FootingFirst Partner Products
OTTO Sport System
FootingFirst is an official installer of the world-renowned Otto Sport System Riding Arena Construction: the Otto Sport process. With nearly 5,000 installations worldwide over the last two decades, we recommend building riding arenas using the Otto Sport System Mat.
The Otto Sport System’s three main features result in a proven formula that works.
- Sub-base drainage layer
- Upper base (Otto mats)
- Sport blended footing mixture
Preliminary work
At first, topsoil should be removed and compacted to get a uniform density. For the construction of outdoor arenas, a light slope of about 1.5% should be considered. For indoor arenas, a slope is not necessary.
Sub-base layer: To avoid huge accumulations of water, the base layer has to be water-permeable. This is especially important during the cold and damp season. We specify using local aggregates/stones which are installed with laser-controlled machines.
Upper base: The ideal solution for the separating layer is to use OTTO Perforated Mats, which are set on a washed stone layer, with a gap of approx. 1.18 inch between mats, and lightly rolled. The ”locking-rings” on the underside of the mat ensure optimal anchorage in the sub-base layer.
Footing: Finally, a specially mixed footing that meets the requirements of the desired equestrian discipline is installed with laser-controlled machines
A typical OTTO Sport arena can retain as much as 4,800 liters of water after a heavy rain, yet it allows riders to resume work immediately due to superior drainage.
To minimize respiratory damage due to dusty footings, the OTTO Perforated Mat has a water retention system. In the water reservoirs, up to four liters of water are conserved. Moisture is homogeneously transferred to the footing to get the perfect consistency, but the adjacent drainage holes still ensure immediate drainage of excess rainwater:
The OTTO Perforated Mat provides significant stability and concussion relief of the footing. The force of the striking hoof is absorbed by the mat to a high extent, and plays an important role in maintaining soundness.
The mat system protects:
- Joints from debilitating
- Long-term damage due to concussion
- Tendon damage due to instability and slippage from traditionally hard upper base surfaces.
According to a scientific study of the German Association for Technical Inspection (TÜV), the Otto system provides concussion absorption up to 40 percent.
See a list of Otto Sport System installations worldwide here. (http://www.ottosport.de/public/en/references/customer-references.html)
GGT Footing: German Geo Textile Fiber Additive
The GGT fiber helps stabilize the footing, retain moisture longer, and creates an excellent cushion. GGT fiber is the best additive to most indoor and outdoor sand arenas.
GGT fiber can create a very good high-end footing when pre-mixed with silica sand. This fiber can be delivered throughout the country and creates a very good, cost effective way of improving your arena.
Benefits
- High water retention
- Optimal impact resistance
- Intermediate shear resistance
- Prevents packing
- EXTENDS the lifetime of your arena surface (up to 10 years)
Process:
- GGT fiber arrives in bales
- The fiber is spread and mixed
- The ring is graded
- The finished arena with GGT fiber blended into the footing
Synthetic textile felt is ground into small pieces, and the short synthetic fibers are mixed with sand to create a superb cushioning and moisture-retaining footing.
