East-West Arena Construction Blog

Whether you are a beginner rider, aspiring Olympian, pleasure rider, or experienced professional, flatwork or "dressage" can benefit both you and your equine partner. Dressage helps to foster clear communication between horse and rider, as well as rhythm, softness, suppleness, and balance. It can help to provide a basic foundation for many riding disciplines.

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. 

Equine nutrition is an important component of the healthy longevity of all breeds of horses. Do you think your horse's diet needs improvement through a multivitamin or other supplement? Read this article to learn more about the common signs of equine vitamin or mineral deficiency.

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.

Showing, riding, racing and agricultural care and feeding of horses is ancient, persistent, and a surprisingly extensive business. There are many thousands of arenas and stables in the United States exhibiting or housing horses indoors.

Properties of Riding Surfaces

When talking about riding surfaces, there are three basic features to think about. One is the shock absorbing features of the surface. A very hard surface will cause repetitive shocks to the horse's body, which over time can lead to arthritis. A very soft surface is, however, no good either- the horse won't have anything to push against and will struggle to keep moving. Think of the difference in effort between walking on pavement versus walking on deep sand.

Horses are huge, beautiful, and majestic creatures which humans have worked with for centuries. Of course just like working with any animal there are some risks. If not approached properly, a horse may become frightened and possibly kick or bolt. Horses are powerful animals and can cause serious injury if not handled properly.

When it comes to arena footing many people are tempted to cut corners and do it as cheaply as possible. After all, it's just dirt to ride on. Why spend any more money than you have to? This is, however, false logic. Cutting corners when installing footing will cost a lot of money in the long run.

Every year as the days get shorter and temperatures drop horse owners wonder if they should blanket their horses. If they do blanket them, what weight of blanket? Do they need to go out and change the blankets several times a day as the temperature changes? Do these decisions change if the horse is clipped? Should the horse be clipped? Should arenas and barns be heated? 

If you own a horse, you may face the dilemma of horseshoes or barefoot trims. It seems that many farriers are leaning towards barefoot trimming because it helps promote a more natural environment for your horse.