Flexiride for low use arena

[LynH]

I'm having a 20x40m arena built at home. We are having the drainage etc done professionally and I am thinking of having Flexiride on top of sand.

Has anyone who has a Flexiride surface only have a couple of horses using it so low use? I have seen it down on a large yard which has 15-30 horses on it a day. I'm wondering how long Flexiride takes to settle and bed in with only 2-3 horses on it.

Also I've only seen Flexiride in winter so nice and wet. How is it in summer? Does it need watering at all?

Thanks.

 

[CBFan]

There are only 4 horses at my yard. and only 2 horses using the arena on a regular basis - one every day and one 4 times a week. The surface is great. Only had it installed at the end of last summer but no, it didn't need watering. Fantastic surface - was ridable at -5 degrees C too One of the best surfaces I've ever riden on and easy to maintain too

 

[LynH]

Thanks CBFan.
The surface I saw yesterday has been harrowed alot so the surface is well mixed in with the sand but Equestrian Direct say it should sit on top of the sand rather than mix. Does yours sit on top or do you harrow yours in too?

 

[CBFan]

Ours isn't harrowed at present as we don't have the machienery to do it but it should in theory mix in with the sand to a certain extent - ours has done with use

 

[sop366]

Be very careful with flexi ride - we had it installed and had huge problems with shredded metal contaminating the surface. It is a recycled product and there is no quality control by equestrian direct- no matter what they claim. It took nearly a year of stress and hassle with the company to resolve and get a safe and useable surface. Based on my experience - avoid it it's not worth the risk or hassle.

 

[LynH]

Thanks for the warning. When did you get your surface?

 

[sop366]

Installed sept 2011- only got resolved sept 2012!

 

[LynH]

Eek! What would you have gone for instead? I'm really struggling to find a low maintenance surface that will suit a low use private arena which will be used mainly for dressage. I need something that doesn't need watering as we are on a water meter and in an area that apart from last year has regular hose pipe bans.
Any ideas welcome.

 

[MadJ]

I have flexiride on top of silica sand. Max 4 horses a day use it and I'm very pleased with it. It's been down 4 years now and performs consistently all year round. I use it mainly for dressage and lunging.
I have a light harrow I run over it occasionally, as I'm really anal about maintenance, but doesn't really need doing most of the time.

 

[loopylucifer]

love our flexi ride surface we are a big yard with high useage but would use it were possaible. Very low maintaince ours does sit on top of the sand mostly great in frozen weather and snow. Only problem with it is harrowing it is a nightmare as the harrow we have is for the other two sand and rubber schools in the flexiride school you have to watch you dont plough it!

 

[EQUISCENE]

I topped up my sand/rubber chip surface with 9 tonnes of Flexiride at the beginning of December, it took some spreading to be honest as I did a lot of it by hand as the leveller just dragged it around. I only have one horse in work, its a brilliant surface and I am very happy to report it doesnt freeze and it was -10 degrees here this morning!

 

[LynH]

Thanks for all your replies. The contractors are scheduled to start on Monday if the weather is ok. I've decided on Flexiride as it seems the most suitable for my needs, in my price range.

 

[I_A_P]

I would be interested in any other replies as I have been thinking about adding this to my arena x

 

[Lickety-Split]

I have a Flexiride surface at home, it seems to be more hard wearing than the local wood chippings we have used in the past in our arena.
It took a couple of months to bed down with only a few horses using it but it works really well and is really low maintenance. In weather like this it doesn't blow about nor freeze which is brilliant!

 

[LynH]

I_A_P I rang Equestrian Direct and asked if there was an arena with Flexiride in that I could go and see. They arranged this for me and it really helped. I was offered to take my horse with me to try it out for myself but a close friend had already ridden on it several times so I was happy just watching how it rode. It's definitely worth going to see it in situ and to chat with someone who uses it and not just a salesperson. I also searched it here and on other forums and it had by far the fewest negative responses.

