Educate me on arena surfaces

[Jnhuk]

What do folks recommend but please be aware that I don't have unlimited funds to spend on new arena.

Have been to see an outdoor arena built by the chap we are thinking of using. It had washed silica sand and stablising fibres (looked like shredding carpet bits tbh). The folks were very happy with it and great surface once settled and using a proper arena grader made a difference.

I certainly do not want wood chip or wood fibre and not certain if want/need rubber.

Many thanks

 

[Slightly Foxed]

I have silica sand with fibre - Clopf, it's brilliant to ride on but does freeze a bit if conditions are such. Using rubber may be subject to local planning restrictions as it's a nasty waste product. Its advantage though is it tends not to freeze.

 

[stencilface]

We have silica sand and carpet fibre, I think it's fab. It does freeze if temps drop very low but it's great to ride on.

Carpet fibre we got direct from Valley Equestrian (they sell it as clopf to big company arena builders)

It took a while to settle (the sand) it needed a good dousing of rain, and the fibre was rotovated in 3 times and it's very stable.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Carpet fibre certainly seems to be gaining popularity. I spoke to the company last week and it seems a lot of trainers are galloping on it.

 

[Asha]

I have silica sand with fibre - Clopf, it's brilliant to ride on but does freeze a bit if conditions are such. Using rubber may be subject to local planning restrictions as it's a nasty waste product. Its advantage though is it tends not to freeze.

This is what we have, it's fab. I don't care that it freezes, as I don't ride when it's below zero anyway ! I did a bit of research into it when looking for a surface. It was explained to me that the aim is to have a surface that replicates soil, there the fibres in the clopf types is like the roots of the grass and helps provide a stable footing . Rubber tends to sit on top and can move , hence not as stable. Having mine now for nearly 2 years, it's still as good as the day it was put in, in fact it's better ! Echo what others have said the right grader is a must. Keeps the fibres in, otherwise they do come to the top.

 

[soloequestrian]

I have sharp sand with carpet fibre and love it. I don't grade it as such, just rake in the track a couple of times a year (only used by me so probably around 4 hours per week on average across the year).

 

[stencilface]

We harrow ours every couple of weeks (although we need a new harrow!) And it keeps it perfect. When it's frozen I just do some work in hand, but I think if we had more carpet it might not freezer as much?

Like others we spent ages choosing, and visited Valley Equestrian to see it being made and visited a couple of sites to see it in situ (although our arena is far better than those imho!!) I think buying clopf as a branded product the price is about double than what it is direct.

Ours does feel like riding on a good grassed surface, some give bit otherwise very firm

 

[ycbm]

I have sharp sand with carpet fibre and love it. I don't grade it as such, just rake in the track a couple of times a year (only used by me so probably around 4 hours per week on average across the year).

Are you sure about the sharp sand? Sharp sand I've seen used in other work sets like concrete under foot. Most arenas are built with equestrian grade silica sand?

 

[Slightly Foxed]

We harrow our sand and fibre surface every couple of weeks too. It's seven years old now and still as good as new, well, as someone else has said, better really as it's settled.

 

[Jnhuk]

Fab thanks!

To those who harrow their surfaces - what sort of harrow do you use? We have a tyne harrow which we use for our fields but didn't think it would be suitable for in arena

 

[Spottyappy]

I have flexiride. It's just over a year old, and I have been pleased with it. It doesn't freeze unless temperatures drop to minu 10 or lower. The sand, however does, in anywhere that it's exposed.
I was not allowed rubber in my planning.
I have both a Harrow and a logic surface grader.
I use both, the Harrow is a small 4' one but turned upside down as otherwise the spikes would tear the lining of the area. TBH, the Harrow does as good a job as the grader except it doesn't level the track. You can do that by hand, the Harrow if you don't want to get a grader. If I use the Harrow, I will sometimes roll it as that also levels it, and my roller is a garden 4' one so doesnt compress the surface too much which a big agricultural one may do.

 

[stencilface]

Fab thanks!

To those who harrow their surfaces - what sort of harrow do you use? We have a tyne harrow which we use for our fields but didn't think it would be suitable for in arena

The harrow that worked well for us was a tine one I think, it had active, passive or flat ways of pulling it.

 

[Merlod]

I have pegasus agility (silica sand & carpet fibre) it was one of their cheaper surface options. It can freeze with heavy frosts but seems to defrost quickly in the sunshine. I love it, rides really well but you do need to give it time to settle and harrow regularly (I harrow with an arena mate type 1 leveller, again the cheapest but does the job!). I chose it over rubber because the local arena I used to hire with sand and rubber always rode really deep. Much prefer my surface!

 

[neddy man]

Fab thanks!

To those who harrow their surfaces - what sort of harrow do you use? We have a tyne harrow which we use for our fields but didn't think it would be suitable for in arena

as said in spots reply, turn the harrow over (points facing upwards) you will then have a less severe harrow.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have silica sand rubber and fibre it's a very rubber rich surface .
It's extremely good in very cold weather the weather has to be very extreme for it to freeze .

 

[lizziebell]

The key to a good arena is to ensure you have the best possible drainage. If you are not going down the waxed surface route then you need to accept that any surface which retains moisture so it doesn't dry out in hot weather will therefore have some degree of freezing in the winter.

 

[LinzyD]

Ooh, interesting, Goldenstar... I've had a silica sand and rubber surface for 4 years and it's been great, but now that I'm asking more of the ponies and working at higher levels, I'm worried about the risk of injury as it doesn't support them as well as the fibre surfaces that I ride on elsewhere. Goldenstar, how firm is your sand-rubber-fibre and what sort of proportion of rubber to fibre does it have? Was it a pre-mixed product, or did you lay and mix it? I am wondering whether reducing the rubber and adding fibre/clopf would give me something more stable but still with some resistance to freezing?

