So far I have not heard mention of the footing at WEG - odd since it is the first thing that competitors usually complain about if it is not perfect and it is one of the most important factors for a good performance.
The commentators on FEItv said the same thing today.
I think that means the footing is perfect! I was really admiring the way it held up to the rain on the first day of dressage.
I heard it was the “euro-felt”.
As I have a great interest in footing, I investigated.
The main stadium is the ‘Otto Sport’ system of crushed rock below their pvc egg crate-looking drainage grid with the water holding cups, and overlain by 4" of mason’s sand with a half pound/sq ft of GGT euro felt (geotextile felt and string fibers).
I could not get near the actual reining footing, but it looked to be the usual mixture of sand and clay mixed so it would very slightly compact when squeezed in your hand.
There were miles of hoses on the XC course galloping paths during the course walk, where they were watering to keep the ground pliable.
You are correct about one thing, the footing is fabulous!I have ridden on the footing and there is nothing like it. I am trying to get it in my arena at home so I made many stops (and taking many notes!)at the Otto Sport booth at WEG, I do need to correct you on some of your information. They use 4 inches of pure silica sand, not masonary sand. The size particles are determined by their lab in Germany. It is a real science…they also use a virgin polyester geo textile fiber. It is NOT a felt or carpet fiber. The fibers and strands are mixted at different ratios, based on if it is a jumper arena,dressage arena or multi purpose arena.I suggest you talk to an Ottosport rep directly,they are very informative. Or even visit their website.It was so exciting to see such super footing in a competition arena, we would all be so spoiled if we could compete on this stuff!
On one of the shows that I watched (can’t recall if it was the reining coverage or some preview show) had a segment about the footing and they did mention that it was a sand/clay mixture. And deep – I can’t remember exactly but it was like 12 or 16 or ??? inches deep. I only remember that as my partner was shocked at how deep it was and I was explaining the difference between the needs for reining and our needs for hunter/jumper/dressage.
why do reiners want their foot so deep? seems like a leg strain waiting to happen?
the footing looked lovely, but i kinda miss not being able to see the hoof prints 
I heard today somewhere that reiners slide all the way down to the base with their special shoes. Maybe the top is deeper so they don’t hit the base immediately. Just guessing, though.
I would guess that the ‘base’ in that new arena is concrete for multi-purpose use other than horses. Kaiser Arena Specialists did the footing and are experts at moving totally new or stored footing into an arena for a certain event and getting the bottom compacted so the horses do not go all the way down. But yes, reining footing is deeper now as the stopping style has changed from skating along on 2" of loose top.
Regarding the Otto Sport: Quality washed sand that is light in color is silica sand by definition, as silica makes up quartz, the part of granite and some other rocks that breaks down last to form most sands. Tan or reddish sand has clay or silt in it. Mason sand was a size reference for those that did not see it. Unless a person has the sand trucked in from afar, or has a thick enough wallet to pay for custom production, they are going to have to use the sand types produced locally, and the size range that works with the fiber additives is going to be mason sand (vs concrete sand). Felt, in footing terms, refers to the thickest of the geotextile fabrics, not carpet fiber or craft store felt.
I’m with the understanding that the felt type footing still has to be kept wet. Not as much as just a sand/cray/dirt arena, but needs sprinklering nonetheless. Anyone have any more info to this?
My questions about the science behind the footing were actually driven by 2 friends of mine who tried to do the geo textiles"on the cheap". One put ground up carpet fibers in her arena with apparently the wrong kind of sand. The mixture doesn’t stay nicely blended like the WEG footing. She spends 2 hours a week on a rototiller keeping it blended! A regular drag doesn’t work, who has time for that?
Another friend got the “jumper blend” of geotextiles for her dressage arena, It was way too stiff, she had the whole thing removed! So I am trying to learn from their mistakes.
[QUOTE=horsepoor;5136102]
On one of the shows that I watched (can’t recall if it was the reining coverage or some preview show) had a segment about the footing and they did mention that it was a sand/clay mixture. And deep – I can’t remember exactly but it was like 12 or 16 or ??? inches deep. I only remember that as my partner was shocked at how deep it was and I was explaining the difference between the needs for reining and our needs for hunter/jumper/dressage.[/QUOTE]
That is for the reining…They will take that out as soon as the reining is done and put the euro footing back in…
[QUOTE=PONYPULR;5136552]
I’m with the understanding that the felt type footing still has to be kept wet. Not as much as just a sand/cray/dirt arena, but needs sprinklering nonetheless. Anyone have any more info to this?[/QUOTE]
I didn’t see them do any watering of the arenas during the whole eventing period. Just dragging with that impressive high speed John Deere tractor dance.
Aah, trusty COTH’ers always come up with interesting answers.
One comment I have about sand - there is sand and there is sand. Our “washed” sand had so much silt still in it it compacted and held the water - we scraped it off and spread it in the field.
Another footing that is commercially available here blows away when it is dry and makes a heck of a mess all over the place when used outdoors. Said to be made from the remnants of running shoes.
[QUOTE=PONYPULR;5136552]
I’m with the understanding that the felt type footing still has to be kept wet. Not as much as just a sand/cray/dirt arena, but needs sprinklering nonetheless. Anyone have any more info to this?[/QUOTE]
Yes, all the felt, Nike airfoot, fiber footing, etc. additives require the footing be kept wet when new until the sand is ground into the felt/fiber, then at least damp. It rained on Monday during Team Dressage and that probably kept the stadium footing damp enough - those moisture holding little cups in the Otto Sport grid are pure genius.
the arenas at KHP that have the geo textile footing have sprinkler heads mounted around the perimeter of the arenas. I don’t know if they are on a timer or manually controlled but from the first year they were installed it is very easy for them to be watered.
Re XC course: when you would get up on a hill and look at the course from a distance, the galloping lanes looked like green ribbons through the brown fields. They have done a great job of watering and prepping the ground. Most of those galloping lanes have been roped off for almost a year and getting lots of special treatment.
By the way: talk about attention to detail. The volunteers wiped down the rails of the jumps with a towel every time after the arena was dragged or a rail was hit.
I asked as I’m building an indoor. They said it should be watered 2-3 times a week.
I’m not keen on that…especially in the winter. I liked their base system…but I really would rather have footing that doesn’t need to be watered.
Also…cost to install (base and everything) is about $6 a square foot. So that puts it in the same bracket as footings like Attwood. Crap…lots to think on for footing…
ETA: It is lovely footing…has a good sounding warrenty etc. They are worth talking to if you are interested in doing an arena.
I’m looking to build a small outdoor and waterr equirements is really going to be an issue.
