# Arena dust control



## hrsrdr (Jul 12, 2008)

First of all, welcome to the forum! 

My trainer uses some type of oil-based arena conditioner that works really well in her indoor...she doesn't have to water it any more. It's not too greasy and doesn't affect footing...there is absolutely no dust now. I don't know what type it is, although I can ask her next time I go over there for a lesson.


----------



## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

Sprinkler system, run it about twice a day until the arena is watered down. Not sopping wet, but moist. Or you could stand their and hose it down yourself, but that would take a much longer time.


----------



## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

We use calcium chloride.


----------



## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

get a surface that doesnt need watering! they are available!


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

tempest said:


> Sprinkler system, run it about twice a day until the arena is watered down. Not sopping wet, but moist. Or you could stand their and hose it down yourself, but that would take a much longer time.



They are tough to design for a ring and not end up with wet spots and dry spots. Add that the OP is in Canada so it would have to be a system that is easily drained completely.


----------



## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

Just use a hose and a regular sprinkler. Place it in the center of the arena and turn it on for a while and then move it around.


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

A friend also has something like Calcium Chloride-that may be it, just not sure. It is harmless to the hooves, but absorbs the moisture out of the air. Seems to work ok...would work better if she raked the arena more. It seems to have wet and dry spots, but is a vast improvement over anything else I have seen.


----------



## MaggiStar (Mar 19, 2010)

The barn i get lessons at used to be awful dusty they got a new surface with bits of rubber etc in it and a roof sprinkler system that covers the whole arena its on timer for a daily 5min watering


----------



## HappyHorsey (Oct 8, 2010)

I'm also looking for something to solve the dust problem where I board. Where do you buy stuff like Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, etc... Also, that oil sounds like it works good. 

Someone just point me in the right direction!


----------



## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

We buy ours at the local co-op. The initial application will require quite a bit - the bag will tell you square footage. We reapply once a year.

The oil based products are not a good idea if you let the horses roll in the footing. With the calcium chloride, it does draw the moisture out of the air but after a hard freeze, you will need to work the footing to redistribute the moisture.


----------



## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

Alwaysbehind said:


> They are tough to design for a ring and not end up with wet spots and dry spots. Add that the OP is in Canada so it would have to be a system that is easily drained completely.


Curious why you think that just because the OP is from Canada that they have to have an easily drained system?
They would just have to ensure that the lines are insulated properly.

We use calcium Chloride, works great only have to do it once a year....and our arena gets used daily many times a day.

I contacted a local company that spreads the stuff on gravel roads in the area.....they just drive right in w their truck and spread the stuff on for me. Works great.


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Maverick101 said:


> Curious why you think that just because the OP is from Canada that they have to have an easily drained system?
> They would just have to ensure that the lines are insulated properly.
> ​



​
Insulation keeps in or out heat/cold for a short time. It does not make a permanent barrier against the cold. 

Think how cold you get when you are standing around outside during cold times even though you have your nice warm boots and winter coat on. 


Water in pipes does not produce any warmth. It is whatever temperature it came out of the ground at (40degF during the really cold times). Insulation will slow the freezing process some but it certainly will not stop it.

When water freezes it expands. That expanding breaks pipes.

Heat tape can be added under the insulation, and this will prevent the pipes from freezing. But there is a certain amount of risk to it and it can get costly to run in large quantities.

When Tempest suggested a sprinkler system I thought she meant an over head sprinkler system since she said no puddles, etc which is why I mentioned draining pipes. She obviously meant a lawn sprinkler, which always seem to leave a wet spot where the sprinkler was located.


----------



## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

Always...thanks I'm well aware of what happens to water in winter and how expands, but thanks for the wondeful science lesson.
Heat trace tapes are the norm in any farm situation when water is invloved, and it isn't the headache you may think.
They are a life saver!
Also you wouldn't be watering the arena w a sprinkler in or even late fall, as it would just freeze ontop of your footing.
As for a sprinkler leaving puddles as long as you're working your footing w diamond harrows, or a track conditioner you will spread the moisture around enough that that won't be an issue.
Any water left in a sprinkler system will not expand ebough to cause damage. Also like I say they wouldn't be usuing the system during the times of the year where the water on the footing would freeze, so the risk of the lines breaking would be even lessened.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Around here, winter is the time that the indoor arena REALLY needs dust control so I never would have guessed that the question only applied to months when things were not freezing.

Heat tape is a great thing. I agree. It is not something that the average person can install and maintain in the quantities needed for an over head sprinkler system. The most common way to deal with large quantities of piping in an unheated area that are going to be used sporadically is to install them so they can be easily drained.



Maverick101 said:


> Any water left in a sprinkler system will not expand ebough to cause damage.
> ​



This is incorrect to make as a blanket statement.
​


----------



## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

Alwaysbehind said:


> Around here, winter is the time that the indoor arena REALLY needs dust control so I never would have guessed that the question only applied to months when things were not freezing.
> 
> Heat tape is a great thing. I agree. It is not something that the average person can install and maintain in the quantities needed for an over head sprinkler system. The most common way to deal with large quantities of piping in an unheated area that are going to be used sporadically is to install them so they can be easily drained.
> 
> ...


