Arena Surfaces

[lucy_108]

We have planning for a 20x40 arena and I am pulling my hair out trying to decide on a surface. We have a healthy budget for the surface but can’t afford a premix from Martin Collins or similar (as much as I’d love to).

I know that I will be using silica sand but I’m torn between some type of fibre as well, or some form of rubber, so I’m looking for opinions. Here are some additional things that may be useful to know:

- we are in east central Scotland so I’d like something from the North of England one scotland so I’m not paying through the nose for haulage (unless it’s a blanket delivery fee)
- the arena is on a hill, it will be subjected to wind, rain, snow and freezing temperature so needs to be durable.
- I’m not too worried about freezing - i give my horses a holiday December-end of Jan as the weather here is usually so crap then.
- no access for an artic lorry.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Muddywellies]

Will your planning department allow rubber? Mine completely refused it due to the damage it causes to the environment, and no way if disposing of it once its come to the end of its life. (just don't ask me what I went for in the end ?). I'd go for sand and fibre if I was doing it again.

 

[soloequestrian]

I have sharp sand from a local quarry (Brechin) and a friend along the road has expensive silica sand. We both have carpet fibre on top and as far as I can see the two arenas ride the same. Apparently carpet fibre on its own is getting more popular so that might be worth looking at.

 

[Translationsneeded1]

I have carpet from valley equestrian. It’s basically the same as Martin Collins (they supply them). I have silica sand. It does freeze occasionally tho

 

[ycbm]

If you do decide on rubber I would go for tyre not seals, I found seals slippy to ride on and they stained white legs black.

.

 

[Melody Grey]

I can’t say I have any experience of carpet fibre but I’ve ridden on quite a few tyre rubber and sand mixes and they’ve all been fabulous. Would rubber be longer lasting? I’m wondering whether carpet fibre would break down?

 

[ycbm]

I can’t say I have any experience of carpet fibre but I’ve ridden on quite a few tyre rubber and sand mixes and they’ve all been fabulous. Would rubber be longer lasting? I’m wondering whether carpet fibre would break down?

I've seen carpet fibre on a huge arena at an equestrian centre turn to dust (and mostly blow away) in the space of about 5 years. I don't quite trust it after seeing that.

 

[rider74]

Carpet fibres are being banned as riding surfaces by The Environment Agency from 17th June. It’s because of what carpets are made off. ALL carpets used for riding surfaces are made out of plastics...acrylic, polyester, polypropylene etc etc. Thanks to David Attenborough, we are trying to cut down on plastic waste and pollution in our waterways. The Environment Agency has withdraw acceptance of carpet fibres due to pollution. All arenas and gallops have drainage underneath so all the plastic fibres are being washed down into the watercourses and boreholes. Not good for horses and riders to breath plastic microfibres in as they get very dusty in the Summer. Why on earth it was sold in the first place beats me, it was very obvious from the start it was going to be an environmental problem. This is the link to The Environment Agency withdrawal....from 17th June

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...d-waste-carpet-in-equestrian-surfaces-lrwp-43

 

[Muddywellies]

Carpet fibres are being banned as riding surfaces by The Environment Agency from 17th June. It’s because of what carpets are made off. ALL carpets used for riding surfaces are made out of plastics...acrylic, polyester, polypropylene etc etc. Thanks to David Attenborough, we are trying to cut down on plastic waste and pollution in our waterways. The Environment Agency has withdraw acceptance of carpet fibres due to pollution. All arenas and gallops have drainage underneath so all the plastic fibres are being washed down into the watercourses and boreholes. Not good for horses and riders to breath plastic microfibres in as they get very dusty in the Summer. Why on earth it was sold in the first place beats me, it was very obvious from the start it was going to be an environmental problem. This is the link to The Environment Agency withdrawal....from 17th June

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...d-waste-carpet-in-equestrian-surfaces-lrwp-43

Wish they would ban rubber too. The chemicals that are released from the rubber into the surrounding land and water table is quite shocking.

