Riding Arenas
The Foreshore Effect
Our arenas are designed to be usable in anything up to once-in-a-decade storm conditions. 'Single sized' sands drain extremely quickly, passing water straight through to drainage layers beneath, yet will maintain a certain degree of moisture.
It is this combination of fast drainage and moisture retention that creates the 'foreshore effect' -- a riding surface that mimics that of a beach foreshore. The surface stays firm enough to prevent the hoof sinking in, yet yielding enough to avoid jarring the hoof on impact with the ground.
Digging Deeper
Our designs usually consist of a 'single sized' sand surface underlain by drainage layers. By understanding the engineering properties of the sands and gravels used, a top quality, long lasting riding surface can be created without the need for expensive trenching and piping.
Our riding arena digging deeper articles are for those who wish to take a more active role in the design of their arena, giving you the information you need to begin specifying your arena yourself. Bear in mind that these examples are drawn from using our own sands. If you are not in the West Wales area, your local sands will have different properties, and the design would need to vary to compensate. Site conditions can also impact substantially on a design.