Whether you’re a dressage diva or a slave to the ‘stressage’ arena, whichever mindset you have around your favourite discipline come competition day, you’ll no doubt know that the surface you train and compete on has a huge effect on your way of going and ultimately your results.

Ensuring you’re training on the best dressage arena surface is vital, especially when you’re asking your horses to carry out such complex movements demanded by the sport, even at the lower levels. Not only will a quality dressage arena surface provide the perfect surface to perform at the their very best but a quality riding arena surface will also help prevent concussion and in turn reduce the risk of injury to joints over time. The importance of investing in a high-quality arena surface cannot be understated.

The question is, what qualities should you be looking for in your search for the best dressage arena surface?

Qualities Of The Best Dressage Arena Surface

When looking for the best dressage surface, it’s important to note that you’re looking for the perfect combination of softness and support. We’ve spoken about the movement of the hoof, in fact the three stages of movement in previous blogs which you can read here. But for the time being, let’s take a look at the qualities associated with the best dressage arena surface.

You’ll need your surface to support dynamic movement, whether that’s forward, backward or side to side. You’ll also want to ensure your arena surface has a softer finish on top while providing excellent grip. This will help to support the horse as they move laterally across the arena during complex movements.

It’s vital that you remind yourself of the importance of avoiding a surface that becomes hard or compacted. This isn’t just considered a surface that’s ‘not ideal for dressage’ but also leads to injury due to the inability of the horse to penetrate the surface and move through the basic hoof movements correctly, thus causing imbalance and increased pressure on joints, tendons and ligaments. While you may not notice problems immediately, you will undoubtedly see problems in the long term, at which point you may find them much more difficult to rectify.

Foley’s Equestrian Surfaces – The Best Dressage Arena Surfaces

Just ask Luisa Zissman, a huge fan of Foley’s Equestrian Surfaces as you’ll see from her social media channels, Foley’s Equestrian Surfaces are the perfect mix of stability and cushioning, offering the perfect surface for lateral movements, complex movements and of course your flatwork. Made from 100% virgin carpet fibre, making it a safe and environmentally approved choice for 2024 and beyond, our carpet fibre surfaces are there to provide you with the safe surface on which to train, giving you peace of mind whenever you ride.

Our surfaces are frost resistant too, which means even in minus 10 and beyond, they remain completely rideable, fighting the urge to become hardened and dangerous like some other well known brands.

From our Premium Eco-Excel arena surface to our Eco-Flex, our surfaces aren’t just safe offering a guarantee of 100% wire free, but they’re also versatile enough that they’ll cater for dressage and jumping.

Want The Best Dressage Surface For Your Arena

If you’re looking for the best dressage surface for your arena, look no further. Here at Foley’s Equestrian Surfaces, we have you covered with a selection of safe, environmentally approved surfaces made from virgin carpet fibres. They’ll ensure you and your horse are safe and well supported whatever level you’re training at.

Contact our friendly team today on 01642 989441 or email enquiries@foleysequestrian.co.uk or sales@foleysequestrian.co.uk.