Sand school question

[rolls1392]

YO is about to refrub our sand school. She uses sand from local beach(2 miles away), but is considering shredded rubber.
Does it go well if just added to a sand base, does it last and drain well.
Sadly our school is on a bit of a slope, but so far the sand has stayed put.
This query is on YO's behalf as she has no internet. Fun of living in Cornwall.

 

[VLHIEASTON]

I would deffo not recommend either, see my threads on this subject !

 

[VLHIEASTON]

Actually it depends on the grade of the sand used.

 

[pinktiger]

i dont think you can take sand off the beach, im sure its an eco issue to remove sand from a beach!!!!!

 

[LadyRascasse]

our outdoor school is sand and rubber and its brill lovely to ride on

 

[lucym]

our indoor school (well the livery yard one, not my personal school

)is fibre sand and rubber and its fab

 

[kerilli]

i've got sand + springride rubber shred, it's the 2nd arena i've done with this mix (sold the last place, moved, put the same thing down, love it.) doesn't freeze, brilliant stuff. also, it comes from Cornwall so the haulage would be cheap for you, it cost me a fortune to shift it all the way over here!

 

[Toast]

Silica sand and rubber is lovely to ride on too

x

 

[Ladyfresha1]

I don't like sand and rubber, it doesn't last. Rubber degrades within a few years and the ride quality will go downhill. When you need to get it replaced it will cost you more to dispose of the rubber than it did to buy it in the first place. Plus as it degrades you will end up with the colour all over your horse's legs. I am having sand and Martin Collins clopf fibre on my school. You can get some very good rubbers if that is what YO wants, just be careful some of the rubber on the market is not the right grade or standard for riding on. Same goes for sand.

 

[kerilli]

ladyfresha, not all rubber types degrade. i had springride down for 5 years at my last place with no degradation at all, 3 years here so far.
btw, a friend just did a new arena with silica sand and clopf, and it has been frozen absolutely solid for days... you don't get that with rubber and sand!

 

[henryhorn]

Rolls our school is a mix of padstow sea sand (obtained legally under licence!), silica sand and jacksons' rubber shreds.
It works beautifully as anyone looking at pics of ridden horses on my blog can see.
The surface you get with this mix is firm and non slip, springy enough to jump easily on and never ever gets unrideable no matter the weather except snow...
If you lived near enough I would say come and see it, ( 6 miles off A30 leaving at Whiddon Down) but apart from chucking up a little dust to knee height in very dry summers it rides as good as any expensive surface.
I do get thoroughly fed up with the know-it-alls who pontificate on what is the "only" surface that works, having had a bad surface in the past, we were very careful to create a good one this time.
The secret of good draining in the arena is I think some fall from one end to the other, yes you may lose a little sand but it's easy to top up every five years if necessary and the rubber works fine with that mix.
Oh and you are nearer than I was for Padstow Sand!!!!

 

[bex777]

We have sand and M Collins Clopf which works well and is a nice surface to work on.

 

[Ladyfresha1]

Rubber does degrade. It may take 3 years, 5 years or 10 years, but it will!

As I said you can get some fantastic rubbers on the market, but you can also get some rubbish. Stick to things that have been recommended (such as the ones mentioned on here).

It is just what my horses like (fussy 16 year old is starting to 'feel' his legs) and will not jump on rubber. I used to love it but have ridden on things I prefer. Freezing is an issue although I have a cunning plan to overcome the freezing problem in my arena. I have livered at places with rubber arenas and have never had a problem with the school being frozen.