March 2024 Newsletter

 

About Attwood: Attwood Installers

The first person to install an ‘Attwood Arena’ was Nick Attwood himself.  He formulated, mixed and installed the first Attwood footings, incorporating his business in 1992.  From the start, he could see the need for educating the consumer and supplying solutions that work.  Edwin Barron joined Attwood Equestrian Surfaces a dozen years later and has been on the same quest ever since.  Growing, learning, evolving, Attwood Equestrian is the leader in understanding the mechanics and chemistry of footing.

From the start, Attwood has installed its surfaces formulated for each individual arena.  Today, we have dedicated Crews who travel all around the United States to install and maintain arenas with Attwood footing.  Attwood Crews have expert skills and can install a sub-base/arena pad and do site work to create swales and direct water if necessary.  Crews can install an outdoor base, an indoor base, and install the footing.  Oftentimes, Attwood Crews also install perimeter fencing using the containment board support posts.  In addition, some customers have maintenance contracts for Attwood to annually or biannually do a laser regrade. 

Keeping up with the times, Attwood now offers SELF-INSTALL footing! 

While Attwood Crews are still hard at work every day in arenas all over the U.S., footing is now available to be delivered via truck load or in super sacks to the DIY customers who have the equipment and know how to install the footing themselves. 

Through the years, Attwood has learned to evolve with the climate.  The outdoor base setup has changed dramatically to incorporate vertical drainage.  Often, customers share stories of having the only rideable arena in the area when everyone else is under water.  Attwood installers are experts in their field and stand by their work. 

Knowing the base is absolutely critical, Attwood installers can assess, begin and do the work to install a base that works well and will stand the test of time.  An outdoor base is installed with supported perimeter containment to keep all base structure and footing in place.  Attwood Crews can also install indoor bases and even temporary bases with mats.

One Attwood arena installation success story included an arena without access to it.  As a result, Attwood rented a crane to lift and move the equipment to the site!  Everything worked out beautifully and the installation was a great success.

Another Attwood installation success story was at the VA Horse Center in Lexington, VA.  When the VHC was ready to update their competition arena for safety and performance, Attwood combined two separate arenas and refitted the dimensions to fit into the landscape and topography.  Drainage for this new arena was paramount.  Attwood worked together with the VHC team to address all details and to create a beautiful 56k+ square foot arena fit for world class competitions.  The VHC has a scheduled maintenance plan to help with keeping the footing in its best form, which is apparent when you see and ride on the footing in the Dee Dee!

For your one-stop shopping arena installation – indoor or outdoor – call Attwood and know that you will be getting expert work from start to finish.

 

 

Project Highlight

Two Arenas in Horse Country Virginia

…We’ll affectionately call Fox and Hound…

Fox was looking for an arena builder to do a complete outdoor arena installation from beginning to end – turnkey.  Big jumps were to go in this arena and a full-size dressage court.  Most importantly, the surface needed to drain.

Fox contacted several arena builders only to learn that this tall order could not be filled by just anyone.  With Attwood, Fox was able to design an arena layout that was suitable.  Attwood worked with the site work company to prep the site and once the soil pad was ready, Attwood constructed an arena with a drainage layer and provided a Grand Prix riding surface.  This would be one of those arenas that was draining and rideable when no one else’s was.

Not only was Fox’s arena in excellent working condition, but it was also built beautifully.  The containment included 4”x6” posts at 30” high with two cross rails and an aesthetic cap – all installed by Attwood. 

Attwood shared water management procedures and tools to measure the moisture to maintain optimum performance.  In addition, Attwood installers helped with harrow patterns and setup, as well as maintenance recommendations.

Hound had footing that did not work.  Horses were hitting the base and safety was an issue.  Attwood was able to take this existing footing and amend it to include GGT textiles.  The objective was to increase the performance of the footing, and Attwood was successful in doing so.

