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The next step is to use the leveling component of your drag and begin to pull or cut the high areas of the arena
footing and fill in the low areas. You do NOT just drag around the area to accomplish this, that will make the problem
worse. You will need to engage the leveling component only on the high areas (cut) and raise the 3-point once you
get that material you are pulling to the low areas (fill). Move the high areas (cut) into the low areas (fill). This is called
cut and fill grading. Next, you simply repeat the process over and over again. You may need to use ripping teeth to
loosen the hard pan in the high areas. Just be careful not to rip into the base. Start with shallow ripping and never rip
into your low areas. Only allow the drag to be in contact with the ground on the high areas. Raise the drag over low
areas. Repeat and continue to measure your footing depth until you’ve achieved uniformity of depth throughout the
arena. Gauge wheels only protect the base if you have a consistent footing depth throughout the arena.
If you want to save time, you may consider renting or purchasing a laser transmitter on a tripod and a grade stick with
a laser receiver/detector. With this equipment, you may have one person walk the arena with a grade stick (w/ laser
detector) to determine how high or low the footing material is in a given spot based on the laser transmitter beam.
This person can then give the tractor operator instruction as to how much material to cut from high areas and fill into
low areas. There are MANY factors at play when working with lasers that require a skilled professional.
Arenas that do not have a professionally installed base will have natural undulations that rise and fall with the terrain.
For these arenas, plotting a grid or using a laser may be overkill. Instead, work to normalize the high and low areas
the best you can. Start by identifying the high and low areas in your arena. Once the highs and lows are identified,
mark your high areas using spray paint with an “O” and low areas with an “X”; as shown in the images below.
Next you will adjust the scarifying teeth for use. You will use the scarifying teeth to rip and relieve compaction in the
high areas. Just a reminder, always be mindful to not loosen your low areas as you may begin to dig into the natural
materials under the sand you brought in as a footing layer.
You can then use the locked down leveling bar, and use the fixed blade to pull high spots into low spots. Make sure to
slowly raise your 3 point arms as you approach your low spots to drop in the material. Continue this process until the
arena is relatively even. You can then finish with setting up your tool for arena grooming.
