Arena surface and lameness?

[smurf]

Does anyone have any experience or views about arenas that are just silica sand with no rubber or fibre etc?
We have one at our yard and it feels 'firm'. Not sure if this is the surface or that it never gets harrowed.
Obviously without rubber it freezes a lot. But do you think that a firm surface is more likely to cause injuries? Or is it more to do with what is under the surface (ie foundations) and how the surface is maintained?

Thanks

 

[milliepops]

All of my horses have gone better on a firm type of surface. As long as it isn't hard I think that's better than a softer surface, it's more like turf. The surface we have where I am is a bit soft IMO, the horses find it hard work when they first arrive and I notice they work better off site (hence doing lots of arena hire ). It was my understanding that too much work on soft or uneven surfaces was more likely to result in soft tissue injuries.

Whether plain sand is a good surface or not kind of depends on a few other factors though - what kind of sand, how well drained/sheltered etc. I have used one arena that dried out so fast in summer it was like riding on sand dunes. I think my favourite to hire are the waxed sand/fibre, the horses go well on them.

 

[stencilface]

Firmer is better imho, we have silica sand with a fibre top for a bit of bounce. Softer is worse for soft tissue injuries

 

[Notimetoride]

Someone who I know who builds arenas said the best surface is natural earth, or artificial one that mimics it. Needs to be pretty stable and not move under foot. We have 2 arenas at our yard - the indoor is sand and Clopf fibre which according to the website 'provides root structure similar to grass roots in turf'. Problem it it's a small arena so quite oppressive and the surface isn't quite deep enough so trying to get any sort of enthusiasm from my horse is hard sometimes (though the roof has been a God send this winter!). Outdoor is a bit bigger and more cheerful, BUT rubber surface which moves under foot. So can't really work on our medium trot (which is an ongoing work in progress) as 1/ she physically can't because of the surface and 2/ I think she's at risk of straining something. The indoor surface, in the outdoor arena, would have been perfect.
Mine too (a cob) works far better on a firmer surface.

 

[blood_magik]

I also prefer my surface on the firmer side - as long as there is some give/bounce in it I would say it’s fine.

I’d be more wary of a soft surface than a firm one.

 

[dominobrown]

My arena was built in 1982 nd not changed much since... its kind of like pea gravel? Its quite firm but as generally as everyhwhere here floods its always rideable except when really frozen or lots of snow. We had the odd day in summer when it was getting quite firm, but the fields were lovely to ride on then.

 

[Red-1]

I like a firmer surface too. Mine was sand and was fab when wet, but too deep in summer when dry. I added some black ash which stabilised it really well, but left white socks stained.

Last top up was with rubber, and it does not freeze any more, and has some bounce (it was lifeless before) but TBH I think the duller surface was better for the horse as rubber shifts about a bit. Not in a rush to top up again.

 

[Asha]

I had a rubber arena surface at my previous yard, I didn't like it. So when planning my new one I did a bit of research, basically what others have said about trying to mimic turf is the ideal. Rubber chips seem to stand on top of the surface and you go through them as opposed to bounce off them. Ive gone for a fibre surface. Its firm but with bounce. ( I know it has bounce as ive tested it myself on landing....)

 

[Farma]

I was stabled at dressage yard for a few years which had a sand/fibre mix school, it was a nightmare when it wasn't harrowed, all the fibre would come to the top and you were left with solid sand, most liveries had major issues with it and it would freeze as soon as a cold snap hit. You couldn't plan anything in there as you were so reliant on how it had been maintained and the weather.
I have ridden on lots of sand/fibre surfaces in other places and loved them I just think they need maintaining very well, watering/ harrowing etc to keep them in decent condition.