Well when you're dealing w temps in of -30...any amount of water anywhere freezes pretty much instantaneously.
so watering an arena in mid winter wouldn't be productive at all.

We installed all our heat trace tapes on our outside water lines by ourselves. As long as you have basic knowledge of electrical and plumbing...it isnt that hard. and it wouldn't work in winter anyway, as the moisture on the outside of the sprinkler head it self would freeze up, as there is no way to protect that from exposure....thats another reason why using it in winter wouldnt be ideal in cold temperatures.

I know 3 other barns that have sprinkler systems in thier arenas, and they have never had issues with them bursting or cracking from any water left in the lines.......and yes I know they don't drain them specifically or blow the lines out, as I asked.
We were thinking of adding a sprinkler system to our arena, but when I found out the cost, and the cost of having the calcium put down, I decided for the latter....
as w the calcium its a one shot deal, opposed to w water you'll be doing it several times a year.

We do it late fall....that way it has its best effect over winter (which yes makes the footing dry) and then we are good till the following fall.
We may have to water it once during the summer, but usually not as we ride outside in summer for the most part.


----------



## CB Ranch Horses (Dec 21, 2008)

What kind of footing do you have in your arena? We have Stone Dust in our indoor and it gets really dusty because its completely inclosed but we spread Magnesuim Chloride on it and it works wonders. It draws the moisture out of the air and keeps the ground moist, it lasts for awhile too. You can see the moisture forming in a matter of minutes. Heres a link to the stuff we use. MAG® Care and Feeding for Dust Control, horse rings, equestrians, indoor arenas, magnesium chloride


----------



## my2paints (Oct 27, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for their input. I think I am going to try Calcium Chloride, just need to figure out where to get it from around here. We can still water with a garden sprinkler in the winter, but it's just a pain in the butt and would love to avoid it as much as possible!

We would loooove an overhead sprinkler system somewhere down the line but we aren't ready for that yet. 

Thanks again everyone!


----------



## laugrif (Nov 17, 2011)

hrsrdr,did you find out what your arena was using for dust control?


----------



## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

We used heat wires on all our pipes last year and apparently they are good untill -40C. 

Absolutly No electrical knowlege required simply wrap around pipe in spiral shape and plug the other end in!


----------



## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Maverick101 said:


> Well when you're dealing w temps in of -30...any amount of water anywhere freezes pretty much instantaneously.
> so watering an arena in mid winter wouldn't be productive at all.
> 
> We installed all our heat trace tapes on our outside water lines by ourselves. As long as you have basic knowledge of electrical and plumbing...it isnt that hard. and it wouldn't work in winter anyway, as the moisture on the outside of the sprinkler head it self would freeze up, as there is no way to protect that from exposure....thats another reason why using it in winter wouldnt be ideal in cold temperatures.
> ...


If they are mounted to naturally drain out the system then yes, they wont freeze. Something that comes naturally to those living in colder climates. That is likely how those barns you mentioned installed their systems. 

If it isn't built to drain they'll freeze solid and burst, something your more likely to see in climates where it doesn't freeze enough for people to think about it. Or when someone moves from warmer climates to colder and haven't learned lifes little lessons yet.


----------



## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Just a quick thing to think about if using an oil based additive in the soil--is the layer under the footing permeable and is there a water table or a well nearby? Wouldn't want to be poisoning ourselves or the horses.


----------



## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

my2paints said:


> Thanks to everyone for their input. I think I am going to try Calcium Chloride, just need to figure out where to get it from around here. We can still water with a garden sprinkler in the winter, but it's just a pain in the butt and would love to avoid it as much as possible!
> 
> We would loooove an overhead sprinkler system somewhere down the line but we aren't ready for that yet.
> 
> Thanks again everyone!


Any feed store or dealer can order it for you if they don't already stock it.

I'm in Wisconsin & the only time I've seen overhead sprinkler systems used the barn/arena was heated. The same with automatic waters.


----------



## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Light horse down in the morning would work.


----------



## diggerchick (Nov 8, 2011)

we harrow our arenas, works great


----------



## DeanChandler (Feb 9, 2011)

*RE: Arena Dust Control*

We have many customers that are very happy using our ArenaClear concentrated dust control solution. It is the cheapest option out there and drastically reduces the amount of watering needed. It doesn't smell like oil and costs just about $0.02 / sqft. 

It is also compatible with crumb rubber, which will break down in contact with oil and other petroleum based products.

See: Horse Arena Dust Control


----------



## pengc (Feb 17, 2012)

here is a solutions provider I came to know about.. am not pretty much sure if they provide solutions only for road construction and runways. maybe you confirm with them website: Soil solutions 

also, they seem to have entered global market; which is good. you may meet them in person.


----------

