Penn State Agricultural Arena Footing
By Cara
Marafine
The Penn State Agricultural Arena footing
is composed of a sand and sawdust mixture. The arena is 150 feet by 80
feet. About two years ago, the old
footing was removed and replaced with new footing. The footing was the same sand and sawdust mixture that replaced
the old footing. When the new footing
was put in according to calculated volume needed, it was too deep so some had
to be removed. It is always easier to put less footing in and add more if you
need to rather than taking some out.
The official recipe for the footing is
for 1000 square feet of arena surface, 8 tons of sand and 1.25 tons of
sawdust. The recipe also calls for
20-25 pounds of CaCl per 1000 square feet of arena surface to keep the
footing from freezing. The CaCl is
not used in the Penn State Arena because the arena is heated and there are no
problems with freezing of the footing.
This footing seems to work well for
the Penn State Agricultural Arena. Dust is suppressed by spraying down with
water and it is dragged about once a week or as needed according to use. The sand and sawdust provide a sturdy base
for the horse’s traction.
Picture of PSU Ag. Arena footing
(2004):
Other
types of Arena Footing
Sand:
Description: sand is one of the most forgiving floor
materials for a horse’s
legs
and has excellent drainage. However,
pure sand does not compact
and
will move easily creating tracks and pockets with repeated use.
Advantages: highly absorbent, soft surface, noiseless,
good drainage
Disadvantages: does not pack well, damp in cold climate,
drying effect on hooves
Wood:
Description: wood is used less often in modern horse
facilities due to
relatively
high initial cost. Wood chip material is mainly used.
Advantages: easy on legs, rough wood has good
traction, durable
Disadvantages: retains odor, slippery when wet, needs to
be replaced
often
Road Bas Mix:
Description:
usually composed of granite mixed with a small
amount
of clay or other binding material that results in a well graded,
compactable
material used for road building.
Advantages:
packs well, good drainage, easy to level
Disadvantages:
can get too hard like concrete and be hard on the horse’s
feet.
References
and Suggested Readings
- Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences http://www.cas.psu.edu last accessed:
2-28-04
- Wheeler, Eileen.
“Horse Stable Flooring Materials and Drainage”. The Pennsylvania
State University,
2002.
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