Flexride on coarse sand?

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Dunpony

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My arena has really coarse sand that rides deep. I've had opinions from from rip it out and start again to top it with flexride or similar.

Has anyone tried to stabilize this kind of sand? Did it work?

I'm considering mixing in fibres to the sand, leveling and compacting then topping with carpet similar to Flexride. Any opinions?
 
Hi. I have the same problem and wonder if you found a solution? I am thinking of adding masses of carpet fibre. Many thanks
 
I haven't sorted it yet but have decided to go with level and compact and add 6-8" carpet fibre and compact again. That's what the top gallops are. At least the coarse sand drains well!
 
6kg per sq m give 9" compacted down to 5". This is the shredded 2nd hand 'tuffed' carpet not the flexride type chunks. Talk to Roade fibre (ad in H&H) they do it loose on a lorry which makes it much easier to lay.
 
Instructions I received are: to compact existing wet sand, dump carpet, flatten tyre tracks from lorry, spread carpet with tracked machine - running only on carpet - until spread evenly then run up and down repeatedly with tracks or big roller. Water well throughout installation, ride and replace divots after every session until no longer necessary.
 
Sounds simple, as long as we forget how much we have to lay! Have you been able to talk to anyone who has successfully, or unsuccessfully!, done this with coarse sand?
 
Yes, i know what you mean! I'm wondering how you get an even layer when you're compressing some as you go?

I've not heard from anyone installing on coarse sand but have heard of successful installations straight onto a base, and have seen it mixed into failing rubber / sand (and rotting woodchip) arenas to good effect.
 
Will talk to roade fibre. Can I ask how you chose which fibre to use? I have been talking to Valley Equestrian who do a carpet fibre in bales. Suspect they are much the same thing. It is an interesting idea to lay it as a blanket on top rather than try and mix it in. Presumably it will need regular watering, and could it blow away in a heavy wind?
 
I chose roade fibre because they were the only co. willing to send a decent size sample!

It does blow a bit but most is still there and my arena isn't currently in use so it hasn't had any compaction or treading in. The idea is that it 'knits' together after some use and then is much more wind resistant.

I did look into dumping my sand and getting a silica and fibre mix but it has to stay wet to stay mixed and I didn't like the idea of all those expensive fibres blowing away if there's a dry summer and a hosepipe ban.

I sound like a rep! I don't have any connection, promise.
 
Just talked to roade fibres, and it certainly sounds like a good solution. Have you seen any of them actually in place and working? Sorry to use you as their rep!! S
 
No, I haven't seen any in use, however I did speak to a top of the range installer who suggested that a similar system (with their carpet fibre) should work and that's what they are using for all weather gallops and it's working very well there.

My rep skills are a bit suspect as I haven't actually got round to getting the surface yet so can't say how it actually is in practice :)
 
Great. Decision now is carpet fibre from Valley, or fibre from roade fibre. Suspect they may be the same?! Why is everything to do with horses so expensive!!
 
Hi France1 what did you decide in the end? How did it go? I didn't get sorted last year so I'm looking again!
 
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