are very few good arenas around. It may be good enough for you but it's going to take years off of the useable life of your horse. And I don't know very many plows that you can only go 4" deep with. It all depends if you want to do it right or you just want it to be good enough. By all means don't take my word for it either. Call Mr. Bob Kiser. His number is 217-430-0162. Mr. Kiser is the top expert in the world with regard to arenas, both building them and maintaining them. He is the arena manager for the big AQHA shows, the NRHA, NCHA, NRCHA.

MMM · May 25, 2004

The rotary harrow works best for all conditions. It will dry out a wet arena, and work in all soils. Rodeoers round here like them for slinging dung and covering it up. Hopefully you won't be spending to much time at eye level with that stuff though.