 

[TGM]

We have a sand and carpet fibre arena and love it. It is a nice surface to ride and jump on and easy to maintain and doesn't stain the horses' legs! It isn't as frost-resistant as rubber but we are in a mild area and the arena is in sun all day, so even if it is frozen in the morning it is usable in the afternoon.

 

[hobo]

Good post I am looking at putting in an arena this year so this is very helpful.

 

[Tronk]

We put in a fibresand and rubberchip arena last year and I'm thrilled with it. It doesn't freeze (only tested so far to -5 though!) which has been a godsend this winter- a v much longed for luxury to be able to ride in freezing conditions
We made our own harrow/grader that does a fab job.

 

[Fruitcake]

I have Flexiride with no sand. It seemed really deep at first although it doesn't ride deep at all, just feels very bouncy and odd until you're used to it. It drains really well (never floods or gets boggy), doesn't blow (which was important as we live in the windiest place in the world, I think!) and doesn't freeze (except one freak time when there was a dusting of snow and frost over the top which made it ball up like snowballs). It was also really reasonably priced.

Really pleased with the surface although, IMO, you get what you pay for with regards to customer service with the company. Left a bit to be desired to be honest. That being said, I'm pleased with my choice and wouldn't change it.

 

[Goldenstar]

Ooh, interesting, Goldenstar... I've had a silica sand and rubber surface for 4 years and it's been great, but now that I'm asking more of the ponies and working at higher levels, I'm worried about the risk of injury as it doesn't support them as well as the fibre surfaces that I ride on elsewhere. Goldenstar, how firm is your sand-rubber-fibre and what sort of proportion of rubber to fibre does it have? Was it a pre-mixed product, or did you lay and mix it? I am wondering whether reducing the rubber and adding fibre/clopf would give me something more stable but still with some resistance to freezing?

We had the fibre added when we topped up with rubber after about ten years .
The contractors did it I don't really remember how I am sorry but they had all surface piled up in heaps and spread it all out again .
Do you roll your rubber /sand surface, occasionally rolling them helps .

 

[meesha]

I have Flexiride with no sand. It seemed really deep at first although it doesn't ride deep at all, just feels very bouncy and odd until you're used to it. It drains really well (never floods or gets boggy), doesn't blow (which was important as we live in the windiest place in the world, I think!) and doesn't freeze (except one freak time when there was a dusting of snow and frost over the top which made it ball up like snowballs). It was also really reasonably priced.

Really pleased with the surface although, IMO, you get what you pay for with regards to customer service with the company. Left a bit to be desired to be honest. That being said, I'm pleased with my choice and wouldn't change it.

Do u mind me asking what is under the flexiride, do you have a membrane? I am thinking of scrapping up my remaining woodfibre so there will be just membrane over the stone/drainage.

 

[TotalMadgeness]

I'm in the process of getting quotes for replacing an old woodchip surface on 20 x 40m outdoor arena. So have decided on fitting a non woven membrane over the existing hardcore base then 140 tonnes of silica sand stabilised with fibre. Once that's bedded down will top with rubber chips or chopped up car mats (about 20 tonnes)... At the moment I use a leveller I got off ebay which is fab. It has tines on one side but can be flipped over and used without. Has a sticky out arm thing for sorting out the track and corners.

 

[Slightly Foxed]

Fab thanks!

To those who harrow their surfaces - what sort of harrow do you use? We have a tyne harrow which we use for our fields but didn't think it would be suitable for in arena

I use a tine harrow on a 'light' setting, ie not too far into the ground, it does a great job, I also roll it. When I will the lottery I'll treat myself to an ArenaMate!

 

[Fruitcake]

Do u mind me asking what is under the flexiride, do you have a membrane? I am thinking of scrapping up my remaining woodfibre so there will be just membrane over the stone/drainage.

We had a debate over what to do regarding membrane / sand etc and did lots of research. In the end, we decided on no membrane. (Stone drainage layer- very deep. Can't remember exact depth but can check with OH) and then a 'blinding layer' of sharp sand to basically fill in the cracks between the stone- there's no depth to this. the Flexiride is then straight on top of this. (Again, can't remember depth but we went for the manufactuer's recommended depth for no sand base layer- 4 container loads). It means that there aren't any problems with torn membrane or membrane coming to the surface. Apparently, it's a new way to do it and we haven't had any problems so far.

 

[Sammie255111]

We had a new arena built last year. Our old surfacing was sand and it kept getting water logged

After loads of research we went with a full arena of flexi ride (no sand) and it's been absolutely brill! No puddles, doesn't freeze, very very low maintenance and doesn't hot up in the summer like rubber

 

[Sammie255111]

We had 6 inch of limestone with proper drains, membrane and full surfacing of Flexi Ride.

Wasn't cheap but very impressed with it.

It does ride deep for the first few months but once it beds down it's lovely

 

[ljohnsonsj]

We have a new arena with silica sand and fibre it rides beautifully. YO wants to put rubber on to stop freezing but I love the surface, hooves barely leave a mark and it gets harrowed every few days and it is lovely, rides really well.

 

[JoannaC]

Just put our planning in so hopefully will be building this Summer. Looks like sand and carpet fibre is the way to go. Do people buy them separately and put the sand on first followed by the fibre? My husband is in construction so should be able to source the silica sand through his work but not sure about the carpet fibre.