After 40 plus years of shoeing, floating, grooming, et al, along w/hunt breeding I am a firm believer that arena, track, hunt, event, and natural surfaces are a key contributor to lower limb and hoof injury.--Shammy quote
with this I agree. and, particularly in the mornings taking horses at speed on cuppy tracks. I'm interested to know whether synthetic tracks get cuppy in the morning.
Safe Racing Surface
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ratherrapid
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Shammy Davis
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RR posted:
You know I've never thought about that. I know that I've never come across it in my reading.
I read a magazine article some years back that stated in short that synthetic surfaces are going to change the way subsurfaces are constructed. I know from personal experience that synthetic surfaces applied over previously constructed subsurfaces have significant drainage problems. I am sorry but I don't recall the magazine. For some reason, I think I saw it in a golf superintendents magazine. Synthetic surfaces are now being used at driving ranges and putting surfaces.
. . . I agree. and, particularly in the mornings taking horses at speed on cuppy tracks. I'm interested to know whether synthetic tracks get cuppy in the morning.
You know I've never thought about that. I know that I've never come across it in my reading.
I read a magazine article some years back that stated in short that synthetic surfaces are going to change the way subsurfaces are constructed. I know from personal experience that synthetic surfaces applied over previously constructed subsurfaces have significant drainage problems. I am sorry but I don't recall the magazine. For some reason, I think I saw it in a golf superintendents magazine. Synthetic surfaces are now being used at driving ranges and putting surfaces.
Last edited by Shammy Davis on Mon Mar 15, 2010 6:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Shammy Davis
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ratherrapid
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Shammy Davis
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But you've got put my back against the wall. 
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Shammy Davis
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Thanks for the Finley article. It's timely and puts the synthetics debate into proper perspective. It should be required reading in order to have a truly informed understanding of the subject.
"He is pure air and fire and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him; he is indeed a horse ..." Wm. Shakespeare - Henry V
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Shammy Davis
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After reading the article, I'm wondering if the trainers who disparage the change to synthetic need to rethink their training regimens.
What is truly unbelievable is that you have John Sherriffs on one end of the spectrum and Richard Mandela on the other. What is there to change? Both are great trainers who can win on dirt or synthetic.
I'm familiar w/the synthetic surfaces from the arena perspective. I know that the undersurface preparation is key to the utility of any surface. Drainage is always problematic and may change the weight bearing qualities of the surface in outdoor venues. Arena surfaces are difficult to manage because of the dust. If you water too much you have optimum dust control but you also have an unsafe cuppy surface.
I thought this article was the best I've seen.
The Aussie article on the turf synthetics lead me to Finley. I thought that interesting also.
What is truly unbelievable is that you have John Sherriffs on one end of the spectrum and Richard Mandela on the other. What is there to change? Both are great trainers who can win on dirt or synthetic.
I'm familiar w/the synthetic surfaces from the arena perspective. I know that the undersurface preparation is key to the utility of any surface. Drainage is always problematic and may change the weight bearing qualities of the surface in outdoor venues. Arena surfaces are difficult to manage because of the dust. If you water too much you have optimum dust control but you also have an unsafe cuppy surface.
I thought this article was the best I've seen.
The Aussie article on the turf synthetics lead me to Finley. I thought that interesting also.