New arena riding too deep. Any ideas?

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milliepup

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We had a new arena built in Feb this year and are having real issues with it riding too deep.
It is a sand, rubber and fibre mix and after approx 5 or 6 horses riding on it we have to level then roll. Not getting very far with company at moment as they didn't think it is too bad but if I said that if you do a canter strike off it leaves a hole approx 1 inch deep would you say that was ok? We seem to spend our entire life raking or leveling the school.
School well watered but fibres seem to sit on top after levelling and sand not binding to make a secure surface.
They have today after at least 4 visits said they would put rubber on top but I don't think this is right.
Any replies greatly appreciated.
 
hi raking wont do, at our yard we drive a 4by4 over it pulling a weighted metal pole, sometimes twice daily - and leave a hose on overnight to ensure a compacted surface, they are high maintenance!!
 
My friend's rubber and sand arena is the best I've ridden on. She followed the manufacturer's instructions to the book, and didn't ride on it for two months - they have to get rained on a lot to settle apparently - and its been quite a dry winter and spring/summer, so that won't help..
 
I suspect it is made with the incorrect sand. I had a new sand and rubber arena and I was able to ride on mine from day 1 and never had a problem with it tracking. I took a leveller over mine once a month at the most.
 
I think you can get the sand analysed to see if it's suitable for equestrian use and that might be a good place to start, then you can use that evidence to formally complain to the company, talk to Trading Standards, etc. If the sand is unsuitable, i doubt rubber will help. Sorry you're having problems, it's so frustrating!
 
milliepup said:
We had a new arena built in Feb this year and are having real issues with it riding too deep.
It is a sand, rubber and fibre mix and after approx 5 or 6 horses riding on it we have to level then roll. Not getting very far with company at moment as they didn't think it is too bad but if I said that if you do a canter strike off it leaves a hole approx 1 inch deep would you say that was ok? We seem to spend our entire life raking or leveling the school.
School well watered but fibres seem to sit on top after levelling and sand not binding to make a secure surface.
They have today after at least 4 visits said they would put rubber on top but I don't think this is right.
Any replies greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
my instructor has a mansfield sand and fiber surface its been down for many years with top ups I think it rides nicely i wouldent say a inch deep hoof print is a problem I think you have to compare it with what you have used in the past and what you like, main question is how do the horses go on it ??? there does seem to be a fashion for the hard sticky surfaces with little or no give at the moment which I hate and wonder about the horses joints..
 
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An inch is absolutely nothing! and perfectly normal, we have sand and rubber and it leaves a hoof hole of at least 5 inches in this dry weather. It's a nightmare till we get a lot of rain.
 
Show us some photo's and PM me the company's name and/or the surface brand name. Ours is barely moving but the dry weather is causing havoc with even the best! An inch is not that much more than an ideal imprint on a good surface. Any less 'give' and you might as well be on a road...
 
Sorry to hear of your problems!

When we had a new arena put down the company was fabulous-they actually showed us how to level/grade the arena & water it! Also we weren't allowed to jump on it for 2 months.

we have a quad and one of their specialist graders on the back-basically you spend no less than 60 mins DAILY doing not just up and down as most people do-but diagonally, zig zaggy and anything BUT up and down! That is the very very last thing you should do before leaving the arena.

We were all ok until a couple of deep/loose places happened and the arena company came out without ANY arguments and redid those area's. There is a 10 year guarantee on their work and to their credit they are brilliant!

1 inch does not sound that bad in the grand scheme of things-is this all over or just in certain 'areas'

As everyone says you do need some give in it otherwise what would be the point and sadly yes having an arena takes work and effort!

I do hope you get some answers soon from your company
 
My other half works at an equestrian centre and they have to water bowser their surfaces really well but then they need rolling. It is no good just harrowing, they need harrowing first then rolling in order to compress the surface.
 
Thx for all your replies but basically we have to level and roll after only approx 6 horses riding on it. An inch deep rut is when it has 1st been levelled and rolled! By about the 4th horse there are great big holes and horses are all being unbalanced and loosing footing/tripping.
This can be anywhere in the arena and not just patches.
Also we knew we had a vetting due so watered/levelled and rolled (concrete filled agricutural roller)the school reading for the vetting. No other horses went on it.
Horse was lunged for maximum of 10 mins in school at a trot and vet stopped it as he said school was too deep. There were actually mounds like mole hills appearing.
It really is frustrating and when company last came out they said they had never seen anything like it in the years they had constructed a school and would take a sand sample to test it. Now they say the sand is fine and we would have to purchase a power harrow to mix the sand and fibre again!
They were a reputable company and were so good at building it etc but now we don't seem to be getting anywhere.
Oh joy!
 
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