GGT Footing- What Can You Tell Me?

[NCE]

I am looking at installing GGT footing in my outdoor arena. I am located in Northern California (east bay area), and am primarily doing this to make the arena more all-weather. Of course I also know the benefits to the horses and how great they feel on it so that is a huge plus too. What I am wondering is… before I give the go ahead and do it, what can any of you tell me about your GGT experience especially with regard to using it in inclement weather, or any other thoughts you may have. I have a business of about 25 horses who will be using it 6 days a week along with the occasional extra boarder. We are a hunter/jumper program; we jump two or three days a week (depending on peoples’ schedules)

Thank you in advance!!

[Brookes]

I would look into the Martin Collins CLOMPF footing instead. Talk to Barb at West Coast Footings about it. We installed it at the Sonoma Horse Park and it has been fantastic!!! We had a huge freak rain storm during our September shows and the footing held up perfectly! We were so happy to see how well it did. We are adding it to another arena for next season so we will have 4 of our 6 show rings footed with the CLOMPF footing. It has been very well received by everyone riding on it. The dust levels have been cut down to almost nothing too! A super perk! If you need more details just pm me!

This footing rocks!!!

[M_Owen]

The farm where I board has the GGT in the indoor. There are about 30 horses on the property, with fairly busy school program.

As a boarder I really like the footing. When they first had it installed, they had a little trouble getting the depth just right all over, but after rolling it and dragging it regularly they were able to even it out. They did have to add mag chloride a few times to keep dust down, that may not be a concern in your climate (farm is in Massachusetts, so totally different). They did have to buy a different kind of drag for the footing. I don’t know what you call the drag, but it sort of turns like a shallow rototiller and fluffs the footing while evening it out. I think if you use a normal drag the fabricy stuff would get stuck in it.

The horses do seem to love the footing and feel good on it.

[NCE]

Ok, I guess I am a little out of it today. The footing is the CLOPH. I rode at the sonoma horse park and loved the footing, which is why I had wear coast footings come to my barn. I think I (wrongly) assumed CLOPH was another form/name for GGT. So… Can you tell me the difference? What makes one better than the other? What’s the most rain durable? I was so impressed w how the rings held that I talked w John and Barb right there. What can you tell me about maintenance? Thanks, sorry for my ignorance!! Oops

[Brookes]

Please talk to Barb and John from West Coast about the differences. I am not a footing expert by any means! I just know that the feedback we had was spectacular, much better than the GGT we originally had installed. Barb can also get you in touch with the Martin Collins rep and she can really give you the full rundown on why their footing is so awesome. It was the best thing we did getting that footing into the 3 main rings this season!

I’m glad you showed with us!!! Hope you come back for the 2014 5th anniversary show season! We have lots of fun things planned and like I mentioned will have that footing in 4 of our show rings next year!!! We put safety first at the Sonoma Horse Park and have heard from people who ahem unfortunately hit the footing the hard way that it was a much softer landing so to speak lol!

[Foot44]

NCE, I have had experience with GGT and find it an ideal surface. The shear support, traction, and cushion are awesome! The thing you need to know about GGT is it takes the right sand to make it all work. Also, you will need the right groomer. It also needs hydration. That being said if you get these basics right you will not be sorry.

Regarding the difference between Clompf and GGT, I have seen the two products side by side and see very little difference between them. I think the idea is a synthetic textile mixed with fiber.

Talk to Mark or Chris over at Premier Equestrian about it. Those guys know GGT inside and out. :yes:

[aikenhorses]

the difference between Clopf and GGT Footing is that one is Carpet and textile mixed…while the other GGT German Geo Textile is actaully high quality polyester product.Twenty year old company from Europe with a manufacturing plant in USA…time is the true teller of all these products…carpet can become very dusty after several years and it wil breakdown much faster than polyester.Three of the four Olympic qualifiers were held last year on GGT Footing
Wef,Global Dressage,Hampton Classic,Devon,princeton Show,and thirteen GGT Footiung grand Prix series are held in California Alone…Sonoma has ggt in some of the arenas,sacremento ,delmar,flintrige,menlo,huntington beach,la equestrian …and many private arenas in east coast as well as west coast shows…have ggt footing…there is a reason for the long term staying power of this company…excellent quality.great marketign and name branding…however many imitation procducts that are much cheaper…get confused with The real GGT Footing…WEG and KY horse park has GGT Footing…Thunderbird Show Park and Rocky Mountain show Jumping all have ggt footing…

[JoyRide]

The Secret is the Sand!
Sierra Silica Resources near Sacramento, CA has a high performance Quartz “SmartSand” at the ready. Beautifully blended to international specs at only $25 a ton. They will quote and arrange for delivery. Lovely rose cream color. Dustin Parsons 530-403-3245

[Plumcreek]

Brookes,
What type of sand did you put with the CLOPH footing? TIA

[aikenhorses]

WONDERFUL INFORMATION!
THANKS FOR SHARING …THAT IS A GRETA PRICE FOR SILICA SAND…!!

[KateKat]

My barn has GGT footing (Norcal as well) and its awesome. It holds up well when it hasn’t been raining for days on end, i.e. we can usually use it fine if its been raining for 1-2 days, but more than that and it needs a little bit of time to dry out. However, that is about a day or so, especially when the arena is sealed beforehand. I think if we didn’t have an indoor we would probably lose around a week of riding over the winter due to the arena being too wet.

[bluebuckets]

I showed at Sonoma Horse Park in Sept. (Week before the freak rain, I believe) and the footing is 100% gorgeous. GGT in the rings is lovely, Clopf in the warm-ups is also lovely.

[aikenhorses]

The main difference can be not only the sand but how the installation was performed
One thing Sonoma forgets to tell people is that they took out GGT FOOTING in one ring and replaced it w martin Collins as mc gave them the CLOPF FOR FREE
GGT FOOTING has 13 GGT FOOTING Grand Prix in California and the majority of shows use GGT FOOTING. Some people don’t know the difference. But GGT FOOTING is Pre consumer waste and has no carpet or carpet backing that dries up and gets hard as a rock

I’ve had people in warm climates tell me that they like the GGT FOOTING better
I do know this …there are a lot of footing companies and a lot of places that need better footing
I applaud all those that invest to upgrade for the benefit of the horse
There is plenty of business for everyone!! Just do your homework

[woodhillsmanhattan]

I showed at the KY horse park this past week an wasn’t sold on the footing. It did hold up in the rain well though.

[aikenhorses]

What Ring were you in?

[woodhillsmanhattan]

[QUOTE=aikenhorses;7581639]
What Ring were you in?[/QUOTE]

Oh boy, too many rings to remember! haha. The jumper ring behind the Rolex stadium…Murphy maybe it’s called?

[In_the_Air]

We just had two rings done with the GGT footing. I do like them but they also take a lot of daily maintenance to keep them nice. We drag at least once a day, prefer twice, pick out the poop after every ride. You have to water the outdoor daily and the indoor very other day. It is truly wonderful after it rains, never a puddle or soggy spot. We have a great drainage system installed underneath the outdoor ring. The sun glare can be blinding outdoors but they are so much nicer than the old sand/rubber we had.

[aikenhorses]

RECENTLY It has come to my attention that a company is using the name EGT and claiming that this is GGT …please be aware that this is not GGT product
unfortunately due to the high demand for GGT alot of imitators are scamming people…