Struggling with Arena surface in the dry weather - am I expecting too much?

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flippa_t

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How are everyone's arena surfaces in this weather?

I recently moved to a new yard which ticks loads of boxes and my horses have settled in well. However the arena surface is really poor. It's old, but when we moved in (before the dry spell) it seemed rideable although not ideal, but all this dry weather it is really deep and it gets a lot of use (including a lot of jumping). I'm just hacking my older horse as he really doesn't like it and is mainly a happy hacker now so I'm just enjoying the nice weather.

However I've got a younger horse who is meant to be on dressage training livery, but I'm really not comfortable about doing too much in the arena as I don't want injuries - again fine while the weather is nice enough for me to hack even though its a bit of a waste of money.

So my question is.... am I expecting too much of the surface? Are everyone's surfaces riding deep at the moment and I just need to accept it and hack over the summer (or hire indoor / wax surfaces at weekends when I can)? Or does it sound like this is faring worse than most? In which case I need to think about finding an alternative yard before I lose the nice weather and daylight :(
 
We're in the process of getting a new surface.

They're in the process of doing the groundwork at the moment.

The old surface is being put into an area that has had railways sleepers and bricks in in for 20 years and it will be made into a couple of all weather turnout pens. Exciting stuff.

I hope to report back when I eventually get a new horse! Here's the WIP photos.

At the riding club my partner used to take care of all the surfaces and you'd be surprised the amount they'd need watering with a bowser. The surface should always be harrowed first before rolling for safety
 

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Mine is usually amazing but is a bit deep at the moment. The carpet fibre ones seem to hold up well in this weather but it is exceptionally dry this year around me. See what it's like in autumn/winter but as you say I'd be very careful with a youngster.on a poor surface so well worth boxing to a good arena.
It would be a deal breaker for me.
 
I don't want to be smug but mine is riding really well as it always does.

The only issue I have is static when working in hand, if it's dry, but riding -wise it's great for everything including jumping.
 
millitiger said:
I don't want to be smug but mine is riding really well as it always does.

The only issue I have is static when working in hand, if it's dry, but riding -wise it's great for everything including jumping.
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What surface have you got. Mine's riding too deep (sand and plastic granules). I'm considering what to do as you can't get the plastic granules anymore and it needs a top up.
 
nutjob said:
What surface have you got. Mine's riding too deep (sand and plastic granules). I'm considering what to do as you can't get the plastic granules anymore and it needs a top up.
Click to expand...

It's from Foley's Equestrian, it's amazing.
It doesn't freeze or flood at all or get deep in the summer.
We roll it every few months so very low maintenance.
 
flippa_t said:
Thank you that’s what I’m worried about. Was that front or hind?
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Left hind right by the hock - but she could well have done her DDFT on the right fore at the same time but that only became obvious as we sorted the hind out. She has other issues which didn't help rehab (PSSM so can't box rest) but never came sound enough to do more than light hacking.

I've been paranoid about arena surfaces ever since.
 
SEL said:
Left hind right by the hock - but she could well have done her DDFT on the right fore at the same time but that only became obvious as we sorted the hind out. She has other issues which didn't help rehab (PSSM so can't box rest) but never came sound enough to do more than light hacking.

I've been paranoid about arena surfaces ever since.
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I’m paranoid too but the other liveries / yard owner are making me wonder if I’m over reacting or being neurotic. I’ve also had horses with with suspensory problems before though.

It’s so hard finding yards round here, and ones with decent surfaces is nigh on impossible. Will keep doing the lottery so I don’t need to be at a livery yard
 
My favourite surface around here is a really black grainy type stuff - the sort that turns white legs black, but is always perfect to ride on. Even when it has standing water on it, it rides well.

I too am paranoid about surfaces - I simply don't go back to a venue if the surface is too deep. It simply isn't worth the risk. I would rather school on a firm, even hard, LEVEL field than a deep surface.
 
my carpet fibre arena is still riding well but even that has been a bit deeper so far this summer than its ever been before.

can it be watered and then rolled OP?
 
Hallo2012 said:
my carpet fibre arena is still riding well but even that has been a bit deeper so far this summer than its ever been before.

can it be watered and then rolled OP?
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I think it just needs replacing. Watering and rolling doesn’t seem to be an option, or at least not one the owners will consider. So frustrating!
 
Sorry to jump on but does anyone have any tips for watering?

I’m struggling with my surface at home this year and being told to water. I set out sprinklers but it doesn’t seem to penetrate more than the top layer of sand and then I have to reposition the sprinklers and so on and so forth and it just isn’t a practical solution..
 
My surface is old it’s designed to drain quickly .
As it’s got old, it’s thirty years old ,it’s lost most of it’s fibre.
It gets loose in very dry weather .
I just don’t use it in extreme dry conditions.
When its just normal summer dryness I just need to level it most days .
I would not dream of using water on it I might if it was my own spring but pouring treated drinking water onto the ground so I can play with a horse when there’s other things I can do with the horse is not ethical in this day and age .
 
Unfortunately problems seem to stem from original build or not putting enough work in to the base layer. It should be possible to water a dusty surface when it’s really really dry. There seems to be a view that too much wax leads to clumpy and hard / uneven patches and that’s likely to become worse in hot weather. I think sometimes you’re better not riding on a surface. Someone of them can be very ‘unsafe’.
 
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