Stable and Arena Tips, courtesy of FICS of Maryland

Stable Tips:

• To minimize flies and other pesky insects, locate your manure pile as far from the barn as possible.

• Improving air flow and ventilation in your barn will reduce the number of flies because flies prefer still air to moving air.

• If you have one of our fly spray systems & you need more fly control, instead of increasing the length of spray, increase the number of sprays per day. 

Arena Tips:

• A ring's base is like the foundation of a house:  it is the most crucial element of construction.  The main purpose of a ring base is to act as a barrier between the existing earth and the surface footing.  If a ring is built without a base or if it is an improper one, whatever footing is added on top will eventually mix in with the ground below and, any soil, clay, stones, and rocks below will eventually work their way to the surface.  So when considering building a ring, be sure to put the majority of your time, research, effort, and money into constructing a good base.

• To minimize dust in your arena, pick out manure regularly and avoid adding organics (mulch, wood chips, sawdust) to your footing. 

• Ideally, the arena should be located on the highest ground possible to prevent the water from nearby land from draining across your arena.  If this is not an option, we recommend locating swales outside of your arena to help divert the water from running across your ring.  Also, keep in mind that much of the money associated with building an outdoor arenas is often the initial moving of earth.  Therefore, to save costs, start with the flattest area possible.

Footing additives can be confusing.  The following is a brief explanation of the basic differences among our most popular additives:

• Granular Rubber - Loosens & softens hard, compact footing.
• Flat Rubber - Softens & helps to stabilize loose, shifty sand.
• Felt/Fiber - Cushions, retains moisture, traps dust, and knits together to keep horses "up on top".
• Spray on Dust Control - Coat dust particles to make them too heavy to become airborne.  Does not alter footing consistency.

More Stable and Arena tips coming soon - check back often...!