Arena Surface Top Up Question

[sooty1]

I have a very good sand and pvc arena (the pvc sits on top sand underneath) but the PVC is starting to get a bit thin so arena feels a bit solid.

Need to top it up again but a bit fed up with watching PVC blow away when its windy. Thinking about perhaps a small rubber crumb, Belvoir does one called rubber fibre also seen another one called Equistride on internet.

Any body have experience of these or other options on the market.. It never rides deep just want it to feel softer and more springy not sure just fibre would mix right with the PVC layer, anybody have any experience of this as well?

 

[kerilli]

i think rubber crumb will blow away as well!
my arena's in a very windswept spot and a lot of my rubber (Springride shred, which never moved an inch at my last place) has blown away, i'm going to have to top it up with a totally different heavier type, i think. so, bear in mind the weight of the particles in your hand when you get samples...

 

[sooty1]

thanks for that Kerilli. they all say they won't blow away but yes there are those mornings when you see some of your arena spotted about the field.

spoken to man from Equistride they do one called Equimulch which he claims will do the job. anyone out there have experience of this? any other suggestions or products you have had good or bad experiences with please let me know.

 

[spark56]

Oh no, I hadn't come across Equistride etc, you've given me even more options to consider. I'm looking into one called equilok rubber/fibre, waiting for a sample to arrive at the moment and if it looks interesting I'll see if I can visit somewhere to see it in situ.

 

[Goldenstar]

My area is sand fibre and rubber it is quite large pieces and it's extremely windswept the rubber does not blow but I do find the fibre in the bushes below the school!

 

[jenz87]

Very interested in this too, looking to top up our existing rubber and silica sand arena and cant decide whether to have fibre or rubber as it is very windswept!

Could do with peoples cheapest product ideas

 

[kerilli]

My area is sand fibre and rubber it is quite large pieces and it's extremely windswept the rubber does not blow but I do find the fibre in the bushes below the school!

Goldenstar, which rubber is that, please? is it the big pieces of hard rubber? thanks.

 

[Goldenstar]

The bits are bigger than I see in other schools and quite hard but still squiggy if you understand what I mean they are about 4 to 5 cms long and slightly retangle shaped they do vary in size a bit there is none in the field below on the other side to the prevailing wind but it does come out in the tyres when you have levelled it.

 

[sooty1]

Equilok will have to check that one out as well.. their website is not very informative?!

 

[spark56]

Equilok will have to check that one out as well.. their website is not very informative?!

No, the website isn't great but then none of them seem to say very much - except that their surface is the answer to all your problems!

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

I have got Equimulch. It is like rubber shred.
Equistride is the rubber chunks.

Mine doesn't blow away and it is quite windy where we are. It covers very well as well.

I could take some pics if you like and I also have a few tonne of it bagged for when mine needs topping up.

It used to be a nice chap called Arnold that we dealt with direct and he used to ship it from Belgium where it was done. It used to be made from Aeroplane tyres as they have Kevlar in them.

I am very pleased with it. It has been down for years and is still very good.

Let me know if you want to know anything else.

 

[sooty1]

Mrs Wishkabibble I am Very interested in this where about in Lincolnshire are you. (I am from Sheffield, South Yorkshire) just wondering if a viewing may be possible.?

Was yours an old arena or a new arena when it was put down? if an old one how was it riding before the top layer was put on?

only downside is the man I spoken (at aspfase) to reckons I would need 2 loads to cover my arena (£££!) where as all others I have spoken to have reckoned one load for going on top of my existing PVC. + he did not quantify how much was in a load. still awaiting his email for confirmed costs and quantities to arrive.

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

Yes no worries. We are just outside Boston.
We put the arena down ourselves. Had a nightmare with the wrong sand first and now have Trackright with the Equimulch rubber on top. Rode ok before. Just wanted some "Oing" to it and also to stop it freezing in the winter. Rides lovely. Would have the same again if we ever moved

 

[spark56]

Having never heard of Equistride before yesterday, I then flick through the BD magazine and the word jumped out at me - apparently they use it at Sheepgate for the outdoor arenas.

 

[Lark]

We have Clopf in our arena and couldn't be happier with it and more importantly the horses work extremely well of it. It should mix very well with what you have already.
I actually have bags of rubber onsite but I haven't found the need to use it as yet.

We are very exposed and although I haven't seen an issue yet we will be putting galebreak on the arena fence to ensure that we don't loose to much.

