Not every horse owner and rider knows what to consider when it involves the riding surface for their horses. Little do some of them know that one of the most important elements in the development of their horse during its training is choosing the right Horse Arena Footing. When working at a high level of performance your horse will tend to experience a lot of stress, which makes it important to have good arena footing to make your equine partner as comfortable as possible.
Ideal Arena Footing
An optimal arena footing surface should provide the perfect balance between impact absorption in the loading phase, resilience during the break over and stability during take off. It should also prevent injuries and increase performance.
If the footing of the arena is to hard it will absorb little or no impact energy resulting in large concussion and will cultivate bone and joint problems. While a horse working on a surface that is to soft and loose will adjust its stride to deal with the extra energy required created by the low impact of the soft surface. Both soundness and performance are compromised if the arena footing is not right.
Caption: Preventing injuries and improving performance are just two of the goals of the proper footing for an equestrian footing
How to Know if the Arena Footing is Right
Look at the sand after the horse goes by and check the depth of the hoof print. If the imprint isn't deeper than 1" without the sand shifting than you know that your arena footing is impeccable. The less hoof beat you hear is also a good indication that you have good footing.
It is important to use high quality sand as it is essential to constructing and managing the ideal surface for your arena. Make sure that the sand is hard (quartz) and angular because this will last longer and allow for better traction. You can also add additives like German Geo-textile sand additives to help improve your sand arena footing. This will result in a perfect surface that provides spring and cushion, traction, consistency, and support. It also reduces dust and retains moisture.
Remember that one of the most important factors in your horses performance is your arena footing. As the official German Geo-textile distributor, East-West Arena Construction is here to help with all your arena footing needs so please feel free to contact us and visit our website if you have any questions or would like to know more about our services.
