ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT TRACK?
When building an arena, choosing the right surface is vital.
MARTIN COLLINS, MARTIN COLLINS Logo and POLYTRACK, ECOTRACK, ACTIV-TRACK and CLOPF FIBRE are registered trademarks.
Arena surfaces have changed considerably in the last 10 years. Reasons for this include ongoing research and interest in sport science, veterinary science and better management of elite competition horses. Technology has improved resulting in modern surfaces playing an important role in maintaining soundness and allowing horses to compete at their best. When considering riding surfaces, there are four distinct types available in South Africa, namely turf, wax coated, sand, dry sand combined with fibre or rubber chip. Each has its advocates. TURF Well kept turf, assuming the rainfall is neither heavy nor scarce, is ideal for a working and competing horse. Turf is the traditional footing for all equestrian sports including racing. When a horse works on well cared for turf, both compression and a forward movement, or sheer, is expected; the amount is dependent on the gait and pace. Turf supplies a firm base, has free drainage, resilience, and is self-regenerating (with restricted use) and usable under most weather conditions. Well managed turf also has a deep root structure which helps hold the soil together. The importance of good ground for competition is vital to the success of the sport, especially at the higher levels and for racing where horses are travelling at great speed. Turf maintenance is a science on its own and requires a knowledgeable grounds man and is labour intensive. It requires a specific and specialized management programme.
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SPORTING HORSE Issue 20
ALL WEATHER - WAX All-weather surfaces were developed to allow horses to work in situations where turf cannot be sustained (due to either over use or climate). Turf however is, the “blueprint” which all other man-made surfaces aim to replicate. The closest equivalent, without the need to “manage rain fall” would be a wax coated surface with an all weather drainage system. Phumelela have recently installed an all weather Polytrack at their Randjesfontein training centre. Fairview Racetrack has an all-weather Polytrack which is used both for training and racing. It has saved six race meetings, since its installation, that would have otherwise have been cancelled due to weather. Gold Circle has installed a Polytrack training surface at Summerveld Training Centre and a new Polytrack race track at Greyville. Correct maintenance is important to ensure optimal performance and durability. The capital costs are high but the benefits of consistent, safe surfaces, which are easy to care for, are well worth the expense. The main advantage of an all weather surface is that it requires less maintenance and is consistent through all weather conditions. It is worth noting that most of these surfaces function in a wide range of temperatures (-12°C to +40°C). The durability of the surface is