Help - rubber arena riding deep

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Sophie2016

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I am on an almost perfect yard which I appreciate is a very rare thing and absolutely don't want to move. The only thing is the arena. It is a rubber/sand mix and is really deep and uneven, particularly now after very little rain for months. The horses are stumbling, tripping etc. A new surface is not an option but YO is happy for the liveries to do some maintenance. I just wondered if anyone can advise how we can improve the surface. It has all banked up along tracks and in the corners so pulling this in will be a start. I think we might be able to access a harrow and roller but hoping someone has any suggestions on where to start and what regular maintenance we can do?
 
pull all the sides in
harrow
re pull them in and barrow rubber around if you need to even out coverage
harrow
roll

make sure the sides get pulled in and harrowed weekly, rolled afterwards if it needs compacting.
 
I had the same problem with mine after years of not being raked enough. If you dig down through the rubber, do you find compacted sand at the bottom? If so, it's hard to harrow it hard enough to break up and mix the sand. We hired a mini digger and moved the rubber from one end to the other so that we could then harrow some of that sand, then reversed it for the other end. Then harrowed and harrowed and harrowed. My OH still thinks we should add some more sand (which would be a few hundred £) which might also be helpful.
 
Abacus said:
I had the same problem with mine after years of not being raked enough. If you dig down through the rubber, do you find compacted sand at the bottom? If so, it's hard to harrow it hard enough to break up and mix the sand. We hired a mini digger and moved the rubber from one end to the other so that we could then harrow some of that sand, then reversed it for the other end. Then harrowed and harrowed and harrowed. My OH still thinks we should add some more sand (which would be a few hundred £) which might also be helpful.
Click to expand...
I haven't dug down yet but some areas seem to have sand at the top and very little rubber and others seem to be mostly rubber. I will have a look tonight. Thanks for this, really helpful 😊
 
Any surface in this weather will need a good soaking with a bowser.

It will stop the issue with dust and it will improve the stability of the surface and consistency by preventing the arena surface from separating.

My partner says an arena surface is only as good as the equipment you have to hand and the knowledge of what equipment to use and when.

He should know, he was head groundsman for 20 years of a very large equestrian competition facility that hosted a number of prestigious events and big names.
 
Using drinking water to irrigate a riding arena in a prolonged dry spell is morally dubious at best, and if drought orders are in place would quite rightly be illegal.

An arenamate type 1 arena leveller is spendy but will do a much better job of levelling a sand and rubber arena than a gate - I started out using a gate but soon upgraded. Hopefully the yard can be persuaded that a purchase of such a leveller is worth it to keep the liveries happy.

I tow mine behind a SORN’d 4x4. The arenamate is easy to hitch up and use. Mine was delivered and demonstrated on my home arena before I paid for it.

arenamate.co.uk

ArenaMate Leveller Type 1 | ArenaMate®

The original ArenaMate® leveller. Equipped with finger tines, a large back blade and integral gate, your arena will be rider ready in no time! Ideal for loose/fluid-moving surfaces such as sand or rubber crumb.
arenamate.co.uk arenamate.co.uk
 
All Silica Sand and Rubber surfaces will ride deeper in this weather unfortunately. Prolonged dry spells cause loss of compaction in the sand. As mentioned, level the entire area to achieve a uniform depth across the arena. You will then find it much easier to harrow on a weekly basis. You can be quite brutal with the surface and don't worry about the rubber disappearing into the sand. It will pop back up after a combination of rain and that natural phenomenon known as 'The Brazil Nut Effect'
 
Cheslea2010 said:
All Silica Sand and Rubber surfaces will ride deeper in this weather unfortunately. Prolonged dry spells cause loss of compaction in the sand. As mentioned, level the entire area to achieve a uniform depth across the arena. You will then find it much easier to harrow on a weekly basis. You can be quite brutal with the surface and don't worry about the rubber disappearing into the sand. It will pop back up after a combination of rain and that natural phenomenon known as 'The Brazil Nut Effect'
Click to expand...
Thank you 😊
 
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