Surface when riding?!

Question

i dont know if you guys answering this will ride western or english but its just for any really, i ride english in a full sized dressage arena and just wanted to know the best surface, at the moment its kind of dirt mixed with sand its really good my horse goes well on it and at my old yard the surface of the arena was all rocky and she wouldnt go as smooth on it. the owner of our yard is thinking of ordering a big pile of them lil pieces of rubber to change the surface of the arena because she said its alot better on the horses hoofs and they will feel more comfy. i just wanna know what the best surface to ride on is because theres so many diff ones that i have rode on, do all horses go really well on one certain surface? or does it depend what your horse likes as it will be different to others? if u say what kind of surface u ride on and if its good and why then it will give us some ideas for what to change our arena surface to! thanks alot.

Answer 1

The best surface I have ever ridden on was a mixture of rubber, silica sand and  fibres it was excellent. I have ridden on it at different times of year and in the winter it drained well and didn't freeze and in the summer it stayed moist so there was no dust.

Edit: A friend of mine posted adverts on websites looking for "secondhand" surfaces she got a great response and mixed the one she bought secondhand (really nice silica sand) with some rubber and it turned out great. It also cost a fraction of what a whole new surface would have cost.

Answer 2

Fine sand, like what they use in arenas at shows and bigger barns, is the best for horses. It can't be too deep or it will stress their tendons in their legs, but if it's too shallow the horse will land on the hard cement beneath it and that can hurt a horse.

What you have now is probably good. ( The dirt mixed with sand)

Answer 3

i ride on sand/dirt

Answer 4

I helped my friend who is in Eventing, with her horse which was being rehabilitated from an injury. The stable the horse was kept at had the sand and ground up tires in the arena. It was one of the first places to have that. I walked the horse and it was comfy even for me walking on it.

The arena will benefit from the addition of the rubber.  

Answer 5

I ride at two barns. The first is a mix of rubber and sand. ITS AWESOME, it doesn't get really dusty, unlike plain dirt/sand. Where I lease my horse, its blue stone. ITS FANTASTIC. No dust, not hard, doesn't get muddy. Soft to fall on, except when it gets in your pants, not fun xP. (recent experience)

Answer 6

fancy footing is made to give horses spring in their step and absorb shock which is mearly a substitute for having horse shoes, horse shoes make the hoof unable to expand upon impact and absorb the shock so ppl try and make up for that with good really expensive fancy footing, just let your horse go barefoot and your current footing will be just fine =]]

Answer 7

dont use rubber it gets stuck between the shoe and hooves sometimes and its a pain in the *** to get out. sawdust from a lumbermill is what we use here. works great