Arena Surface - possibly Carpet Fibre

[PeggyPatch]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking into arena surfaces (the million dollar question). The school will be lightly used, I do poles but don't ever really jump, I mainly do schooling/low level dressage. What surfaces do people recommend for this type of use? I was looking into stand alone carpet fibre but wonder what people's reviews are on this and if there is something better?

TIA

 

[Sparemare]

If it’s a surface for your school at home, I’d suggest trying out various surfaces at other people’s yards before deciding.

 

[PeggyPatch]

Thanks, I'm currently trying to locate a full carpet fibre school. I've mainly been on sand/rubber mix surfaces.

 

[Ruby's Mum]

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We have had a full carpet fibre arena for a couple of years and as there was only me using it, it has never properly bedded in. Was very soft and rode deep, my previous mare absolutely hated it as it was too soft. We have now just had to take a further large financial hit and have just laid three inch of silica over it to finally bed it in. I would seriously recommend viewing as many arenas as you can and understand what level of use each arena has and ask lots of questions from the arena owners! Any decent manufacturer will be able to give you contact details of arenas that you can view (we had people come to view ours).

 

[PeggyPatch]

That's really interesting Ruby's Mum. Do you think it didn't bed in because it had such light use or just because that's how the surface is? Are you able to tell me or message me what surface it was?

 

[tallyho!]

Very very dusty surface. A nightmare in summer and the fibres get stuck in your nostrils - maybe I'm just sensitive.

I've rode on many surfaces and the best is the andrews bowen wax surface if you have a pretty penny.

Not budget but def budget by comparison to the above, I've found is the silica sand rubber strips mix.

 

[PeggyPatch]

Is there a particular brand that do the silica sand rubber strip mix that you mention Tallyho?

 

[Spottyappy]

Avoid rubber, PP. you likely wouldn’t get planning permission for it, it’s not biodegradable so is really difficult to dispose of, should you need to.
Mine is sand with Equestrian directs Flexi ride on top. It stood out for me, when we looked at many different surfaces, mostly because it seemed to need less watering than other surfaces. Important to me, as I have no way to regularly water a surface.

 

[Ruby's Mum]

That's really interesting Ruby's Mum. Do you think it didn't bed in because it had such light use or just because that's how the surface is? Are you able to tell me or message me what surface it was?

Ours was Equi-bound (the original manufacturers of flexiride), it was a complete surface laid onto a hardcore base. Yes, it was as it had such light use, we were told silica on top would be the only thing that would bed it in. Ours wasn't dusty at all and I am asthmatic and affected by pretty much everything but never had an issue with the surface being dusty. If I had the choice again I would definitely go for silica with a stabiliser mixed into it.

 

[Fruitcake]

We have a complete Flexi-ride surface, laid directly on top of hardcore drainage. It’s not just carpet, it seems to have foam chunks in it too. (I think, basically, it’s just chopped up car interiors with a posh name )

It did seem really odd and springy a first but certainly isn’t deep as there’s lots of rebound. It doesn’t get much use at all with only OH and me. I really like it now, although we did have some issues with static during a prolonged dry spell.

ETA it worked out very reasonably priced compared to other surfaces.

 

[PeggyPatch]

although we did have some issues with static during a prolonged dry spell.

oh god, I get bad electric shocks as it is, I don't need that on a horse

 

[holeymoley]

Noooo don't do it! Best imo is rubber with a very slight mix of carpet Fibre but please make sure you get the proper stuff. Secondly rubber and sand.

I left a yard that replaced the school with pure carpet Fibre, however it wasn't for equine use and it had various other items in with it including metal and glass

 

[stencilface]

We have silica sand and carpet fibre and love it. Firm but with a bit of bounce. Freezes occasionally and could go deep in summer if it dried out completely, but when would that ever happen!!

It has light use

 

[PeggyPatch]

Thanks Stencilface

 

[soloequestrian]

I have sharp sand from a local quarry (silica would have bankrupted us in transport costs) with carpet fibre on top. It is brilliant - with light use (just my own horses, just flat work) I only have to rake the track and roll it about twice per year. Rides really well. I think it's had about 20 bales of carpet fibre now, the more you put in the firmer it gets.