 

[I_A_P]

Thank you, I have ridden on one a neighbour has but they don't use it as much as I would so am interested on what people think. Must admit I did like it when I went to see it. Have been looking at this and clopf but do wonder if this would be a better option. X

 

[rowy]

We have it and only use it 3 times a day at maximum.
It is fab! We haven't even had to grade it yet- the sand doesnt move underneath th only thing you have to do fairly often is rake the surface from around the edge of the arena as it blows.
Not dusty at all in the summer
Does not freeze in the winter.
The only other annoying thing is poo is mega hard to pick off of it without taking half the surface.

 

[Lulup]

What sort of price bracket does it fall into? I am looking or a suitable surface to put on top of my ancient silica sand - it's a 40x20 school - rough ball park figure?

I have emailed for a quote but not received it yet and I have no idea if it is right out of reach or within the realms of possibility!

 

[LynH]

My quote for a 20x40m arena, layer on top of silica sand with delivery to Surrey was £1,700 for the Flexiride. If someone else local to me orders some at the same time mine is delivered (5 weeks from now depending on weather) will reduce the delivery so £1,450.
As a comparison Clopf was £750 plus delivery but needs watering through summer so being on a water meter makes it more expensive, Combiride was just over £2,500, I can't remember if that includes delivery. All of these didn't include mixing it in with sand. Flexiride needs to be spread on top which they can do for £500 but Clopf and Combiride need to be rotated thoroughly into the sand which cost significantly more.

 

[jemoonjazzman]

My quote for a 20x40m arena, layer on top of silica sand with delivery to Surrey was £1,700 for the Flexiride. If someone else local to me orders some at the same time mine is delivered (5 weeks from now depending on weather) will reduce the delivery so £1,450.
As a comparison Clopf was £750 plus delivery but needs watering through summer so being on a water meter makes it more expensive, Combiride was just over £2,500, I can't remember if that includes delivery. All of these didn't include mixing it in with sand. Flexiride needs to be spread on top which they can do for £500 but Clopf and Combiride need to be rotated thoroughly into the sand which cost significantly more.

\

Hi,

I hope you don't mind me asking, what depth of surface was that for? And did that include VAT?
And do you know how many loads that was for?

My quote was a lot more (althought for 20m x 60m) so just trying to work out the considerable difference!

Thanks

 

[LynH]

It was for a thin layer over the top of sand rather than just Flexiride on it's own. There is enough Flexiride to completely cover the sand and it packs flat with use keeping the sand wet in summer.
I ended up paying £1450 inc vat as they did a shared load. It's delivered in a wagon and drag. They did have to leave the second container up the road as they couldn't fit it through my gate. It's basically one container load for a top layer of a 20x40 arena.
The extra cost for delivery may be due to location and if the quote is substantially more it may be for a Flexiride only surface which doesn't need the sand layer underneath.
From my experience may sure that the sand layer is well compacted and wet before putting the Flexiride down. The sand needs a good 2-4" rain/water to compact and then the Flexiride sits on top nicely. I've had mine since February and hardly need to harrow it at all. Very pleased with it.

 

[Spottyappy]

Just resurrecting this thread to see if any of the satisfied parties are still happy 2 years or so on.
I'm debating which surface to go with, and flexiride / with/without sand is one that's at the top of my favoured surfaces at the moment.
Anyone else who has an opinion, please feel free to voice it too!
At the moment. It seems my top choices are flexiride and combi-ride.
Thanks!

 

[Shamrock123]

We put down a flexi ride surface 2years ago in June, funnily enough OH & I discussed yesterday how happy we are with it. We have a compact sand base topped with a few inches of flexi ride and it really is easy to maintain.The carpet is gradually mixing in with the top layer of the sand though, which is to be expected.
Apart from raking in the sides we do very little with it, roll it every month or so taking advantage of wet weather which helps. Will be interested to hear how others are getting on too

 

[Polos Mum]

I've just bought Pasada (the old fashioned plastic mix) my flexirde quote was very expensive (maybe my location?) and I was worried about wind in my specific location - so I've gone with what was there already - so I know it will last !
I know lots of happy people with flexiride but my quote was £5k vs the under £1500 I've paid for the pasada

 

[katherine1975]

We have Flexiride on top of sand and love it. Just wondering what those of you with Flexiride use to level your schools? I have been raking by hand but am looking into getting a leveller.