New topping on arena - how should it be laid?

[Princess P]

My livery yard has just got a load of new topping for the school - the base is sand and years ago it had rubber too but this has all disappeared over the years.

The new topping is like little bits of carpet / fabric / foam type material with fine sand mixed through it.

The non-horsey YO has spread the topping out on top of the sand.

Is that all you are supposed to do with a new topping? It is still really fluffy and deep, and I feel it would be better if it was rolled down and compacted - so the horse kind of bounced along on top of the surface rather than sinking in to it - but will get my head bitten off if I say anything so want to make sure I'm right first!

I know of a few people at different yards whose horses have had injuries caused by too much riding on dodgy surfaces, so am v paranoid about injuries!


Choccy biccies for all that read this!
x

 

[Rob Lakeside]

Firstly was the existing sand 150mm deep, if less then to top up to this amount is OK. As long as it was put down evenly all over.

With the current heat wave, fibre will be fluffy currently,so till the new sand/fibre is wet with winter rain you are limited to do much.

later in December with good rain look again, power harrow and roll in.

If with the new top it is deeper than 150mm problems you currently face will continue.
R

 

[Cluck]

150mm is almost 6 inches That is way too deep to ride on. I won't have more than 2.5 inches of footing in my arena on top of a proper base i.e. compacted limestone/stonedust.