Indoor arena footing: what works and what doesn't?

[Simkie]

The woman who owns the barn where I board is looking at replacing the footing in the indoor and is a bit overwhelmed at all of the options.

We've had dirt/sand footing that gets oiled every winter to keep the dust down. Overall it's not bad, but it is DIRTY. The cost of oil has gone through the roof, so she's looking for something else.

Our arena is probably about 200x100 ft and gets heavy use (large boarding barn!) We're in CO, so it does get cold enough to freeze. The BO and BM would prefer something that only needs dragged/watered once or twice a week. Cost needs to be reasonable. We do not have an indoor washrack, so anything that needs to be HOSED off the legs will not work.

Ideas? What do you like about your indoor footing, and what do you not like about it?

[sisu27]

I saw the nicest footing ever recently at Sue Granges farm (Lothlorien). It is imported from the UK and it isn't cheap but it is beautiful! It is finely milled leather and rubber with silica sand and wax. It is a nice black colour, creates NO DUST, is fantastic for the horses legs and they estimate that it will last for 25 years without any maintenance beside roughing it up and tamping it a couple times a year and the usual harrowing. It doesn't get deep, it doesn't stick to the horses, it doesn't smell bad...it really is perfect and if you look at the longevity the price isn't too bad (I think around $200 000 CAN for a large indoor).

[ThatScaryChick]

the price isn't too bad (I think around $200 000 CAN for a large indoor).

That isn't $200,000 is it? :eek:

[Simkie]

Ah, yeah. $200k for arena footing is absolutely not doable. That does not meet the "cost must be reasonable" requirement. For $200k, the BO could install a high tide system, I'd imagine ;)

[Equibrit]

Do NOT be tempted to use tree bark chips. They shifted under my 17h 3 yo - and down we went!

[IsolaBella09]

http://www.tapetafootings.com/

Great footing.

[sid]

We freeze here also.

I can't tell you the number of people, many top riders/clinicians, that always ask me about my footing because they love it. It would cost about $5Kto replace in this economy, used to be about $2,500.
My arena is about 150 x 76, so you'd have to extrapolate the cost difference due to square footage.

Here's the recipe. On your base that has been scraped down to "grade". Apply in this order.

1) 1/2 inch bluestone dust (for grip). Roll it out and pack it as best you can. Let it sit for about a week to absorb any moisture in the base and become firm.

2) 1 1/2 " to 2" of construction sand (not river sand whose grains are smooth sided, you want a rough edged sand)

3) 1 1/2 - 2" of HARDROCK MAPLE shavings (NOT SAWDUST).

Use a york rake to incorporate the maple with the sand, without disturbing the bluestone base. It can be a bit cumbersome at first because the maple wants to ball up.

As time goes on under use the maple will break down a bit and become easier to "drag" with a harrow, but for quite a while you'll need to use a york rake, so another implement with widely set tines.

The maple will absorb hold moisture without freezing (unlike rubber) and eliminates frequent watering. The "give" to the horse in work is really wonderful, but without being overly forgiving like rubber which is way too soft for keeping joints, tendons and ligaments healthy. Sort of like riding on a mattress. Some concussion is actually better for long term soundness for joints and soft tissue.

Hope that helps.

[4Martini]

We have sand with the highway anti ice stuff sprayed on it. Never have to water and no dust - but will not solve your dragging problem. I've been at two barns with this and love it!
Mag Cloride is what it's called!

[Simkie]

Any idea on the price of the tapeta? It looks expensive.

sid, what you're describing sort of sounds like fibar? I've ridden on fibar footing and it's VERY nice!

4Martini, mag chloride is something that's definitely being considered. Do you have any problems with it drying out your horse's legs or feet? Do you rinse afterwards?

Thanks for the ideas, everyone!

[pattir7]

We have the same type of footing.. dirt/sand.. and have the same issue. Magnesium Chloride was the answer! Worked like a charm. Didn't water that arena once all last winter... and NO dust. It is sold in home depot under the name FreezeGard in 50 lb. bags.. We used 30 bags for a 70' x 200' arena...cost was around $300 as I recall... I think it was $10/bag...

[pattir7]

BTW, you WON'T get around the dragging issue with this type of footing. We have found that there is enough dirt in ours that the arena EASILY packs... and becomes like concrete...especially on the outer track....and ours isn't even in high use at the moment. We decided, rather than replace all the footing, we got a TR3 drag that breaks up the packing, levels the footing, AND grooms the arena....BUT... have to do it every day...no way around that.

[Oldenburg Mom]

3) 1 1/2 - 2" of HARDROCK MAPLE shavings (NOT SAWDUST).

AHA! A solution! Now,...do you have a supplier?

[Plumcreek]

Hi Simkie. After the Ear S. PM, you may think I'm a whacko (I'm not) , but footing is a large part of what I do. For really nice, reasonably priced fooring here in Colo, get this:

Washed concrete sand 2.5". (Get a couple samples from different pits and compare under a magnifying glass. Select the one with the most angular particles. Also get their spec. sheet and break ties by which one has less % of the smallest particles, or price.)

Call Envirotech (in Greeley) and order up a spray coating of their MgCl. You can get the 50-50% MgCl/Lignen mix if your arena base has clay dust, but that mix will cause hoof packing for awhile. They deliver and spray and you are close. If access is too small for their truck, I have a source of MgCl in bags, by the pallet, in Denver.

Bring up a pallet (2500 lbs), two pallets would be better, of the Mat 1-4 rubber crumb from Northwest Rubber in Louviers, 50 - 50 lb bags per pallet that you can space evenly and manually rip open and spread around, then drag. (or get a Big Sack (2500 lbs) and dump into a manaure spreader with machinery to spread. That size rubber will go down INTO the footing where it is needed. (Large particle rubber floats on the surface and is nice to look at, but that is not where it is needed)

Envirotech quits spraying after the weather turns cold. Arena Rx has gone way up in price.

[Simkie]

Hey Plumcreek! I'm sorry I never responded to your PM. I don't think you're wacko and did ask my acupuncture person about the ear thing. She didn't think it would be particularly valuable for Blush, as she's totally fine and mellow when her schedule is kept the same (which is pretty easy to do right now.)

Thank you for your ideas on the footing! Can you give a ballpark price? I know the BO has been looking at rubber, but is concerned about cost. Are there any barns my BO could go look at to see this footing setup?

4Martini, could you tell me which barns you've been at have mag chloride? The BO would like to talk to the owners and possibly go see the footing herself.

Thanks, everyone!

[Plumcreek]

Hey Plumcreek! I'm sorry I never responded to your PM. I don't think you're wacko and did ask my acupuncture person about the ear thing. She didn't think it would be particularly valuable for Blush, as she's totally fine and mellow when her schedule is kept the same (which is pretty easy to do right now.)

Thank you for your ideas on the footing! Can you give a ballpark price? I know the BO has been looking at rubber, but is concerned about cost. Are there any barns my BO could go look at to see this footing setup?

4Martini, could you tell me which barns you've been at have mag chloride? The BO would like to talk to the owners and possibly go see the footing herself.

Thanks, everyone!

I believe Paragon has the Mat 1-4 rubber in their outside arena. The way I heard it, they took it, and the footing it was in, out of the indoor as they had someone with severe allergies and needed hypoallergetic stuff, so went to felt = more money. They like that rubber in the outdoor.

The point of the ear thing is it enables them to deal when their schedule is not the same.