Sand and carpet fibre arena - how do you level?

[soloequestrian]

I tried this in Stable Yard and got a grand total of zero replies - hopefully you peeps in here might be able to help?!
I have a sharp sand and carpet fibre mix arena - we've had the carpet fibre in for about a month now and it is great! Just to give them a plug, the fibre came from Brennan Keogh at Equicon, and it is really good quality and he was very helpful.
At the moment, I've been rolling it with the big field roller about once per week. I'd like to get set up with something smaller that doesn't rely on the tractor being at home - it would be good to be able to use the 4x4 instead. We have this idea of a smaller roller with some sort of comb-type harrow mounted in front, just fill in the hoofprints and squash it all at the same time.
Does anyone else have this type of arena, and what do you use to grade it?
Thanks in advance!

 

[cruzing]

The yard where i am has Sand and carpet arena, Martin Collins i think and they bought a special grader for it which mixes it back together and levels it.

 

[Batgirl]

Just in case you get no replies, I think Northallerton Equestrian Centre have this surface in their new arena, you could email them? (I am imagining a surface of sand and small chunks of carpet?)

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks for these - it is sand and fibres really - there are some very small chunks of recognisable carpet in it, but it's the fibres that do the stabilising job. I did get a sample from another company that had a lot of larger chunks of carpet in it, and it was hopeless - the chunks just laid on the surface and then blew away when it got windy!

 

[Rambo]

This sounds very similar to the surfaces that Towerlands used to have. Fron memory they had specific graders for tem which were like a tightly packed set of gears around a roller. They sort of 'fluff' the surface as well as rolling it.

I'm sure if you talk to the suppliers of your particular surface they can advise you.

 

[Rambo]

Actually....you got me curious...so i went googlin' !

U think these are what they used at Toweland :-

Http://www.equestriansurfaces.co.uk/maintenance.html

The Trackmaster

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks for this - I wish they would put the prices on the websites, Martin Collins is the same! I'm not sure I want to fluff the surface, although I suppose that might change with time..... I did ask Brennan, and he really just agreed that rolling was the best thing to do. I think he is more a supplier of the materials than an expert on the use of the surface! The reason he was particularly helpful was that he sent me some very large samples to make test patches in my arena, which was how I eventually chose what would work.

 

[lizziebell]

I have Sand and Martin Collins clopf and use a leveller from Mayfield Engineers. It has 2 rows of tines and a roller. Excellant value for money and very well made.

 

[BID]

I use a small set of chain harrows on my sand & carpet fibre surface which works brilliantly.

 

[cruzing]

http://www.mceltd.com/?page=surface_care

Hope this link worked. This is what they use where i am. The small one at the bottom.

 

[stephaniemilo]

ive just been doing research on sand and fibre. was going to get sand and rubber but wasnt sure how to level it with out the rubber getting caught in the harrow?? so now im on sand and fibre but bit worried about how it handles in the wind, does it blow around all over the place?? we have a gate with a few bits that stick out at the back which we use in the field would we be able to use that on a sand and fibre atrena? just some harrows seem to be quite exspensive.

 

[Thistle]

can I ask how mush the carpet fibre cost? I'm looking at adding something to stabilise my sand and rubber.

 

[Booboos]

Martin Colins do their own (quite expensive) leveller.

A very similar one at a slightly better price is the one from Keep-a-Level.

Arena mate do a much better priced one but it has a different system, doesn't use a roller. I've been fine using that one on mine but it's not always recommended.

 

[mrussell]

We bought a leveller from Ebay that has two rows of harrow tines (not the spring tines as they can break off) and a roller. Works a treat but every spring we have a lcoal farmer run his power harrow over the surface to 2 inches to bring the fibres up from under neath. Lovely jubberly !