Arena Surface - pros and cons

[JPG]

Am just moving to a property with a disused outdoor arena that needs to be resurfaced. Finding it difficult to understand the pros and cons of various surfaces that can be used. Can anyone recommend online resources that might help? It's for leisure purposes (2 horses).

 

[Cortez]

Well, of course suppliers of all types of surfaces will tell you that theirs is the best, that’s what marketing is about. I would personally try and talk to people who don’t have something to sell about their experience with surfaces that they have actually used. After constructing many arenas over the years, both outdoor and indoor, I have found a mix of gravel or very coarse sand and rubber to work the best for my purposes.

 

[Surbie]

I'd also try to find a few different arenas and look at what they are using.

Our RDA had their outdoor school resurfaced with, iirc, a mix of waxed silica sand and fibre. It has really good drainage.

I absolutely hate it. It needs to be kept watered (daily in summer) or the fibre comes to the surface and rolls around in fluffy tumbleweeds. It is harrowed 3-4 times a week and when it's just been done, as someone either leading a pony or sidewalking, it's hard to walk on. When it's been ridden on a few times it goes very flat and hard.

The best school I've ridden in was at a previous yard and that was a mix of sharp sand, pea gravel and rubber, harrowed regularly. It did go a little deep in summer in the corners, but it was maintained really well.

eta: there are quite a lot of threads on arena surfaces on here that might give you more of a baseline.

 

[PeterNatt]

The most important thing is to ensure that the drainageis still working and that the membrane is intact. No point resurfacing if they are not.

 

[Muddywellies]

I've recently learned that waxed surfaces need pretty much daily harrowing, along with deep power harrowing sometimes or else they go really hard

 

[Abacus]

Personally I have a simple sand and rubber mix which as long as we harrow it regularly keeps well mixed and rides very well. We use it for everything and we can jump decent fences and courses in there, limited more by the arena size (20x40) than the surface. I’m no expert but when you look for opinions it’s worth considering the difference between your main use (flatwork, jumping, lunging?) as this probably makes a difference. For serious jumping I think I would like a rather firmer surface with better grip.

 

[ycbm]

I have been warned against waxed surfaces by an orthopedic vet. She said the way the surface prevents the foot from sliding causes joint problems. I'm pretty sure her opinion is held by quite a few vets.
.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I have sand and rubber. Works well with very little maintenance. Even this winter it has been fit to ride. Ensure the drainage is good.

 

[Polos Mum]

I bought a house with a knackered school - I had two professional companies quote me £15-20k to fix it (this was 8 years ago!)

It's only me that rides in it and I mostly hack so I didn't want a pro surface.

I dread to think what the drainage is like and most of the membrane I have pulled out as it came up over the years.

I do a cheap and cheerful top of of what ever is on offer at the time it needs it - Transport is a huge contributor to the cost (at the cheaper end) so I would look at what is local to you as a starting point.

I've tried three different options, and the last one has worked really well so I'd do that again.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would have sand and rubber or sand and a fibre but no waxed sand as it gets compacted and hard.

The sand fibre mix I have ridden on has been fine and the maintenance is fairly easy not heard any negative comments from the people I know that have them.

 

[asmp]

Our RDA group used to use a school that had cut up carpets as its surface. Not only was it very deep to walk on, the group stopped using it when it was noticed that there were bits of chopped up metal carpet treads in it! When the yard was sold on not that longer after, the new owners had to replace it.

Also, some years ago I kept my horse at a small yard where they had a lovely huge school with a sand surface. I was a happy hacker so only wanted to use it when the roads were too icy to ride on - big problem then was that the sand also froze into ruts!

ETA our RDA group now use a school that is made up of chopped up tyres. In the summer when it very hot, everything gets covered in a layer of black grime (I looked like a chimney sweep once when it mixed in with the sweat!). I do wonder what the horses are breathing in.