 

[PeggyPatch]

I have sharp sand from a local quarry (silica would have bankrupted us in transport costs) with carpet fibre on top. It is brilliant - with light use (just my own horses, just flat work) I only have to rake the track and roll it about twice per year. Rides really well. I think it's had about 20 bales of carpet fibre now, the more you put in the firmer it gets.

How long ha your surface been down?

 

[soloequestrian]

How long ha your surface been down?

About 6 years.

 

[AnShanDan]

We put in a silica sand and carpet fibre arena about 5 years ago. It rides well, firmish when damp, can run slightly deep if very, very dry. We use grass harrows and a farm roller about once a month to level and prep it. It gets used a fair bit, and occasionally the local Pony Club have rallies etc. Only ever gets positive comments.

This winter it froze hard a few times (we have had a pretty bad winter tbf) and the arena was needing topping up, so I have added 50mm of a kind of shredded rubber mat/rubber backed carpet mix. It is riding really well, horses are happy.
Never had any dust issues or found the fibre blows away. Maybe too rainy here

 

[milliepops]

I had silica sand with carpet fibre (the fine stuff) before and it was excellent but did need watering in very dry spells. I found rubber strips were slippery.

Current yard has flexiride with a sand dressing which is a very consistent surface -it's the same all year round and never freezes. Low maintenance. even with heavy use. I'm finding it a bit unsuitable now though, my advanced horse is struggling a little and my baby horse trips a bit. Both of them are going better off site on more sand-based firmer surfaces. So, mixed reviews from me.

 

[Santi]

I have just put down a full synthetic surface. One inch of silica underneath to give it grip onto the membrane. Its definitely springy but the horse seems happy working on it. I think I will run a couple of tonnes of silica through the top of it to deaden it a bit and give it more grip. Mine hasn't settled yet so I can't comment on long term use. I can't get 160 tonnes of sand to my location so I had to go with something that could be delivered in bags. If you buy any kind of synthetic surface make sure you have a 100% guarantee that all of the product is made of NEW recycled materials, and doesn't contain any post-consumer waste. Post consumer waste carpet will have underlay, and carpet with hemp backing, (and potentially other debris) these will both rot and will either create dust or a slimy layer underneath the surface sitting on your membrane. Plus it absolutely stinks (there are reasons people take old carpet to the dump). If I could have anything it would be to have a bit more sand with the synthetic material. I like it a lot, it doesn't freeze, blow away, rot and it's not slippery.

 

[holeymoley]

Yes other than the obvious glass and metal mixed through with the junk my last yard bought, we found handbags, bits of shoe, plastic you name it. It was outdoors too and it stank!

 

[TPO]

Yes other than the obvious glass and metal mixed through with the junk my last yard bought, we found handbags, bits of shoe, plastic you name it. It was outdoors too and it stank!

Ditto a previous livery yard I was on. The school when it was just sand was horrendous enough with being unlevel, full of weeds, deep and soggy at one end, rock hard the other end and deep down the sides...to then throw manky old stinking rotten carpet complete with carpet runners and bits of metal on top of it was the icing on the cake! I really don't get the reclaimed household carpet thing; I've only seen 3 and they were all full of metal pieces.

 

[Asha]

We have a silica sand mixed with fibre, its been down 4 1/2 years now, and is as good as the day it went in. It gets light use, it does freeze beyond -4, but I don't ride when its too cold anyway ! Ive never had to water it, but the fibre did rise to the top when we had the dry spell last year. So I used a roller to flatten it, then harrowed and it was perfect again. It was a fraction of the cost of the big names too. When we where planning it I asked around about best surfaces, and mentioned wax surfaces. The feedback I got was that they are OK for competitions, but they wouldn't want to use them everyday as the sand gets inside the horses boots and starts to rub.

 

[Hallo2012]

i had silica sand topped with carpet fibre (the big shred black and cream type,from equi elite surfaces) on top.

been down since Nov, i have yet to harrow it and it doesnt smell, freeze, hold water, move or track.

i love it.

yes i found a few rogue un-shredded car mats in it, and a few big chunks of foam(which i just cut smaller) but no metal or rubbish. worst offended was a shredded plastic bag which all just blew to one corner and was easily collected.
nothing harmful.

 

[kathantoinette]

I’ve got carpet fibre and silica sand. It’s fabulous. My fibre was bought from the supplier of the big name arena builders. There are a lot of waste fibre products out there which will be used carpet with other waste products in. The carpet needs to be polypropylene not wool. Be careful.