Once the footing was amended and ready to ride, Hound sought an easier and more conservative way of watering.  Hound chose Attwood’s under surface watering system, ArenaWet.  Attwood lifted all the footing to expose the base and install the new ArenaWet system. 

The mats used with the ArenaWet system add another 30% of concussion reduction and make the footing more forgiving, so therefore, it never really compacts.  The ArenaWet system can water the arena with 40% less water than a conventional overhead sprinkler system; it is divided into 8 zones and each zone can be watered individually.  If one side of the arena is sunnier than the other for instance, perhaps only one side of the arena needs to be watered.  Each zone requires a minimum of 17 gallons per minute, which is 3-6 min of watering time.  This was the perfect setup for Hound, who is very happy with the results from below and above.

 

Footing Highlight

Pinnacle

Pinnacle is Attwood’s premium footing blend consisting of polymer coated sand and fibers. 

Pinnacle is formulated, blended and installed by Attwood Equestrian. 

Pinnacle is dust free.  Sand granules and other abrasive additives rubbing together cause dust.  Pinnacle has a heat-applied polymer that coats the sand granules and alleviates dust. This is especially helpful in indoor arenas. 

Pinnacle is water free.  The polymer coating on the sand granules is hydrophobic and therefore, will not absorb water.  Water drains away and does not change the footing. 

Pinnacle does not change with temperature fluctuations.  Because it does not absorb water, it can maintain its consistency even if temperatures change drastically.

Pinnacle footing is formulated for the needs of the horse and rider and the climate.

 

Monthly Q & A

Which footing should I choose?

Are you a boarding barn with several practicing disciplines? 

Are you strictly a dressage rider aiming for the Olympics?

Are you 60+ years old and just want to have fun and be safe?

The amount of time you spend maintaining your footing will be a direct result of which surface you choose.  No surprise that the most economic footing is also the highest maintenance. 

The least expensive footing is a water dependent sand blend – make it more of a challenge and install it yourself!  Once your footing is installed, it needs to be watered… a lot and always.

The benefits of having a water dependent sand blend are: a) it’s more economical, b) you can manage the depth and firmness of the footing by the amount of water you apply, c) good for multi disciplines using the same space, d) you can fluff up the footing and add air into it with a suitable harrow, e) this will be similar footing to what you will find in competition arenas when traveling to compete, f) we now have a moisture meter tool to help customers maintain their footing more scientifically and accurately, and g) we offer ArenaWet under surface watering system to save water and to water evenly.

The drawback to having a water dependent sand blend footing is a) the constant need to water the footing, and b) typical sprinkler systems from above do not water arenas evenly, especially outside.

The most expensive footing is the polymer coated, dust free, water free surface.  Attwood’s Pinnacle footing is an installed surface with a five-year warranty.  It has the lowest maintenance and the best performance.  No water is needed.  There is no dust.  Less time is spent maintaining the surface, and more time is spent in the saddle.  Harrow this footing as needed to fluff.  This footing is forgiving, and riders say it is like riding on a cloud.

The middle of the road footing is a dust free surface designed and formulated for performance and safety.  AlphaTex can be installed by the customer, or by Attwood installers.  This footing is low maintenance, dust free and does not need to be watered.  Mirroring the benefits of Pinnacle, AlphaTex has been tested and certified, so every footing mix is predictable and consistent, and available for self-install across the United States. 

 

 

Product Highlight

Rug Dryer

Introducing one of our newest products, EcoDRI Rug Dryers! These blanket dryers are revolutionary and available in one, two, three, four, and five bar options. This allows you to dry blankets, saddle pads, gloves, polo wraps, boots, and more, all at once. They run on a single 13 amp plug and feature wheels for easy movement around the barn or tack room. Eliminate shrinkage and damage from normal tumble dryers and prolong the life of your materials, making our EcoDRI dryer a great investment!

Below:  Drimee Solarium  & Two-Bar Rug Dryer

Attwood Equestrian footings are lab engineered, lab tested and have a guaranteed performance outcome. Footing for English disciplines.