Wood chip arena surface..could this be our problem?

sidesaddlegirl

sidesaddlegirl

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www.sidesaddlegirl.co.uk
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new yard and we have settled in happily there over the past month but I've noticed that my TB has not been happy schooling in the school which has a wood chip surface over a membrane. She's not the most forward of horses at the best of times but in other menages with sand (waxed or rubber mixed in) that we've schooled in, she perks up with some canter work and a bit of jumping.

In our new school, she's very hesitant and really does not want to go forward even when cantering. Today, she refused a jump.

The saddler is coming out on Tuesday to adjust the flocking in my saddle as it needs doing any ways but we were at a dressage show two Sundays ago and clear round jumping last Sunday, and she was a different horse as soon as her feet hit the school surafce there (we were using the same side saddle). I actually had to SLOW her down jumping whereas at home, I'm having to boot her on to do something she normally loves doing. My YO harrows the surface so it's nice and flat but am worried now. She is not lame and there has been no change in feed except for more hay as I am bringing her in a bit earlier now.

I've had my suspicions that she does not like the wood chippings and is being hesitant as she finds them slippery. After reading the thread about the YO who wants to use them to build a school in the field, I think it's hit the nail on the head for me.

I can hire the menage where the dressage and clear round shows are held near me but I school everyday and can't afford to pay to school everyday especially when I have a menage at my yard.

I'm thinking maybe just use the one at home for flatwork and hire the other one once a week to practice jumping?
 
I'm on a yard with woodchip and it is really slippy, my younger horse always slips faster than trot, and my elder horse has once or twice too. Ours was topped up earlier this year and it's only been bad since then. It's finally beginning to bed down and is getting much firmer and they're getting happier in it.
 
I think my yard has only had this in about a year as it's not broken down too much.

It's frustrating as I want to practice our dressage tests and get her going nice and forward! Maybe I'm going to have to put up with slow trots and lopey western style canters while schooling in the hopes that we can ride more forward at shows as we know our tests.

I also don't fancy getting pinned down under the pommels of my side saddle though if she does slip over!!
 
If she is fine on other surfaces then I would think that it's almost certainly the surface. I once had a horse nearly fall over in a nice, collected canter on a woodchip surface purely because he slipped - very scary!
 
We had our woodchip arena dug up after 2 years, it was lethal. The wood underneath turned gooey and slimy, i wouldnt dare go into a fast trot in it, once my horse slipped straight over sideways with me on.
He could be feeling this slippy surface underneath unbeknown to you as the surface on ours always looked ok.
 
We had a woodchip outdoor surface at our old yard, and yes it could be slippery, making them hesitant like they can be on grass without studs. I find surfaces make a huge difference to how my horse goes.
 
Went to a clinic in the summer on woodchip school, after two horses slipped really badly in canter (one falling right over on its side :eek:) action was moved to the field!
 
We had a woodchip figure of eight in a 20x40 paddock and we never had any problems with slipping - we could even ride on it when it was icy. Maybe it is to do with the type of woodchip?

I hope you find out what the matter is and it is easy to resolve.
 
I went to a local small jumping competition recently and they had a wood chip arena....never again for me I'm afraid. She's normally very forward jumping but I felt this has put us back a few steps with her confidence (although she's forward, need to up her belief in herself!), anyway as I was going in the owner (I presume) said to go slow and not to cut corners as it's slipper....Que me think oh s*** I don't stand a chance! Anyway jumping was a mess....when she went to just sit up onto her hocks the last few strides into a jump or try and put a extra stride in we'd just slide straight through it...not fun. We've got a small old wood chip arena at our yard...but since the new arena has been built it's mostly used for turnout and lunging, but it's mixed with sand and it isn't deep, they will slip if they are hooning about on tight turns but for lunging I've never seen her slip.
 
Goodness!! I'm really worried now! The YO, the YO's daughter and her friend ride in it and their horses seem ok with it but I think because my horse is used to riding on sandy or rubbery surfaces, that she is finding it hard to adjust. TBH, I find it slippery walking across it on my boots. It's strange though as we used to school in the field on grass often when I rented my own field and she was never hesitant.

I don't think I'll be jumping in it any more and will just use it to practise light flatwork. I guess I'm going to have to budget money out to hire the school at the yard nearby that she likes to do heavy duty dressaging or jumping.
 
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