Has anyone on the board used GGT or similar fiber footing on an outdoor arena? Around here that product seems to be more common for indoor arena footing.
My outdoor is currently 2 inches of silica sand on top of a compacted limestone screening base. It was originally 3 inches, but I removed some because it seemed so deep. Even with two inches of sand, the arena still “rides deep” as the horses seem to just sink into it rather than working on top of the surface. I spoke the consultant at Footings First and she recommended adding fiber to stabilize the sand. I am concerned about the fiber washing away or floating to the top. Also, I’m wondering if the elements (freezing during our cold winters, UV light during the hot summers), will cause the fiber to break down prematurely.
I think these types of footing are falling out of favor. Awesome when they are “just right”, but can be downright awful otherwise. Hopefully, others local to you can chime in, but I know that generally people around here have not been too happy with their GGT investment perhaps due to our dry environment.
I have a fiber, rubber, and sand mix in an outdoor ring. We do lose some rubber and fiber that floats off in big rain storms when we get the occasional blow out (I’m talking the days we had >1" or more, which is not all that common). It isn’t a huge amount, and I’m sure I lose plenty of sand too, but it disappears into the grass where the rubber/fiber is more visible. We do get some freezing and sun but I don’t feel it has caused a premature breakdown. Mine is 3 years old and I do need to add some footing next spring, but it won’t need much.
I am pleased with my GGT but it does need to be groomed
Would never use it again. Takes a LOT of water to ride correctly. Does wash out everywhere. Will not stay well mixed. Forget it. It is fine but why thinking airfoot next. Never rubber again either. I think sand and arena kleen for me next time, even outside
I don’t have GGT myself but a dressage barn where I ride has it in their indoor. It seems to require a lot of very precise maintenance to stay in good condition, and when it’s not in good condition it gets hard and very uneven. For that reason I would not recommend it for an outdoor, where conditions are harder to control. Also, as Dior said, it requires a lot of water and if your location is correct I imagine you would have problems with freezing.
My horse, who is not generally very sensitive to footing, has been a little off in the GGT several times when it’s not in good shape (I think due to arthritis in his coffin joint). He is always 100% sound and comfortable in my outdoor, which is sand and Airfoot, even when it hasn’t been dragged in several weeks. And I have never once had to water my arena even during drought.
We have footing in both of our outdoor arenas which are exposed to hot dry summers (up to high 90’s) and cold winters (snow, 0-15 lows) here in Utah. The fiber footing holds up well but you would have to talk to Heidi at http://www.premierequestrian.com/category/Horse-Arena-Footing.html to find out the brands she used at LF Farm in Sandy, UT. Her footing was a godsend for 30+ year old sand arenas. Yes, they need to be groomed but less often then sand and it depends on your traffic.
