Pure sand as an outdoor school surface

Ahrena

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Looked at a yard today with an outdoor sandschool.

Just wanted some opinions on that as a surface?
 

milliepops

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the ones I've known have been very firm after rain, and like sand dunes if they get too dry. Depends on the type of sand and how it's managed though. Did you get a change to have a good look at it?
 

Ahrena

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I walked on it and it felt mostly firm but a bit squishy in parts. It's hard to judge what it would look like after use as it hasn't been used for a while. It had a bit of surface water in places today (v slight amount), it's been peeing down all day

I'm not sure what kind of sand it is, I didn't think to ask but there were like...multicoloured grains in it if that makes sense?


The school where I am now gets v wet and deep so it doesn't necesasarily need to be perfect I just don't want to go and find it's worse!
 

milliepops

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Unless there is really bad puddles then a bit of surface water might not be a problem, as long as it was firm underneath...

Dry sand dunes really would do my head in though, I can't stand a too-soft surface. do they have a roller? I think you need to ask them what it rides like when it's really wet or dry /ask other liveries tbh :)
 

Oscar

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There are loads of types of sand, and there are then different grades within those types!! The best is multi washed silica sand, all the muck is washed away leaving just pure sand that is multi sided so it knits together, I'd prefer a firmer sand to a deep sand personally as long as there was some give in it.
 

Fiona

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We have sand on our arena at home, and its fine for private use. We have v coarse sand which drains well, and only puddles for an hour or so after heavy rain.

Gets dusty after prolonged 2 week dry spell though.

Is it a big livery yard, because it would need leveled quite regularly if commercial use as the corners 'move' more than in an arena with sand plus additive.

Fiona
 
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