The type of arena sand I want is sub angular with fines. The articles I read say I should be able to purchase that at any quarry. However, I haven’t been able to find it yet. The people at the quarries who answer the phones know nothing. They schedule deliveries and such.
Can anybody tell me where they got good sand in Texas?
not any help mainly because the state is kind of large, which part of Texas do you need this sand as transportation is usually a major cost of sand and aggregate?
Maybe copy parts of this article and show it to your local sand quarry. Might have the right terminology to help them understand what you’re looking for. Or, rather than ask for a specific sand you want, just ask them what kinds of sand they offer at that quarry, and you can research from there whether it has the properties you want.
It’s similar with rock, seems like every region varies in what terminology they use.
Agree with clanter, you do not want to ship sand from far away if you can help it, unless you’re made of gold.
ETA: This description of the properties may help: “cleaned and screened, medium to coarse, hard, sharp sand.”
And don’t settle just for talking to the first person who answered the phone! “Hi, I am looking to place an order for about XXX cu. yards of sand, but it’s for a specialty purpose. So I need to talk to someone first who can discuss the details of the types of sand offered at this quarry. Who is the right person for me to speak to?”
funny you mention that as US 81 near Ringgold TX and part of US 287 near Bowie were paved with concrete using sand that had gold in it
sections of U.S. Highway 81 and a portion of adjacent U.S. Highway 287 are actually paved with gold! The story began in 1936 when the Texas Highway Department was paving the two highways here in Montague County. Sand for the concrete was taken from a nearby pit, opened three years earlier. The grains glistened with such intensity as they were mixed that a closer examination seemed prudent. So a small supply was sent to a Fort Worth laboratory for assay. Back came the report: the sand contained gold.
Did you ask them what they sell for arena sand for equestrian use?
I poled several friends on FB what the sand they used in their local arenas was called, then I called a quarry and asked them what they sold to horse people, then I picked the closest quarry.
There are lots of different kinds of sand so go with what your arena having friends have used locally
If you are near Austin, use Collier Materials in Marble Falls. It’s called granite sand. Make sure you say “SAND” not gravel.
ETA: The granite sand is a manufactured sand and angular. I do not know what “subangular” is.
If your local quarries have websites, jump on them and find the number for the salesperson, that is who you want to talk to about what type of sand they have. Otherwise, ask whoever answers the phone for the number for a sales representative.
It’s too bad you aren’t up here, we’re more helpful 
I (scale clerk at the quarry, I answer the phone) have counseled countless folks on what they do and do not want for an arena. Most listen, some don’t. Some that don’t come back down the line to get some of our sand to help fix it after they go down the street and get the nice pretty river sand (that is round and way too slick).
I’m near Dallas.
Where I live, the sand labeled “arena sand” is fine and slippery. It’s what barrel racers like so the horses can slide around barrels kicking up sand as they go. It’s not the right sand for other kinds of riding.
Great example why terminology is not very helpful. Just gotta get the right person on the phone who can talk about the properties / physical characteristics of the stuff.
there are some large Dressage barns in Rockwall/McKinney/Flower Mound… suggest you contact them as to jut what/where they got their sand and what it was called
As a general term, “manufactured sand” should get you closer to what you want, as it’s sand crushed down from rock rather than purely mined out/dredged river bed sand.
I have a source of manufactured sand, but it is angular rather than subangular.
Vietnam is a good source, the Tokyo Olympics brought in 3,500 tons of sand shipped in from Vietnam
well forget Vietnam as the have banned export of sand
I was hoping to find something a little closer. LOL.
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