Sand on new Arena

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NoNeedtoGamble

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Okay, I know I need Silica sand.... but equestrian grade really? I am not some top dressage rider, the school will be used for my personal use, the draining channels that we have had put in are excellent they've been in for a number of months now and during all the terrible heavy rain we had in the Gloucestershire area, there was absolutely NO water laying on the sub base.

The sand I am thinking of is Calne sand, which I am lead to believe is a silica of some description and has been used for Equestrian riding surfaces by "other" people, but I need to hear from you "other" people please.

I know that "Equestrian Silica" comes from only several places in the country, and it is the haulage that is hiking up the prices, but...... I can't afford the prices I am being quoted.

Will be topped off with either rubber or fibre of some description.

My other option is woodchip, which I really wanted to avoid if possible. The school is a 20 x 40 and will be used for schooling, low level jumping and a bit of low level everything really. My close horsey friends will also be coming to use it on the odd occasion.

so if you "others" are out there, please please help me. Thanks so much.
 
You need a medium or fine sand for your surface, it needn't be Equestrian Sand, probably your best option would be to Google Sand Quarries in your area and phone them and ask them for their grading or sieve test data, or whoever you are planning on buying the Calne Sand from then compare that to the gradings available online from the sand quarries that the Equestrian suppliers use (again Google equestrian sand sieve test), then choose which ever is the closest match, and colour preference for you.

Most quarries will sell ex works or be able to give you a local hauliers name. If you have good vehicle access to the arena then a large artic can be used which keeps haulage costs down.

I have a wee bit of knowledge (from a professional point of view) so if you have any more specific questions do ask.

Hope this helps.
 
There is no official standard for Silica Sand used in the equestrian world. However, there are certain recognised characteristics that make some Silica Sands more suitable than others for use in riding arenas. The most important factor is the grain shape. Most Silica Sands have a rounded grain shape which when used in an arena will cause the surface to ride deep. You need an angular sand which allows the grains to lock together thus provided a much firmer surface. Angular sands are also much more free draining than their rounded counter parts. The size of the grains is also a critical factor. Silica Sand is generally used because it is naturally a very fine sand. Fine sands will ride firmer. The size of Silica Sand grains is measured in microns whereas standard sand such as Sharp Sand is measured in millimetres. Generally the coarser the sand the deeper the surface will ride. I am sure there are plenty of people on the forum that have bought the cheaper sand and have found the surface rides very deep, especially when dry.
 
Hi I realise this is an old thread now but did you end up using the calne quarry? I'm putting in a new arena now and thinking of using the calne quarry for my silica sand so would be interested to know if you ended up using it?
 
It's unlikely you'll get a reply. The OP has only posted twice & those posts were on this topic over 12 months ago. I doubt if you'll get a reply to any pm either.
 
Janybyrd said:
Hi I realise this is an old thread now but did you end up using the calne quarry? I'm putting in a new arena now and thinking of using the calne quarry for my silica sand so would be interested to know if you ended up using it?
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Hello yes I did, 140 tonnes of it. It has been down for nearly a year now and whilst it was deep in the beginning it has settled really nicely. I have put rubber over the top and it gets harrowed on a regular basis.

My local riding club have used it for some low key dressage training, and everyone has said how nice a surface it is to ride on. My drainage is spot on. We had torrential downpours at the beginning of the year and it hasn't held the water once. I think as long as you get your drainage correct you should be fine.

I also saved myself a huge amount of money using this sand. I did a test for sediment on samples of "equestrian grade" silica sand and the "Calne" sand and the difference was very little.

If you would like to see pictures then I would be more than happy to send them to you. I did lots of research on this before purchasing and was told all sorts of horror stories, and yes I fully understand about the shape of the grain etc, but at the end of the day it is for my own personal use I am not aspiring to be some top event rider. It was a huge investment having my school put in, and I am confident that it will last for many many years without any problems.

I hope this helps.
 
NoNeedtoGamble said:
Hello yes I did, 140 tonnes of it. It has been down for nearly a year now and whilst it was deep in the beginning it has settled really nicely. I have put rubber over the top and it gets harrowed on a regular basis.

My local riding club have used it for some low key dressage training, and everyone has said how nice a surface it is to ride on. My drainage is spot on. We had torrential downpours at the beginning of the year and it hasn't held the water once. I think as long as you get your drainage correct you should be fine.

I also saved myself a huge amount of money using this sand. I did a test for sediment on samples of "equestrian grade" silica sand and the "Calne" sand and the difference was very little.

If you would like to see pictures then I would be more than happy to send them to you. I did lots of research on this before purchasing and was told all sorts of horror stories, and yes I fully understand about the shape of the grain etc, but at the end of the day it is for my own personal use I am not aspiring to be some top event rider. It was a huge investment having my school put in, and I am confident that it will last for many many years without any problems.

I hope this helps.
Click to expand...

This helps loads thanks very much. It is a total minefield and I too have been researching grain size/ sand quality issues. I was fairly confident it was the right stuff to use but it is nice to hear of someone else's experience! Just need to determine what to mix with it now!! I'd love to see photos of your finished arena if you can send them? Anyway thanks again.
 
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