OTTO Sport Arena Base Mats

Water puddles are annoying and dangerous. OTTO Sport Arena Base Mats are designed to drain excessive water quickly. Combined with a suitable sub-base and a water-permeable footing, 252 holes in each mat provide fast drainage of excess water making the arena useable immediately after heavy rain.

The layer under the arena mats creates a pathway for high-volume vertical drainage. Traditional arena bases are designed for water to flow over them (horizontal drainage) and can be slow. OTTO Sport Arena Base Mats allow water to flow through quickly.

A system of water cups on the top side of the arena mats hold enough water to consistently supply the footing with moisture for an extended period of time.

Each mat holds up to one gallon of water. That equals 1,200 gallons for a standard 20m x 60m dressage court! The entire surface maintains even hydration for a more consistent footing.

Horses apply a considerable amount of force to the surface, especially when jumping.

OTTO Sport Arena Base Mats absorb more than 40% of the force applied on the surface (Based on a scientific study by the German Association for Technical Inspection). This means that the surface absorbs a large part of the force instead of traveling back into the horses’ legs, straining joints, tendons and ligaments.

In addition to shock absorption, an ideal riding surface returns a part of the applied force. This helps horses conserve and recycle energy as they aren’t working against the surface.

Due to the ideal density of the recycled PVC material used to produce the OTTO Sport Base Mats, the mat not only absorbs a large part of the force applied on it, but it also provides the horses’ legs with the optimal amount of rebound.

Horses accelerating and making sharp turns need especially good grip and must not slip.

A system of high and low traction-knobs maximize stability in the footing and prevents horses from slipping – a clear advantage during sharp turns. OTTO Sport Arena Mats provide enough grip while allowing some movement of the hoof, minimizing concussion and hyper-flexion of tendons and ligaments during each phase of movement.

OTTO Sport Base Mats create a clean and durable separation between sub-base (in most cases crushed stone) and footing (sand/textile blend).

Conic-shaped locking rings on the bottom side of the mats secure them into the sub-base to prevent shifting and creating a durable separation layer to prevent base stones from traveling up into the footing.

Interlocking Mats Expansion Gaps vs. Expansion Gaps
Any material tends to expand when warming and contract when cooling. For large areas like paddocks or equestrian arenas, even a slight expansion has a great impact, such as waves in the surface. Systems that interlock or install edge-to-edge will bulge out when warming. Sand can trickle down in the emerging cavities, forcing the mat up and dislodging it from its initial position.

OTTO Sport Base Mats are installed with an expansion gap between each mat. During strong temperature changes, the mats can expand and shrink without affecting neighboring mats. Along with the locking rings and weight holding them in place, sand cannot get under the mats, eliminating bulging and shifting of the surface.