Anyone use Mag Flakes in their arenas?
I just laid about $900 worth of them down in my arena and now I’m hoping I did it right and that it actually works.
Tell me your experiences, good and bad, is it worth it? Does it take all the dust down or just make it less dusty? Does it change your ground at all? Ie; make it sticky or pack quicker?
Commonly used for indoors.
Effectiveness varies somewhat depending upon how much dust is already in arena. (Are we talking fairly new footing or stuff that’s ancient & basically straight dust to begin with) How humid air is. Mag cannot draw water from Air that is bone dry etc.
Yes it certainly helps. But is unlikely to eliminate the need for watering entirely. And it will dissipate. Yearly application is common.
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I’m in the Northeast region of the US and it definitely helps! The footing is probably 5 years old or so? The mag flakes makes the footing a little more spongey which is really nice
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My current barn has, from what I’ve been told, too much of it. No dust ever, never needs watering. But it packs down like cement. The tractor has been out of commission for a while so the arena hasn’t been dragged in 2-3 months. The edge and center (where everyone stands when lunging) is so hard. When I walk on it my boots sound like I’m on a sidewalk. Even when dragged regularly it still quickly hardens.
I almost prefer dusty indoor footing to this. So either get the amount correct or be willing to maintain it often.
We have Reiner’s so the ground is drug at least once a day with a Kiser drag.
I did notice that it’s packing a tiny bit easier, kind of how it would be if I watered it heavy but so far I’m liking it.
I have used it for years, I’ve found that watering is usually overkill here in the NE… It is also wonderful for keeping arena thawed in winter.
While it would work in out doors, it may require more freqent replacement, and for snow-fugitabouit!
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Exactly as @merrygoround said. I used it in the winter in my indoor to keep the dust down. sprinkled like a dusting of snow, it lasted all winter. In the summer I used an overhead sprinkler system to keep the dust down. Can’t STAND dust when I’m riding, not good for either of us.
I use them too and very effective for dust control. The key is to figure out how much to put down that it’s not too much but enough that you don’t need to do it again for a while. I’m still figuring that out. Seems using a drag or harrow and working it in is important.
Yes I’m finding that out. I put down 36 bags in our 72x150. I didn’t drag Saturday or Sunday and Monday morning it was a little dusty on top, but I drug it diagonal and then the length of the arena and the dust disappeared and it was the perfect amount of moisture. Same thing this morning, slightest bit of dust on top when I started the drag but it all dissipated.
I haven’t put water on it since last Monday and I put the mag flakes down Wednesday. Under normal conditions I would have heavily watered every other day.
OK - good data point. It would be good to hear others on how many bags and how long it will last. I haven’t finished my base and footing and wonder how many bags to put down when I finally do. Maybe
we can check in a year from now and see if you are still dust free.
Maybe others can chime in on how much to put down.
What I’m doing until I can do it right is screenings and boy do they get dusty so it’s cost me having to use more mag flakes to keep that within tolerance.
