Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana has chosen Premier Equestrian as the official footing supplier for the prestigious equestrian triathlon known as
The Event at Rebecca Farm. This world-class event, drawing competitors from all over the world, features three 75m x 75m arenas used for the dressage and jumping portions of the Event.
Rebecca Farm owner Jerome Broussard contracted Premier Equestrian to design the new footing, source the materials, and supervise the installation in time for the 2013 Event at Rebecca Farm held July 25 – 28 in Kalispell.
Mark Neihart and Heidi Zorn of Premier Equestrian spent three days at the farm surveying the arenas, visiting local quarries, and discussing the arenas needs with Mr. Broussard and his daughter Sarah Kelly. It was decided the best solution for the Event was Premier Equestrian’s new product Master’s Blend Arena Footing.
Master’s Blend arena footing is a proprietary blend of sand, textiles, and cushioning agents. The quality of the footing provides both shear support and traction with cushion and rebound. The old arena footing was removed while the arena bases were restored to accept the new Master’s Blend Arena Footing. Premier Equestrian is proud to be part of The Event at Rebecca Farm.
This article will touch on arena footing basics and describe the qualities of sand.
UNDERSTANDING ARENA FOOTING – BASIC FACTS:
If an arena footing is too hard the horse will tend to shorten its stride to minimize jarring or modify his jumping form to avoid the sting of landing. Hard footing will stress their joints. If the footing is too soft and rolls away under the hooves it will cause strain to soft tissues – tendon, ligaments, and muscles. If the footing is slippery the horse may feel insecure and move cautiously.
Sand Types:
Natural Sand: Natural sand is eroded rock and is mined from where it was deposited. The host rock determines the mineral composition. Most sand is composed of silica and is resistant to breakdown due to its hardness. Pure Silica will last longer as arena footing.
Manufactured Sand: Rock quarries crush rock into various sizes. The smallest particles, ‘fines’, are sold as Manufactured Sand, Crusher Fines, or Stone Dust. These particles range from 5 mm to fine dust, are sharp and can tightly compact if used alone. The mineral composition can range widely so it may be softer and break down sooner.
Sand Shape:
Man-Made Sands will have sharp, or angular particle shapes. Angular sand is prone to fit tightly together and compact. It can have good traction but will not offer cushioning. Adding rubber products like Premier Equestrian’s ProStride or Athletex is a good solution for angular sands. The rubber in these products helps cushion the surface and reduce compaction.
Natural Sands have sub-angular and round shapes because of erosion. These shapes don't fit tightly together. Sub–angular grains lessen compaction while still providing some traction. Round grains won’t compact because the edges are worn off. Although round grains create voids and offer more cushioning, they are very unstable and will roll under foot. This is where textile type products like Premier Equestrian’s GGT Footing or ProTex Footing can help. The textiles net the sand grains together that reduces shear and keeps the sand in place.
Watering: An intermolecular attraction is formed between water molecules that holds wet sand together and may help to stabilize rounded sand footing that would otherwise roll if dry.
And so…
There are an enormous variety of sand options out there. The combination of all the above sand qualities decides whether the sand is suitable as footing or not. Sand that is well suited for a highly maintained indoor riding arena might be completely unsuitable for an all-weather, low maintenance outdoor riding arena. Choosing the wrong sand can create a lot of problems and in the long run can be very expensive.
Premier Equestrian offers a free sand analysis report for customers to help determine the correct additive for a new arena or to improve an existing surface. Contact a Premier Equestrian footing specialist at 800-611-6109 or visit their website at www.PremierEquestrian.com
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