 

[ycbm]

Carpet fibres are being banned as riding surfaces by The Environment Agency from 17th June. It’s because of what carpets are made off. ALL carpets used for riding surfaces are made out of plastics...acrylic, polyester, polypropylene etc etc. Thanks to David Attenborough, we are trying to cut down on plastic waste and pollution in our waterways. The Environment Agency has withdraw acceptance of carpet fibres due to pollution. All arenas and gallops have drainage underneath so all the plastic fibres are being washed down into the watercourses and boreholes. Not good for horses and riders to breath plastic microfibres in as they get very dusty in the Summer. Why on earth it was sold in the first place beats me, it was very obvious from the start it was going to be an environmental problem. This is the link to The Environment Agency withdrawal....from 17th June

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...d-waste-carpet-in-equestrian-surfaces-lrwp-43

My answer to this post you put on another thread

Riding arenas do not generally drain into water courses, they soak away onto surrounding and underlying land and almost never into a borehole, that would be absolutely illegal.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Carpet fibres are being banned as riding surfaces by The Environment Agency from 17th June.

Please don’t spam the forum with false information.

From the quote you gave:-

Conditions you must comply with
You can only use or store up to 1,000 tonnes of shredded waste carpet at any one time.

No arena will have 1000 tonnes of shredded carpet.

Going forward, it may be more difficult to get PP for shredded carpet, but no one needs to be ripping up existing surfaces.

 

[Muddywellies]

My answer to this post you put on another thread

Tell my local council that. They flatly refused to let us to put a rubber surface on our new arena, for the reasons above. After my own research, I now fully agree. In addition to the above, when the rubber surface is old, broken down, and needs replacing, it's nigh on impossible to dispose of.

 

[Hallo2012]

do silica sand with X ride on top.

frost resistant drains well, low maintenance.

mine is silica sand and cheap carpet fibre which i had down before all the trouble with metal contamination....when i need a top up i will use X ride.

 

[ycbm]

Tell my local council that. They flatly refused to let us to put a rubber surface on our new arena, for the reasons above. After my own research, I now fully agree. In addition to the above, when the rubber surface is old, broken down, and needs replacing, it's nigh on impossible to dispose of.

That does not make what i wrote wrong? Most arenas will not drain into a water course with rubber or carpet on because planning consent would be refused, as yours was, if it would. Most arenas don't drain to a water course anyway, they soak away beneath it and into the surrounding soil.

I have never seen an old rubber surface on an arena that needs replacing. I've known people want a replacement, but never because the rubber has broken down.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The rubber that is used for arena surfaces is already a waste product, being old tyres, so it would have had to be disposed of ‘somewhere’ even it hadn’t ended up on an arena surface.

Back in 2011, when I got PP for a sand and rubber surface without any problems, it was considered a good thing to use such a waste product in a useful way.

 

[Muddywellies]

We have planning for a 20x40 arena and I am pulling my hair out trying to decide on a surface. We have a healthy budget for the surface but can’t afford a premix from Martin Collins or similar (as much as I’d love to).

I know that I will be using silica sand but I’m torn between some type of fibre as well, or some form of rubber, so I’m looking for opinions. Here are some additional things that may be useful to know:

- we are in east central Scotland so I’d like something from the North of England one scotland so I’m not paying through the nose for haulage (unless it’s a blanket delivery fee)
- the arena is on a hill, it will be subjected to wind, rain, snow and freezing temperature so needs to be durable.
- I’m not too worried about freezing - i give my horses a holiday December-end of Jan as the weather here is usually so crap then.
- no access for an artic lorry.

Any help would be appreciated!

This company sells woodchip which really doesn't work too well as an arena, however, this very informative document which they published outlines problems with carpet fibre and rubber surfaces.

https://www.ransfords.co.uk/wp-cont...trian-surface-you-should-read-this-first..pdf

 

[Tiddlypom]

Woodfibre is crap as an arena surface (it breaks down, it’s slippery), so I’m sorry but I wouldn’t take any notice of anything that a wood fibre arena surface seller says.

 

[rider74]

Thanks muddywellies (and aren’t they just at the moment!). Will have a look at Ransfords. We farm organically so are just so aware of what we put on our land. I do want an arena - eventually.

 

[Muddywellies]

Woodfibre is crap as an arena surface (it breaks down, it’s slippery), so I’m sorry but I wouldn’t take any notice of anything that a wood fibre arena surface seller says.

Oh my goodness, they have researched and published a document. There's plenty more information online as to the issues with rubber surfaces. Indeed, wood chip arenas really don't work, but their information in this document is accurate.

