About Precision Equestrian Arenas and Sports Fields

We'll have you gather vendor gradation sheets for all sand producers in your area. Our owner will review these and determine which one/s are candidate and are needed for testing. Based on test results we can determine what blend creates stable footing.

Below are instructions for sampling your existing arena:

How to Collect a Consistent, Composite Arena Footing Sample:

The most important part of your test is to start with a consistent sample. The directions below can be used to collect a fair sample for testing. As always, call us with any questions or concerns and we will be happy to walk you through it.

Items Needed:
- Gallon sized ziplock bag
- Bulb cutter (Marked at 4 inches, or your cushion depth) or other dedicated soil sampler.
- Bucket
- Hand trowel (Small garden spade) If needed.

1: Make sure your footing (arena) is maintained to maximum performance (as if you were getting ready for an event).

2: Use a bulb cutter (or a dedicated soil sampler) to push down through your cushion and any sub cushion/pad layer (to the depth marked at on sampler). See note #1. The idea here is that an equal volume sub-sample is collected from each location and that an equal amount of soil by depth (an equal amount of 0-2” soil profile as from the 2-4” soil, for example). If the cushion is deeper than 4 inches, the total depth of cushion may be sampled but do not vary sampling depth by location unless a shallower depth of cushion is encountered in a particular sampling location. Use the hand shovel for soil collection if needed but use caution to assure equal volume soil collection from each sub-sample site.

3: We recommend getting at least 6-8 sub-samples from your arena (up to 20 sub-samples preferred). Gather the sub-samples from random areas in the arena (Ex: One by the chute/gate, some by the sides, some in the middle).

4: If you feel you have a specialized issue in an arena, we can test the one area to see if there are any problems with the composition. This would be a separate run from the composite sample and requires the same one-gallon sized sample for the best reading.

5: Once you’ve collected all the sub-samples from your locations, thoroughly mix all the samples together in your bucket to form one composite final sample.

6: add the sample to the bag 3/4 full and label a gallon sized zip lock bag with your composite sample and discard any excess soil . Please tape the seam with duct tape or packing tape. Do not tape over the label. Please insure the box has packing material to keep the labels from rubbing off.

7: Mail your sample to:

ETS
835 Herricksville Road,
Tekonsha, MI 49092

Please include in a separate ziplock baggie within the sample box, a note with your name, email address, phone number, the size of your arena, whether it is an indoor our outdoor, and what discipline you ride.

*NOTE: The depth of your arena should be more than 4 inches in depth for western/rodeo style. For dressage/jumper, the depth may be at or shallower than 4 inches. If it is shallower (or any areas shallower) then when taking the sample do not include any of the base material in it. Base material is usually compacted-clay, gravel/stone, stone dust, concrete, asphalt or some other hard forming material. That base material should not be included in the sample but should be collected/sample separately if desired to test.*