Which Horse Arena Footing Is Best for Horses?

The choice of what to use for horse arena footing is subject to a number of variables, such as whether the arena is indoors or outdoors, local climate, cost to maintain and how much horse traffic the arena must support. Because of these variables, the "best" footing material will vary. However, horse arena owners have a variety of available footing materials that can accommodate the comfort and safety of the horse and meet other practical needs as well.

  1. Sand

    • Many arenas use sand for footing, often in combination with other materials. Sand consists of individual grains ranging from 0.05 mm to 2 mm in size. The ideal sand has been washed of silt and clay and has been screened to remove large particles, according to Pennsylvania State University. Proper depth of sand is important; to avoid damage to horse tendons, 6 inches should be considered the maximum depth.

    Dirt

    • Perhaps the most widely variable substance used in arena footing, dirt is also one of the most common. Local conditions will greatly affect the usefulness of dirt as arena footing. When combined with sand, soil forms an ideal surface for western riding because of its versatility: it may be kept moist and compacted for speed, or loose for sharp turns.

    Wood Products

    • With sizes and textures ranging from large chips to coarse sawdust, wood products are highly variable. Though wood is useful because of its ability to hold moisture and to cushion hooves, it decomposes quickly and most be replenished often. Arena owners in colder climates should use caution with wood products, according to Kansas State University, because coarse material can freeze "in an 'up' position...and cause abscess, bruising, and lameness troubles." Penn State says walnut and black cherry hardwood products should be avoided because they are toxic to horses.

    Rubber

    • Recycled rubber comes from shoes or tires and can be effectively combined with sand or other materials for form arena footing. Pieces of rubber can float away from the mix in heavy rains, but can be recombined with surface conditioning equipment. An arena surface that uses rubber may thaw faster as the rubber absorbs solar radiation, according to Penn State. Make sure recycled rubber doesn't contain metal from steel-belted tires.