Watering equestrian training areas

The role of water on sandy surfaces

In order to ensure that a pure microsand surface is in perfect condition every day, 4 mm of water/d/m² in the summer season is required.

The second role of water is to stick the finest and most volatile particles of the soil aggregate, which are clays, together. In this case, watering guarantees comfort of use for riders, horses and the public and limits the nuisance of dust in the surrounding area.

Water resource management

The greatest ways of saving water can be found during the construction process, which makes it possible to achieve the desired texture according to the discipline involved. Underground irrigation systems are therefore one alternative for optimising water management by maintaining a constant level of humidity.

Some manufacturers offer an underlay consisting of slabs to ensure surface drainage, depending on the frequency of use and the pedoclimatic conditions of the chosen location.

Adding fibres to surfaces

Adding fibres to sandy equestrian surfaces modifies its characteristics: its cohesion, its permeability and its capacity to retain water.

Many different types of fibres are used on equestrian surfaces, depending on their size, shape and composition. Adding fibres makes it possible to improve the characteristics of a specific sand according to the discipline and the level of technicality required.

Although they have never been precisely quantified, it is admitted that by adding appropriate fibres, water savings can be as much as 30%.

“No-water” processes

The various manufacturers of equestrian surfaces are constantly working on the development of surfaces that do not require watering. This is usually done by replacing the water with a carbonaceous binder that plays the same role in the sand.

A number of race and training tracks for race horses (Deauville, Cagnes-sur-mer, Chatenay, etc.) are now made using such processes. The texture sought after at horse shows is more difficult to reproduce with such processes. Currently, no such track is used at horse shows in France. It is used in training arenas however such as the ENE in Saumur, the Pôle Hippique de Pompadour, and the Pôle Hippique d'Uzès.

Some surface manufacturers have sought to do without sand and develop a coating that does not require watering. For example, Sportingsols “Mustang” process consists of rubber chips, some of which are cast in a resin comparable to an athletics track. This surface can currently be used indoors and is used at the Puy du Fou shows and at the Zingaro Equestrian Theatre. Nevertheless, this process has not developed much in the equestrian field since it was tested in 2008. No equestrian competition has yet adopted this type of surface, which does not yet seem to be suitable for competitive show jumping at heights above 1.10 m.

The role of water on grass surfaces

As is the case on sandy surfaces, water plays two roles on grass surfaces.

The main role of water on grass surfaces is to ensure the survival and proper development of the plant. As such, the objective of a grass riding surface is less aesthetic than functional: the most important criteria for ensuring the performance and durability of the riding surface are the even spread of the plant cover on the one hand and the depth of its roots on the other. The depth of the roots depends on the cohesion of the soil, the resistance capacity of the grass during the horse show and its ability to recover after the horse show.

The second role of water on grass surfaces is to ensure the flexibility required during competitions. In reality, significant amounts of water will only be needed occasionally, but large quantities will sometimes be required, especially in cross-country eventing which involves very large surfaces and requires the availability of adequate water reserves.

Water resource management

Daily management of grass watering

Because they are working with a living material, the person in charge of a grass surface will have to manage water resources intelligently. Outside of competition preparation periods or post-competition recovery periods, they must keep in mind that the surface is composed of grasses which are hardy plants.

In dry soil, the plant will develop deeper roots to find moisture. It is therefore a good idea to make the grass “suffer” a little in order to develop deep roots.

As with sandy surfaces, it is preferable to water grass surfaces at night to limit evapotranspiration on the ground.

Construction parameters

Apart from the intensity of use, the water consumption of a grass surface varies mainly depending on the substrate, drainage and type of grass planted.

In order to meet the technical demands of the sport, the substrates of competition grounds are becoming more and more elaborate (the proportion of sand in the substrate is increasing), allowing competitions to be increasingly less dependent on weather conditions. On the other hand, these arenas are however drier and consume more water.

Drainage techniques have been strongly inspired by those used in large sports grounds and have become extremely efficient. They have helped to enable the use of grass facilities in rainy weather under good conditions but have also made the soil more dependent on watering.

The varieties and species of grass used have a significant influence on the water requirements. The selection of grass varieties for sports fields indirectly benefits competitive horse arenas.

Depending on the latitude of the terrain, varieties with low water requirements may be used, such as varieties of couch grass selected in the Mediterranean area (Bermuda grass, kikuyu, etc.). In colder areas, such as in the north of France, ryegrass is preferred, while in between, the use of tall fescues is preferred for the quality of their rooting. When choosing the variety, the plant’s tolerance to water stress should obviously be taken into account.

Technical control of the growth and development of the plant will then depend on the quality of the soil.