It is a common pronunciation mistake, but the two words have very different meanings. A ménage refers to a private meeting, usually involving three people. A manége, on the other hand, is the French term for a riding school or arena.
A typical manége measures 20 metres by 40 metres and is laid out in a rectangular form. Traditionally, construction has followed a familiar but complex process.
Traditional manége construction
- Excavation to approximately 400mm below finished levels
- Installation of a herringbone drainage system with pea shingle
- Laying drainage pipes and backfilling with pea shingle
- Covering the area with a woven geotextile membrane
- Installing 300mm of free draining material such as Type 3, clean stone or scalpings, then compacting
- Laying a second woven geotextile membrane
- Adding a 100mm to 150mm tread layer
Common problems with traditional builds
- High cost of drainage systems
- Breakdown of woven geotextile membranes over time
- Rapid development of uneven surfaces
- Upper geotextile layer working through the tread layer, creating a hazard
- Tread material migrating to the edges
- Damage to geotextiles during levelling, leading to frequent replacement
The Ecogrid solution
Advantages of using Ecogrid
- No expensive drainage system required
- No base membrane required within the structure
- Reduced drainage layer depth
- Strong and stable support layer
- Fully free draining and reliable performance
- Easier levelling of the tread layer
- Simple replacement or change of tread materials
- Reduced quantity of tread layer material
- 20 year Ecogrid guarantee
- Recycled plastic edge restraints available with a 140mm upstand
- Additional systems available to prevent muddy entrances to paddocks
The conclusion
Whether you are building a manége or a ménage, the choice is clear. Ecogrid provides a simpler, more cost effective and longer lasting solution for riding arena construction.
