Advice - Arena Surface

Zebe

Zebe

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I'm trying to find the best most economical arena surface. I'm just interested what you all used and opinions. Im based in S. Ireland and have been trying to find a sand quarry that has sand that doesn't ride too deep & have also been looking at wexfords "Super Rubber Fibre" Has anyone used this?? Wexford say its "The most cost effective all in one surface available". I haven't got a price yet but they say its eco friendly, do you think that means it won't smell in the heat? I was thinking I could poss mix it with sand?! Any comments would be grateful, thank you
 
I plan to build a new manège this summer and I am going for a man made fibre surface on top of just 40 tonnes of crag sand. I already have a manège at home that we built some 12 years ago and that is just crag sand and I have to say that rides beautifully. It holds moisture and offers a great firm surface. The only drawback is that it stains white socks orange, though that has diminished somewhat over the years. I would never go for rubber, many trainers have said how bad that is because it throws the horses feet/ legs out at angles.
Crag is not a cheap option it works out around £25 per tonne, but it needs no topping as unlike silica it won't blow away and move.
 
Hi Yas, thanks for your reply, I haven't heard of crag sand, i'll have to look it up, not sure if i can get that where i live, possibly why i haven't heard of it, is it like dead sand? Did you need drains with it? I don't really know anything about rubber so any comments on it are very appreciated. All i know is that it is a cheaper surface option, do you know of any other popular safer options to rubber that you could recommend i look at? Anyone out there in Ireland have any ideas of irish based companies i could look at? thanks in advance


YasandCrystal said:
I plan to build a new manège this summer and I am going for a man made fibre surface on top of just 40 tonnes of crag sand. I already have a manège at home that we built some 12 years ago and that is just crag sand and I have to say that rides beautifully. It holds moisture and offers a great firm surface. The only drawback is that it stains white socks orange, though that has diminished somewhat over the years. I would never go for rubber, many trainers have said how bad that is because it throws the horses feet/ legs out at angles.
Crag is not a cheap option it works out around £25 per tonne, but it needs no topping as unlike silica it won't blow away and move.
Click to expand...
 
Crag is from the sea bed - the pilocean period. We found lots of small fossils in ours - the kids loved it. It consists of crushed fossilised shells from millions if years ago. Like any of these sands you need to contact some sand companies to see if you have a quarry anywhere nearby. Haulage is always a killer cost wise. I am going for shredded carpet now as I have 2 horses who need a perfect surface - one with ringbone and the other a chronic sacro iliac problem. The man made surfaces are quite cheap. I would google those. I am looking at spending less than £5k on my surface for a 40m x 20m manège.
As for drainage yes we have and will put in herring bone drains with perforated pipe and shingle and then 160 tonnes of aggregate and 2 membranes. We are on clay so I need good drainage; our old manège has never flooded or been unrideable.
 
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A decent well maintained rubber surface, properly installed on good equestrian grade sand, is a good, low cost option IMHO.

I agree, Y&C, that a poor one could be damaging to a horse's joints, but that probably applies to any poorly maintained surface. The idea, according to Charles Britton who installed my sand and rubber crumb surface, is that the top 2" are a equal mix of sand and rubber.

I harrow my arena regularly to keep it thus. I agree that a poorly maintained arena, with areas of bare sand interspersed with mounds of rubber, could well be damaging to a horse.

I love my surface (2" of rubber crumb over 5" of sand). It doesn't stain my horses' legs but it does get a bit stinky on a hot day!
 
Thank you for all the replies & so sorry for the delay, been running around the country covering my mares :P

Ping thanks for the link I'll take a look at that. Im thinking probably the best way to go is to get decent grade sand and when i can afford it top it up with something..yas, your surface sounds amazing, i think i'd end up spending my time sitting in it and rummaging through for fossils;-) thanks for you info, 5k sounds quite a lot maybe im in for a big shock when i get some quotes, almost scared to ask! On the plus I do have it all leveled and banked, managed to do a trade in on my topsoil, also its right by a ditch so thats pretty handy! tiddy, thanks for the advice, sorry to sound thick but would sand only mean less harrowing? I've hardly time to ride let alone harrow..the heat making the rubber smell was why i was wondering if this eco friendly stuff would smell! I don't know anyone who has tried it.
 
Have you thought about adding carpet fibre to the sand, rather than rubber? This is what we have on our arena and the cost was the same as for sand and rubber. It is really easy to maintain, doesn't smell when hot, looks more attractive than rubber and doesn't stain the horse's legs. Only downside is that it is meant to be less frost resistant than rubber - however, ours didn't freeze at all this year, although it was a relatively mild winter.
 
YasandCrystal said:
I plan to build a new manège this summer and I am going for a man made fibre surface on top of just 40 tonnes of crag sand. I already have a manège at home that we built some 12 years ago and that is just crag sand and I have to say that rides beautifully. It holds moisture and offers a great firm surface. The only drawback is that it stains white socks orange, though that has diminished somewhat over the years. I would never go for rubber, many trainers have said how bad that is because it throws the horses feet/ legs out at angles.
Crag is not a cheap option it works out around £25 per tonne, but it needs no topping as unlike silica it won't blow away and move.
Click to expand...
I'm also planning a ménage and have put in proper drainage pipes, membrane, sub base, 2nd membrane. I'm have been introduced to crag sand and very interested in your experience. How much did you put down, do you have to drag the surface often and has it ever frozen. Any help much appreciated.
 
I have a sand base and rubber on top- was put in 12 years ago.

I haven't had too many problems with it over the years but it can get deep in places- it is harrowed on regular basis- depending on use 1-2 times per week

I wouldn't choose this if I was doing the surface now…. i'd look for a more solid level surface (not sure what that would be though)
 
we have silica sand and rubber and i wouldnt want anything else.

i prefer surfaces with a bit of give, i find the expensive waxed surfaces dont let the hoof move if they leave a toe and they can end up really twisting themselves.

i quite like the look of the carpet fibre additives but then my rubber has never frozen in the 14years its been down. Not one single un-rideable day so id probably stick with that tbh.
 
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