 

[Muddywellies]

Thanks muddywellies (and aren’t they just at the moment!). Will have a look at Ransfords. We farm organically so are just so aware of what we put on our land. I do want an arena - eventually.

I wouldnt recommended wood chip as a riding arena surface. But I would suggest you fully research the problems with laying tonnes of rubber on your land.

 

[rider74]

Ransfords woodfibre arenas have excellent feedback from customers online. Will contact them. Thank you.

 

[ycbm]

It's a shame you have blocked me for telling you, correctly and politely, that you were incorrect about the legalities of carpet fibre, but for the sake of other readers of this thread I will explain my experience of 45 years of riding on wood chip.

I have never seen an external wood chip surface last for more than a few years before breaking down and blocking drains, and I've seen quite a few because when I started riding it was that, ash, or sand. It's cheap to install and very expensive to renovate after it's quickly gone bad.

 

[Muddywellies]

Ransfords woodfibre arenas have excellent feedback from customers online. Will contact them. Thank you.

I constructed an arena with woodchip a few years ago but it really wasn't successful and I wouldnt use woodchip again. Whilst it is probably one of the best surfaces in terms of the environment, they really don't work well as serious riding arenas. By far the best surfaces are sand based (though do need fully researching to get it right)

 

[rider74]

Thanks. I’ll do my research. I’m just reading the different online reviews and Ransfords woodfibre has got brilliant arena and turnout reviews. Honestly, I was giving up. Farming organically there is no way I am having rubber or carpet plastic fibres here. Thank you again.

 

[sport horse]

Woodchip is a disaster area - strangely enough the woodchip rots after a few years. We have a silica sand and rubber (tyres) - it has been down over 20 years and none of the rubber has degraded in that time. It has never been topped p with either rubber or sand. It only freezes if we have a lot of rain followed immediately by a hard frost. Great surface, needs minimal maintenance and provides a secure footing.

 

[sport horse]

Thanks. I’ll do my research. I’m just reading the different online reviews and Ransfords woodfibre has got brilliant arena and turnout reviews. Honestly, I was giving up. Farming organically there is no way I am having rubber or carpet plastic fibres here. Thank you again.

In that case I think that the only surface will be sand and to keep it very well watered at all times - the French use this at a lot of show centres and it is virtually flooded overnight every night.

Also avoid waxed surfaces - lots of evidence of joint and soft tissue damage.

 

[ycbm]

In that case I think that the only surface will be sand and to keep it very well watered at all times - the French use this at a lot of show centres and it is virtually flooded overnight every night.

Also avoid waxed surfaces - lots of evidence of joint and soft tissue damage.

He won't want to use wax because its a petroleum based product. I wouldn't ride on it every day but I like riding on waxed surfaces much more than deep or uneven ones. I'm not sure the evidence is that clear cut, am I out of date?

 

[sport horse]

He won't want to use wax because its a petroleum based product. I wouldn't ride on it every day but I like riding on waxed surfaces much more than deep or uneven ones. I'm not sure the evidence is that clear cut, am I out of date?

You are out of date to the extent that the show jumping fraternity actively avoid centres that have waxed surfaces - too much evidence of suspensory damage amongst others. However as OP will not want to use it and they are pretty expensive for a private arena it is probably irrelevant!

 

[rider74]

Thanks sportshorse. I just can’t do synthetic rubber...there are so many toxic chemicals in it (we farm organically) and carbon black which is the black in rubber is a known carciogen. I would suggest anyone researches all this. The chemicals in rubber (13 nasty ones) are residues from the petro chemical industry and used as synthetic rubber softeners in natural rubber (which is white from the tree and sets solid like concrete). Honestly, I have done so much research into this. I was giving up hope of a non toxic riding surface. I won’t use slug pellets, sprays nothing. Our garden and huge veg garden - an acre - makes us totally self sufficient all year round with veg . The wild pheasants (generally about 38 each morning - husband counts them!) pick off the slugs. Natural defenders. Nature always finds its level if left alone. Don’t think we are hippies, we are not. I just want to leave our land without chemicals.

 

[quizzie]

Please avoid a wood chip surface...we had a family fatality as a direct result of the shifting slippery surface.....