Is something “wrong” with your footing and you aren’t sure where to start? Sand, footing additives, moisture, and maintenance are main contributors to footing problems.
We’ve narrowed down four common problems and what you might consider for improvements.
Too deep or too soft
Signs:
• Lack of stability
• Hooves twist
• Rail ruts and large divots
• Uneven surface
• Feels deep
Solutions:
• Get your sand tested to see if it’s compatible for an equestrian arena surface.
• Add a footing product that’s designed for the type of sand you have to improve stability.
• Shallow grooming and rollers will help remix and stabilize the surface.
• Increased watering will help bind the materials and give substance to your footing. Water is one of the key ingredients in good arena footing.
The surface is too hard
Signs:
• You can hear footfalls and concussion
• There are no visible hoof indentations on the surface
• Shortened stride of your horse (when surfaces are hard, horses tend to shorten their stride to avoid the sting of the impact).
• Bruises and coffin bone issues (which can be contributed to too hard of a riding surface).
Solutions:
• Get your sand tested to see if it’s compatible for an equestrian arena surface.
• Adding footing products can create voids in the compacted surface to increase cushioning.
• Deep grooming and watering can help loosen hard, compacted surfaces.
Too much dust
Signs:
• Surface is dusty aka airborne particles are prevalent
• Uneven base
• Surface is slippery when wet
• Surface is hard and dusty when dry
Solutions:
• Get your sand tested to see if it’s compatible for an equestrian arena surface.
• Add a footing product that can enhance your existing sand or add new sand with a specific particle size and gradation.
• Add a dust control product to bind the additional fines or dust particles.
• Increase water retention with a water-retention and dust control footing product such as ArenaAid, HydroKeep or SlowDust.
• Deep grooming will remix all sand particles and footing materials.
Poor drainage
Signs:
• Water doesn’t drain from your surface
• Puddles appear on the surface
• Surface gets slippery when wet
Solutions:
• Get your sand tested to see if it’s compatible for an equestrian arena surface; if so, some footing additives can help absorb water.
• Replace your sand, repair the arena base, or construct a new base to increase drainage
• Deep grooming can help move the water to runoff and help evaporate some of the moisture on your surface.
How We Can Help
Call us for a free consultation 800-611-6109
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