What do we mean by “good footing”?
The riding surface is the footing layer that you can see. Footing is the top layer and should be deep enough to minimize the concussion to the horse’s legs, but not be so deep that it causes strain to muscles and tendons. Sand, chat, decomposed granite, man-made synthetics, polymer sand products, and a variety of other combinations are commonly used as footing materials. In addition to the basics of arena composition, here are a few more points to consider prior to building a new arena or restoring an existing one.
All dirt is not created equal
Robert Malmgren, soil scientist, has identified in his book, The Equine Arena Handbook, that there are over 10,000 scientific classifications of soil. In addition to the scientific names, there are common names for the various types of soil. The common names may vary depending on geographic location as well as the names adopted by soil brokers and construction crews. During the planning and construction process, it is helpful to describe the soil materials needed in terms of particle size and how they will be used.
In the Riata® guide for construction above, you can see the common method of grading and naming materials size. Become familiar with this information, as it will help ensure that the soil materials you purchase are, indeed, the soil materials best suited for the design of the arena. With the expertise, technology, and tools available today, creating a near-perfect arena is most certainly possible. The major variables to consider are time and money. For many of us, those are one in the same.
Here are some factors related to cost that are helpful to consider prior to constructing a new arena or restoring an existing one.
Know your Dirt
Availability varies by location and transporting the soil adds greatly to the overall cost. The $5-$10/ton sand may cost upward of $50 per load to transport. You can minimize the transport miles by purchasing soil and surface materials locally, or as close to the site as possible.
Learn about arena construction and renovation
Before hiring the contractor with expensive equipment and crews, do your due diligence in learning about arena construction and/or renovation. Talk to other riders, trainers, and equine facility managers. Find out what worked for them, what didn’t, and why. Ask about the types of problems and maintenance issues they’ve noticed with the various riding surface materials. Read about arena construction, renovation, and maintenance.
Learn about arena construction and renovation
Before hiring the contractor with expensive equipment and crews, do your due diligence in learning about arena construction and/or renovation. Talk to other riders, trainers, and equine facility managers. Find out what worked for them, what didn’t, and why. Ask about the types of problems and maintenance issues they’ve noticed with the various riding surface materials. Read about arena construction, renovation, and maintenance.