Owners and trainers of horses put in thousands of dollars and hours of time into grooming their horses to be the best they can be. One of the most important aspects of keeping horses healthy and happy is ensuring that they have the right flooring to walk on. When building a horse arena, this is especially important, because the horses will train in the arena every day. There are some aspects to be wary of when planning a horse arena.

The surface materials can be two to six inches deep, and the recipe you use will greatly influence the speed  and endurance your horse will master. Recipes vary, including sand, rubber mulch, silt, clay, and other materials. Tire mulch is fairly new to the market, but many are finding that the extra absorbency it has gives horses an extra bounce in their step, and easier landing after jumps. Horse arena mulch should be mixed with other materials for the correct arena flooring.

The arena should be built on dry, flat, and well draining ground. It is advisable to build a shallow ditch around the perimeter of the arena for good draining of rainwater. Keep in mind that a ditch that is too steep could cause erosion of the base soil during real downpours.

Before choosing a surface material, it is important to have an adequate base. The base is the flooring between the earth and the surface material. It gives stability to the arena flooring, carries off rainwater, and acts as a protection between the earth and the surface material. The base should be hard packed, and carry no loose rocks or stones which can be dislodged by horses’ hooves.

It is safe to say that Hurricane Irene was one of the worst natural disasters to hit the northeast in years. States of Emergency were declared, and gas stations and supermarkets were emptied of flashlights, canned food, and the like. It may have been exciting to prepare for, but the aftermath left a path of destruction in its wake, with people left to repair, rebuild, and try to put their lives back together in these trying economic times. One of the many expenses that both private civilians and cities must take into account is restoring their play areas. On a whole, most playgrounds were not severely damaged, as the playground equipment is secured. However, flooring is a huge expense, and many areas were eroded, with their playground floors washed away. Some people were fortunate enough to escape this expense, by using rubber mulch.

Playground flooring is usually the last thing that people will put into their budget as a big expense, resorting to the most cost-effective solution. However, those who did invest in Playsafer rubber mulch are now reaping the rewards. The commonly used wood chips absorb water, and in a severe storm such as the one we’ve seen, can easily erode and get moldy. Rubber mulch, the playground flooring alternative, is synthetic and non-porous, allowing rain water to wash right over it. This feature is also beneficial when mulch is used for landscaping, as plants receive all the rainwater, as opposed to wood chips which absorb some of it on the way down.

Some playgrounds have playground rubber mats rather than rubber chips. This type of flooring has the same characteristics as rubber chips or shavings, allowing the ground to dry quickly, with no rotting. Playground mats are also very durable in the face of strong winds, and are secured well, allowing a place for children to roam free while the clean up commences.

Rubber mulch is also used in horse training arenas, where expenses are monumental. Horse farms are especially vulnerable to tropical storms such as Hurricane Irene, as all the structures are built from flimsy wood, from the fences to the paddocks and the barns. With so much rebuilding to be done, it is a relief to know that the flooring in the arena is safe. Rubber mulch is also especially important as the ground dries out quickly, making it safer for horses that would otherwise slip and slide on the wood.

At the time of purchase it may be hard to invest in rubber mulch, when there are more affordable options available. However, it is important to think about the future. In the event of a storm, and even under conventional circumstances, rubber mulch quickly pays for itself.

A recent statistics reveal that around 300 million tires are being thrown away every year in USA. They play a vital role in damaging the environment. Any kind of rubber tires can be recycled into rubber mulch and they are available in various shapes and sizes. Some of them are pellets, chips, shreds etc. The entire process is called devulcanization which employs heating mechanisms, softening agents and other chemicals. They can be laid for 1 to 2 inches over the landscape area and can reduce the dust and noise to a greater extent. It acts an excellent shock absorber in the play areas. This reduces the risk injury to a great extent.It prevents the growth of any weeds and still allows water and other nutrients for the plants. However, on absorbing water, it does not float away and shows high resistance to fading. It does not decompose and the lifespan is an expected 20 to 25 years. Recent researches prove that rubber mulch is not toxic and can be safely used even though it comprises of chemicals. They do not burn out easily and there are more number of play areas that quickly shift their focus in switching over to rubber mulch.

Hopefully we should all know about the use and effectiveness of arena footing out outdoors and indoors. We should all know the health benefits for both the horse and rider and how it helps with the horse’s tendons and joints. Also how much safer it is for riders when they fall, and yes even the most professional riders fall from time to time and the arena footing does make a difference here as well.

People who have looked into rubber footing, they will know different grades it can come in and how long it lasts, but do you think many people have considered the possibility of using recycled rubber footing in other ways?

Horses are always on their feet, for a great deal of the time anyway, so why not let them have the comfort they deserve, even when they are in and around the stable area. You may think that having rubber footing in the stable or barn area can be dangerous with the amount of water that gets used in cleaning these places, but when you take a look at the rubber flooring available for your barn or stable you will see that they come with many different grades of grooves for extra grip.

Also think how much easier the rubber footing can be to clean and the fact that it can reduce the chance of infections. It can come in one singular length, with no irritable joins that can rise up tip people or horses; it looks much better than a concrete floor and has the same benefits where health is concerned as the arena footing.

When it comes to cost, some people think, why should I bother if I’ve already got a ready made surface?

The answer is simple really, when you sit down and think if all the costs of putting other things on to that surface for health and safety, the wear and tare on your horses shoes, hooves and joints. The fact that rubber footing has a lengthy life to it means any cost is actually re-paid, ten fold to what would normally be speny. When you have rubber flooring in and around your barn or stables, as well as arena footing, you win in so many ways.