Indoor arenas offer a covered riding area during the worst weather, but they can also become dusty health hazards. Dust, created by airborne particles of sand, pulverized wood chips and dried manure can make both humans and horses cough and wheeze by the time their training session is over. Dust isn't just an annoyance; it's a health hazard.
Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to minimize dust inside your indoor arena.
Keep Your Arena Clean
A clean, well-groomed surface keeps dust to a minimum by reducing the amount of manure and shavings that break down inside the indoor. Use a wheelbarrow and pitchfork to remove manure that accumulates during the day inside your indoor arena. Make sure that manure piles are far enough away from the indoor so that flies and odors don't accumulate inside the closed space.
Grade the indoor arena surface regularly, adjusting the grading frequency according to the amount of activity at your facility. If only a few riders are using the indoor arena each day, you may be able to grade once a week. But if your arena sees heavy use, such as group lessons or shows, you will need to grade it more frequently.
Moisture Keeps Dust Down
Water is a time-honored method of keeping dust down. Indoor arenas fitted with sprinkler systems offer a simple method of keeping dust down. You can also use a hose with a sprinkler attachment to dampen small areas.
Use High-Quality Footing
All arena footing breaks down over time, including sand. However, certain footing materials, such as GGT mixed with sand, breaks down more slowly, which tends to keep the dust down. GGT also has the added benefit of retaining moisture, which also keeps the dust down and slow down the rate of particle creation.
Dust Isn't Just Dirty: It's a Health Hazard
Dust isn't just a minor annoyance. It can become a health hazard, especially for trainers and others who work daily inside dusty indoors. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize dust inside your indoor arena.
Sources:
http://www.ggt-footing.com/ggtproducts.html; http://arenadustbgone.com/; http://myhorse.com/blogs/barns-farms-ranches/arenas/if-you-hate-breathing-arena-dust-imagine-how-your-horse-feels/
