East-West Arena Construction Blog

Five reasons GGT Footing is superior to traditional riding surfaces can be summed up in just 2 words—safety and health.

Imagine the risk reduction of having a stable, consistently even, moisture perfect riding surface for your next equestrian event. It does make a difference to both horse and rider when the surface underneath them is consistently trustworthy, no matter what the weather has recently been. 

Planning a trip that involves taking your horses can be a bit overwhelming if you aren’t prepared. Whether heading to a competition or off for a vacation with your horses, traveling with horses means being organized.

The beauty of a perfictly manicured grass arena or derby field can set the stage for a great ride.  Here, we explore the pros and cons of an outdoor grass riding arena.

Indoor arenas with mirrors have long been used in aid in the rider/horse connection during training.  Many dressage, hunter, and jumper barns are employing this tactic. While mirrors offer a number of training benefits, they do also come with a few disadvantages.

Riding in a Grand Prix ring can be a thrilling experience, especially for amateur or junior riders. However, as the title of this post suggests, not all Grand Prix rings are created equal. Arena size, footing, shape, grandstand layout, and the associated warm-up ring are all contributing factors, which make some Grand Prix rings amazing, while others leave much to be desired. If you are a barn manager or a horse show director, then be sure to take the following design characteristics into account before you lay the foundation for a new Grand Prix arena.

Is a dried-out, hard riding arena causing you a case of the winter riding blues? With ground freezing temperatures blanketing the Northwest, Northeast, and Midwest regions watering the ring can be a tricky process. Under-watered rings can result in dried-out, tightly compacted, and hard footing. Lucky for you, we have a few winter watering tips for maintaining the perfect ground conditions for your GGT footing.

Horse shows are the heart and soul of the equestrian world. They offer a chance for riders and horses to test their skills, practice against like-minded competitors, see old friends (and make new acquaintances), and travel to some of the most prestigious horse venues in the country. From backyard one-days to the elite international competitions, successful horse show venues have one thing in common: a great schooling ring.

An arena's footing is critical, whether used for shows, training or recreation. Determining the best footing for an arena is not always an easy task. Here are five things to consider when planning arena footing:

Many stables offer riding lessons to the public as well as through collegiate participation in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Students entering such riding programs vary greatly in their knowledge, skills and abilities. Some may be recruited because they are already promising riders, while others may be new to horseback riding.  

Horseshoes aren't a new invention. The earliest known "shoes" were sandals fashioned by Roman soldiers that strapped on the hooves of their horses, giving the animals better traction along Rome's cobblestone roads. Hot shoeing became popular by the Middle Ages, and by the early 20th century, it was unthinkable to let your horse go without shoes. The obligatory trim and new shoes every six to eight weeks went without saying; if you owned a horse, you were on first name terms with his farrier.