Kick wall FAQ's

Straight or curved?

The slope is important for protecting the rider's leg, because while the horse already feels the outer boundary with its hooves and legs, the rider's leg still has room to move. If the kick wall is very steep or vertical, the rider must be prepared to get their foot caught or trapped on the kick wall.

There are no statutory regulations in this regard, which is why riding hall bands often refer to the FN's reference book "Orientierungshilfen Reitanlagen- und Stallbau" (Orientation aids for equestrian centre and stable construction), as most professional associations follow the suggestions made there.

Riding arena kick bords that are open at the bottom and protrude are not entirely safe, especially for young and inexperienced horses. Horses can get their legs under the overhang and injure themselves. The idea behind this kick wall design was to allow the rider to smooth out the hoof beat.

Unfortunately, accidents with injuries to the horse's legs occur time and again. But is the better and faster preparation of the riding surface more important than the health of our horses?

Height of the kick wall?

The required height of a kick wall is not specified, but most indoor riding arena boards are between 1.50 m and 1.80 m high. In the case of sloping kick boards, the height is determined by the boards to be procured and the necessary foundation and board base. 

The CURVE kick wall does not require an additional foundation, as it is attached to the wall without a complex rear structure. The height is therefore freely selectable. 

Assembly by yourself?

The installation of a sloping kick wall is quite complex. On the one hand, strip foundations must be poured for the base of the boarding, and on the other, a substructure with at least 3 crosspieces (top, centre, bottom) must be produced. When using tongue and groove boards, you must be aware from the outset that replacing defective boards involves a great deal of labour.

You can install the CURVE kick board yourself. The curved boards are easy to handle and install thanks to their width of 1.10 metres. The four cut-to-size boards for perfect corner solutions are included in the scope of delivery. The perimeter elements are attached without a complex substructure. 
In the case of new buildings, there is no need for a concrete plinth, which would otherwise be necessary for sloped boards, resulting in considerable cost savings.

Plastic or wood?

This is purely a matter of taste. Plastic kick walls are usually made from recycled plastic and have a wood grain so that they don't look too different from wooden ones. They have the advantage that the boards do not work. 

A wooden kick wall always preserves the natural, cosy ambience in the riding arena. It is always important that the wooden boards are not in the footing, as they do not like moisture at all. The most important aspect in the choice of material is impact resistance. The kick wall CURVE consists of 7-9 thermoformed layers of wood, which are particularly impact and tread resistant due to the particularly complex manufacturing and moulding process.

Why curved?

The curved shape of the Kick wall CURVE protects the legs of horse and rider. The rider's leg cannot get caught between the horse and the kick wall. Injuries to the horse's hoof, cannon bone and carpal joint are effectively prevented.

Round corners?

The riding arena planner does not reach the corners of the riding arena. So it always has to be reworked by hand. 
In addition to the classic 45° corner, the CURVE kick wall also offers rounded corners so that the arena leveller can work on the entire riding surface. 
Thanks to this customised cutting of the individual CURVE kick boards, they can also be used in lunging halls and horse walkers.

Colour?

The colour of the kick wall is usually matched to the construction of the riding arena. Plastic fencing is available in various colours from anthracite to brown and green, but custom-made products in RAL colours are also available.

Wooden boards are usually treated with a glaze. This allows the colour of the boarding to be matched to the appearance of the riding arena. Or a colourless stain is used to preserve the colour and structure of the wood.