For those who’ve never had their own arena, or were lucky enough to acquire a ‘ready-to-go’ arena, the idea of arena sand could be a somewhat confusing topic. Let’s face it, for the average Joe, sand is sand right? But what if we told you that wasn’t the case? What if we told you that you actually need one particular type of sand if you’re looking to create a sand base for your arena?

When it comes to arenas, the importance of good quality silica sand cannot be underestimated. Choosing the right sand can mean the difference between a safe and supported performance in the arena and a quite frankly dangerous ride. Find yourself with the wrong sand and it could mean injuries for both horse and rider.

Not All Sands Were Created Equal

There are some sands out there which are made of round particles. It’s these round particles that slip and slide over and around each other. In doing so, they create a very unstable surface. It’s also these types of particles that can allow dust and debris to become trapped underneath the surface of your arena. Over time, this dust and debris, often containing silt can fuse together making the surface not only like concrete under foot (hoof) but like concrete under you when you fall.

Good quality silica sand however works in a very different way. Thanks to its sub-angular shaped particles, the grains interlock and compact against each other. This creates an arena surface that offers much better stability and support for horse and rider while also preventing dust and debris from integrating.

There are numerous suppliers of silica sand up and down the country but the important thing to remember is to do your research and ensure you’re getting high quality silica sand. So choose a reputable supplier, you may even want to view documents showing where the sand comes from. It’s worth noting however that quality silica sand isn’t cheap, not by a long stretch of the word however, here at Foley’s, we may just have a way for you to save money and still ensure you have the highest quality arena base possible…

Eco-Sport Mix

You heard us right, our eco-sport mix provides the best of both worlds, offering a fine foam based backed carpet along with a very light rubber shred. This creates the ultimate riding surface but more importantly, it creates a fantastic sub-base for any riding arena, turn out pen, lunge pen or gallop. What’s more, you can use our Eco-Sport Mix surface as a sub-base instead of silica sand and actually save a substantial amount of money at the same time.

Thanks to it’s density, our Eco-Sport Mix makes a great base layer, ensuring a safe ride for you and your horse while also helping to improve performance thanks to minimal kickback and surface movement as well as fantastic stability.

Want to find out more about Eco-Sport Mix and how you can use it as a base for your arena? Simply click here.