 

[blitznbobs]

I have been warned against waxed surfaces by an orthopedic vet. She said the way the surface prevents the foot from sliding causes joint problems. I'm pretty sure her opinion is held by quite a few vets.
.

This if it’s outside don’t have wax … inside it’s tricky to do without and buy a decent harrow / grader as maintainance is key

 

[ihatework]

The devil is generally in the detail.
Drainage is paramount.
Type/quality of sand
Ratios of sand to the additional surface
Regularity of maintenance

I’ve ridden on good and bad examples of all of the above.

I’d say my over-riding preference is a lightly waxed sand mixed with a fibre and well maintained - but these are generally very expensive competitive surfaces and infeasible for the majority of home arenas.

On the whole, the best performing home arenas have been a sand and rubber mix.

 

[JPG]

Thank you all for your replies. Most helpful.....clearly I have a bit of thinking to do, but really appreciate the feedback.

 

[Abacus]

Also, some years ago I kept my horse at a small yard where they had a lovely huge school with a sand surface. I was a happy hacker so only wanted to use it when the roads were too icy to ride on - big problem then was that the sand also froze into ruts!

It's a really good point about freezing. I'm not sure which surfaces perform best here but know that my sand and rubber surface has never frozen in even the worst winters. At most it feels firmer than normal but still has some give, and after a walk warm up it's pretty much normal again.

 

[HopOnTrot]

Do your horses have a preference? Mine isn't a fan of rubber but goes well on the £££ fibre sand at local competition venue/arena hire.

 

[edo]

Most of the people above have covered this, but rubber dries out over time and I thought in some cases wasnt allowed any more?

Either way, drainage is priority. We have sand and carpet fibre and 18 months in its still perfect. Try to look at work of people in your area - where are you based?

 

[Polos Mum]

Thank you all for your replies. Most helpful.....clearly I have a bit of thinking to do, but really appreciate the feedback.

It's also worth thinking through what is a priority for you / your horses.

If it's at home occasional use is using it at -5 degrees an issue or can you just hack those days to save £££

Same with how much time you want to spend on maintenance - vs. £££'s

'Best' will mean different things to different people with different expectations.

Budget will (likely) be your biggest consideration - if you have £10k to spend your choice will be wider than if a top up of something local for £3k is more manageable

For leisure horses x 2 a rough guess would be schooling each twice a week so arena use is 4 hours a week x 52 is 200 uses a year - so even £3k over 2 years is £7.5 a ride !

 

[Cortez]

Most of the people above have covered this, but rubber dries out over time and I thought in some cases wasnt allowed any more?

Either way, drainage is priority. We have sand and carpet fibre and 18 months in its still perfect. Try to look at work of people in your area - where are you based?

My rubber & gravel surface has been down for 10+ years and hasn't "dried out" in the slightest. Apart from a weekly drag and a top up about 6 years ago I haven't done a thing to it.

 

[blitznbobs]

The devil is generally in the detail.
Drainage is paramount.
Type/quality of sand
Ratios of sand to the additional surface
Regularity of maintenance

I’ve ridden on good and bad examples of all of the above.

I’d say my over-riding preference is a lightly waxed sand mixed with a fibre and well maintained - but these are generally very expensive competitive surfaces and infeasible for the majority of home arenas.

On the whole, the best performing home arenas have been a sand and rubber mix.

Sand and rubber is superb and what I have at home BUT most planning authorities won’t allow a new surface with rubber so if it’s not rubber already it’s not an option

 

[Time for Tea]

I have sand and rubber. Works well with very little maintenance. Even this winter it has been fit to ride. Ensure the drainage is good.

I have the same, small chopped rubber, not the big flat pieces. I hardly ever do anything with to it, it always rides really well. It’s got good drainage. You can jump up to about 90cm, it’s not really good enough for big jumping. Very hard wearing.

 

[JPG]

Sand/rubber mix seems to be the hot favourite. Will investigate locally and chat to a few people before deciding but thanks again for the feedback.