Equine Arena Footing and Injuries

Arena footing material was correlated with risk of injury to horses in a study conducted by researchers in England and Scotland. More than 2,500 members of a British dressage society responded to a survey designed to quantify injuries and bouts of lameness sustained by horses ridden on various surfaces made of natural or artificial materials.

The riders reported that wax-coated surfaces were the least likely to cause injury, while sand and wood chip surfaces increased risk of injury because they tended to become uneven in both wet and dry conditions. Slipping was a major problem on wood chip surfaces.  Horses tripped most on sand, though fine sand was a better surface than coarse sand. Sand could be improved by adding rubber or wax, while a layer of rubber over a layer of sand was judged preferable to a sand and rubber mix.