Adding Martin Collins' Clopf to an existing sand surface...thoughts...

[kittykatcat]

Hi all, i know there are a few threads banding about about this, but i can't find them...so sorry...going to start a new thread.

Thinking of adding Clopf to existing deep sand surface (although still might have to take some sand out!) and it sounds just what i'm looking for.

Has anyone done this? How does it ride? How is it a couple of years down the line? How does it fair in bad weather conditions?? Is it as easy to maintain as they say!?

Any thoughts or opinions or experiences wanted please!

Thanks

 

[kerilli]

i wouldn't use it in a windswept school, for starters!
i've ridden on a huge arena with it and it rode beautifully. however, a friend had a school with equestrian sand + clopf done fairly recently and it isn't as good as the first arena i mentioned (although done by the same contractor). also, it freezes solid, whereas some rubber surfaces are still rideable in these conditions.

 

[Worried1]

We tried and failed miserably to improve exisiting surface with Clopf - they sold us down the river and we bought it hook, line and sinker!

At the top of the Downs the winds blows and blows and blows again meaning surfaces dry very quickly.

If a surface is riding deep even in wet weather it can only mean you have non-comapcting sand. Have you had it analysed?

We spent a lot of money and ended up completely redoing the surface and changing it to a waxed surface.

At one point I was riding the quad in the school more than I was riding my horses.

Clopf will work if you can keep the surface damp - but the minute it dries its as unrideable as before.

 

[kittykatcat]

Hmm...bugger! It sounded like the perfect answer!

I have no idea what the sand is but when it is dry it is VERY deep but when wet very compact...i have been assured that Clopf would be perfect....perhaps i'll ask her about the wind and having to water it in the summer as that would be a right royal pain in the a**e!

 

[Worried1]

We watered it and watered but simply couldn't keep it wet enough.

We have extra raised kick boards so it didn't blow around too much but unless you have the right kit it's impossible to keep mixed and just rises to the surface.

We have an arena level from Robert Brazil but even with that it was still fairly crap and had to have the farmer back in to power harrow it in.

MC told us it would solve all our problems which it didn't it just gave us another £5k bill and then we replaced the surface anyway at a cost of £30k+VAT

 

[brighteyes]

Sounds like ordinary beach sand to me - hopeless in summer but fab in winter.

Have you tried Andrews-Bowen? They have all sorts of stabilisers, though to get the best benefit, you need a good equestrian silica sand to start with. I'd send whichever Co. you choose a sample and ask them to analyse it and give you suggestions based on that.

 

[kittykatcat]

It probably is ordinary beach sand to be honest - wasn't done professionally (although it is very good!) about 8 years ago, so it's probably about time to give it a face lift. it's a lovely size, great location, etc etc, just the surface is rubbish in the summer!

 

[Worried1]

It will still be rubbish in the summer! Sorry to be doom and gloom but ours was OK in winter but shite in summer and I doubt yours would be any different.

 

[bristolgeezer]

I'm not one for replying on forums normally, but i have to say that i completely disagree with Worried1. We had real problems with our sand and pvc surface, it rode dead in winter and really deep in the summer. Spoke to Martin Collins who suggested Clopf. We went to look at a couple of schools locally (debbie criddle was one) and were impressed by what we saw and they also sent us a dvd to show how to put the fibre in which was useful. We've had it in for nearly a year now and yes, it needed watering in the summer so the fibre didn't come out - which we were told would happen (we weren't that stringent with the watering, so we did need to power harrow it once to put the fibre back in), but it is a vast improvement on the surface before it was added. We were also able to still ride on it during the snowy weather as it didn't freeze, even though they said it probably would (although we had to spend a morning scrapping the snow off the school!). It cost us less than £1.5k, and worth every penny as far as i am concerned. Ask for reference sites and go and see it - you could also come to see mine if you want!!

 

[TheMule]

I wouldnt use any Martin Collins product after a terrible experience where their appalling customer service came to light.

 

[bristolgeezer]

I always speak as I find, and I found the girls I spoke to to be polite, knowledgeable and very honest. I've also had regular calls to see how my surface is since buying it. A big thumbs up from me.