7 Benefits of Installing Footing for a Horse Training Facility

When horse owners and competitive riders can train and play on a stable footing surface, they’ll come galloping into your facility.

Any arena that puts equestrians first wins the largest audience and can even serve them for a lifetime. This means installing dust-free, reliable horse footing they can trust.

We’re going to tell you more about the benefits you and your riders experience with the proper footing investment in your training facility.

Then, you can stand out above the competition and build an arena riders rave about.

1). Prevent Horse Injury

For equestrians, protecting their horse is everything.

The typical dressage rider invests $15,000 to $30,000 on their horse with years of work into discipline technique and form. Tearing a ligament means ending the competitor’s career due to unstable footing.

You can put horse owners and competitive riders at ease when offering footing with plenty of cushion. They can relax and not worry every time they trailer horses into a dressage arena.

2). Meet Discipline Standards

The footing must meet a discipline’s requirements if you’re building an outdoor or indoor arena for equestrian sports.

While this may seem frustrating, you attract niche riders that practice for local, national, and international events. This could mean big-name sponsorships that raise your facility’s reputation.

We’ve seen the FEI World Cup jumping events use GGT Footing for some of the most viewed equestrian sports on television.

Meeting footing standards for various types of riding could produce more equestrian competitors in your discipline-specific training facility.

3). Prevent Dust

You can save riders and horses from health issues by investing in dust-free horse footing.

Both can inhale too much dust and suffer from respiratory problems in dusty arenas. These faulty facilities often deter casual owners and competitors from training there.

Some arenas push for dust control with chemicals like magnesium chloride, but the right footing can naturally bind to harmful particles instead.

When equestrians know their horses can breathe easy, your horse arena will receive more traffic.

4). Reduce Watering Costs

Did you know the typical outdoor arena (100 feet by 200 feet) requires 2,500 to 4,000 gallons of water per day? And if there’s drought near your facility that number jumps as high as 6,000 gallons?

It’s expensive to water your arena surface with a sprinkler system, but absorbent horse footing does the work for you. You can water less so competitors can train more.

And it saves facility costs from watering and installing a sprinkler system, bringing more revenue in from the equine property.

Other riding arena owners have purchased waterless horse footing to eliminate watering costs entirely.

5). Horses Gain Confidence Training

It’s no secret that athletes perform their best while trusting the facility they practice in. Discipline horses are no different and exceed expectations when relying on a sound footing surface.

They’re prone to trip, stumble, or sink in footing that’s too deep, too soft, or too firm. Depending on the rider’s discipline, their horse must train on a footing that supports specific hoove movements.

You’ll see a tremendous difference with animals that are sure of their next step. Riders become lifetime customers when they can enjoy longer training sessions with a confident horse.

6). Prevents Freezing

You may be suspicious of freezing when considering horse footing that retains moisture. Most times, absorbent footing turns to ice during the winter and colder months.

It can feel like a tough bind for equestrians to choose between training on a sheet of ice or flooded arena facilities.

The great news is that yoga mat types of footing and other additives can absorb moisture and prevent freezing at the same time. This maintains your training facility year-round without you doing any work.

7). Increase Riding Surface Longevity

For less maintenance, it’s wise to purchase high-performing horse arena footing. Some facility owners mix sand into the existing footing material, which becomes a never-ending cost.

And it only produces a sub-par training ground that competitors stay away from.

You can avoid these pitfalls and build a riding surface that lasts with horse footing. The expense only occurs every 5-10 years and maintains a training facility that competitors are proud to ride on.

What Else do Successful Training Facilities Need?

Thriving horse arenas generate immense profits from niche and casual equestrians. This is due to the many benefits of horse footing. However, the facility requires additional work to maintain it for years to come.

We believe the arena base is more important than the footing in most scenarios. Without a stable base and/or subbase, the entire footing surface can become unstable.

Proper footing additives and sand cannot compensate for a weak foundation.

If you’re unsure about the specifics of equestrian arenas, we recommend reaching out to experts for advice.

Build a State-of-the-Art Arena

With the 7 benefits of horse footing for training facilities, you’re off to a great start. The riding surface not only helps horses perform their best during practice but also saves money on your investment.

We understand horse footing is a big investment, especially since it can last up to 10 years. Our footing specialists team has a wealth of knowledge to share about building the best horse arena in your arena.

This includes finding out about the most effective arena drags, base materials, and more.

To ask questions about the best horse footing and horse arena construction, give us a call at (877)-835-0878.