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

Spark 56 - they use it on their indoor too. They are quite local to us.

 

[FollyFarmEC]

I currently have Clopf and it was the worst mistake I ever made, and Martin Collins customer service has been appalling about it, I am now in the process of arranging to have it removed, so you can buy my 2nd hand clopf if you like.

 

[glamourpuss]

FollyFarmEC I might be interested in your Clopf...could you PM me where you are, how much there is & how much you want for it? Thank you

 

[miller]

Ours is springride rubber chunks - virtually same as equistride at sheepgate - on silica sand. We are a couple of miles from kerilli south lincs fens and exposed, no issues with blowing away and IMHO rides much better than the strip style rubber both flat and jumping - chunks approx 25mm - we paid £65/tonne 6 years ago and not needed a top up yet

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

if you are in an exposed area you would do well to put up netting on the inside of the manege fence, to catch any flying shreds!!!! look on ebay under demolition netting not expensive to do, and will save you a fortune on your surface!!!!

 

[FollyFarmEC]

FollyFarmEC I might be interested in your Clopf...could you PM me where you are, how much there is & how much you want for it? Thank you

Well I have a 60x40m arena, but at the moment I couldn't sell as I have issues with Martin Collins, my advise glamourpuss is look for a different product and more importantly a different company.

 

[FollyFarmEC]

FollyFarmEC I might be interested in your Clopf...could you PM me where you are, how much there is & how much you want for it? Thank you

I am ready to sell this now, so will PM you

 

[TarrSteps]

Am I being naive? What about some sort of wind block fabric/snow fencing? Or is that too dangerous/ugly/cost prohibitive?

 

[VLHIEASTON]

Another option is Combi-ride, Mines actually being put down tomorrow.

I can let you know how that goes.

I'm on my third attempt trying to get the surface right on mine!

This will be my last time, any probs after this then I'm giving up.

Nothing but a money pit!

 

[FollyFarmEC]

Another option is Combi-ride, Mines actually being put down tomorrow.

I can let you know how that goes.

I'm on my third attempt trying to get the surface right on mine!

This will be my last time, any probs after this then I'm giving up.

Nothing but a money pit!

Good luck, I had Jonathan down from Combi-ride last night and we have a plan of action, I have good vibes from it all and cannot not wait to get a working surface.

 

[VLHIEASTON]

Folly...He seems a lovely guy and also seems very sincere at being able to help with the problem.
What has he suggested for you?

Time will tell.....

 

[FollyFarmEC]

Folly...He seems a lovely guy and also seems very sincere at being able to help with the problem.
What has he suggested for you?

Time will tell.....

Interestingly he has suggested what Martin Collins had suggested on their return visit after I made the complain, mix my sand with the correct sand to fill the gaps, but when the proper report came they had knocked back that idea and told me to buy a proper grader instead and of course they would offer me one of theirs full price..

anyway I am off again on my favour subject, I have strip the clopf out (thank god), bang in 60tns of silica sand and mix it up, then putting a load of the their pre-mixed fibre and silica sand in and top it up with their fibre.

Its a big change, but its because we need to be able to run dressage and show jumping comps to a good standard and with the clopf surface we haven't been able to even jump on never mind run any sort of comp..... I'm off again

The thing is, I feel the after sales support will be there this time, and that is what really really matters.

so will it be done by tonight or tomorrow?

 

[VLHIEASTON]

It will be done by tonight apparently.

I don't particulary like to be negative but, I'm not getting my hopes up because I don't want to be disappointed yet again.

I can let you know what I think to it!

For me, it needs to withstand jumping of heights up to 150 ish, so I guess pretty much like your's.

Like I say though, if this doesn't work for me then I'm walking away from it, I would have neither the inclination or money to do anything else whatsoever with it.

 

[FollyFarmEC]

It will be done by tonight apparently.

I don't particulary like to be negative but, I'm not getting my hopes up because I don't want to be disappointed yet again.

I can let you know what I think to it!

For me, it needs to withstand jumping of heights up to 150 ish, so I guess pretty much like your's.

Like I say though, if this doesn't work for me then I'm walking away from it, I would have neither the inclination or money to do anything else whatsoever with it.

So you will be testing it tonight then?

I dont blame you, hard to be positive after 2 failures.

yes, 150 and the ground will take some punishment

wish you the best of luck with it, let us know how you get on

 

[jess_asterix]

I have also had Combi-rude delivered this week and it's being put down next week so I shall report back!