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EQUESTRIAN INFO: Respiratory
Concerns Arena Footing
Respiratory Concerns
Horses Require 3000% More Oxygen While Training and Competing Than While at Rest
Respiratory problems and especially airway disease continue to be the number one health issue for horse owners and trainers. Respiratory caused performance problems undermine promising careers and affect the true athletic potential of our horses.
 Oxygen is essential to the performance horse! Athletic performance places extra demands on the respiratory system. Insufficient amounts of oxygen may be the most important factors limiting performance. For peak performance, equine athletes have to move large volumes of air efficiently in a short period of time (150 breaths a minute) during training and competition. Even a small increase in the amounts of mucus in the airways, and minor degrees of airway spasm or thickening of the lining of the airways will adversely affect performance.
Respiratory tract infections are practically unavoidable with competing athletes and highly prevalent in performance horses. Poor air hygiene has been identified as the causative factor of respiratory disease. The problems range from lower respiratory tract inflammation,
which only becomes apparent when horses compete to severe distress in older horses known as COPD? Many horses lacking clinical signs of pulmonary disease are experiencing performance problems.
Because airflow problems have been difficult to diagnose, special care must be taken to prevent them. Proactively maintaining health by controlling dust is a priority today in both veterinary and human medicine. This approach is based upon educating ourselves with the knowledge needed to understand and maintain our horse's health and has direct benefits on riders as well as their horses.
As a result, health and achieving peak performance are the driving forces behind preventative techniques for fugitive dust emissions. Dust not only worsens air quality, which impairs lung function and exacerbates lung and heart diseases, but also transmits infectious illnesses by carrying pathogenic bacteria and viruses into the respiratory system.
Heavy burdens of dust can decrease the ability of cells to fight infectious agents such as bacteria by overloading the lung's primary defense mechanism. A horse in a dusty environment will therefore be more prone to infection than a horse in a cleaner environment. As well as dust increasing a horse's susceptibility to infection, a horse suffering from a respiratory tract infection in a
dusty environment will take a lot longer to recover than if it were breathing fresh air therefore increasing the duration and severity of episodes of infectious bacterial and viral respiratory disease. To maintain healthy lungs, it is imperative to minimize pollutants they are exposed to.
The successful environmental control of disease involves minimizing the horse's level of exposure to irritants. Stable management practices with emphasis on controlling airborne particulate matter are an essential component of treating and preventing respiratory disease. Attention to air quality is imperative in maintaining health and hastening recovery from an infection.
Watering, the most common method provides only temporary dust control. It is perceived as an inexpensive means, but the perception is changing because of the high level of dust that exists when using only water. Many environmentally safe materials are available today that are cost-effective and durable but none have been particularly suitable for the equestrian industry until now.
Arena Rx® clean air for horse and rider is a revolutionary, new dust control management solution which enables equine athletes to attain peak health and performance by
completely eliminating airborne dust.
— By Stephanie Marek
References
Brockhoff, Tim, 1998 WEAS Convention, Allergies, Coughs, and Heaves
Clark, Dr. Andrew F. and Susan L. Raymond, Equine Research Centre 1997, Equine Respiratory Health
Clark, Dr. Andrew F. and Susan L. Raymond, Equine Research Centre 1997, Small Airway Disease & Equine Respiratory Health
Clark, Dr. Andrew F. et al, Equine Research Centre 1996, Kinetics of Respiratory Disease in Horses
Jones, William E. DVM, Air Flow: An important Limitation for Racehorses
Webster, John and Dr. Andrew F. Clarke, Air hygiene in stables and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the horse.
Arena
Footing
ArenaRX FAQ
What
is Arena Rx®?
Arena
Rx® is a synthetic organic dust control fluid produced by a patented HT
purity process. Arena Rx® is a non-toxic material, safe for horse and
human.
Is
Arena Rx® proven to be safe for horses, humans and the environment?
YES
--- Arena Rx® is a safe, colorless, odorless, highly refined fluid. When
used as directed, Arena Rx® has no adverse health effects on horses,
animals, and humans. Beyond normal hygiene, no special precautions are
required. Arena Rx® is not a controlled substance under OSHA or WHMIS and
has no exposure limits. Extensive acute and chronic toxicity testing data
conclusively shows that Arena Rx® does not induce a toxic reaction when
it is exposed to skin, eyes or lungs and does not pose a mutagenicity
hazard. Arena Rx® is also biodegradable. Rigorous quality assurance
control at every stage of the manufacturing process ensures the
consistency of Arena Rx®.
How
do I apply Arena Rx®?
Arena
Rx® is easy to apply. There is no mixing required. It is easily sprayed
onto the footing using your own or locally rented fertilizer sprayer. In
fact, any spray system which will spray water, with the exception of a
sprinkler, will spray Arena Rx®. Clean up is easily accomplished with
soap and water. The volume of Arena Rx® to be applied is divided into two
increments. The first half of the product is sprayed onto the footing
surface. We recommend that that be gently harrowed into the footing. Then
the second increment of Arena Rx® is applied to the footing surface. It
is recommended that this be gently harrowed into the surface as well.
How
long does Arena Rx® last?
ArenaRx®
permanently loads footing particles through processes of adsorption and
absorption but there exist many variables that influence product
effectiveness and longevity. For one, there is a significant number of
aggregate and footing types, along with other chemical and mechanical
variables such as material strength, permeability, particle size
distribution, footing depth, climate, arena maintenance and amount and
type of riding. We are currently realizing initial applications on varying
footings lasting between 6-14 months before a light maintenance
application is required. These light maintenance applications are required
if new untreated footing is added or when footing material breaks down
into smaller particles requiring additional Arena Rx® to treat the
increased surface area of the smaller particles.
What
determines how much Arena Rx® I will need?
Because
Arena Rx® is designed to impregnate and/or coat every particle of
footing, the volume of Arena Rx® needed is determined by the type of
footing material and a theoretically calculated count of all of the
particles in the footing. If you will refer to the "footings
story" contained in our Articles and News section on our website,
look at the difference in materials and sizes that are typically found in
footing, from very coarse to very fine. We calculate the percent of each
of these different sizes in the footing and determine the theoretical
number of total particles to be treated. We then apply our formula to that
total number of particles to determine the volume of Arena Rx® needed. In
addition to the sizing and/or number of particles, the other factor is the
porosity or absorbency of the footing material. Degraded organic matter is
more absorbent than coarse washed sand for instance. This is why we
recommend a footing analysis be conducted to aid us in our recommendation.
What
does particle size have to do with footing?
Dust
is that portion of footing that is fine or super fine particles. To
control these fine and super fine particles we have to estimate how many
particles are in the footing. As footing degrades, the particle count
grows exponentially and increases the volume of Arena Rx® that we
recommend. To demonstrate how many particles may be in an arena, consider
the following: In an arena 200’ x 100’ x 3” depth, if every particle
were 1/8” in size, these would be 4,690,000,000 particles (4.69 Billion)
if every particles were .0029” (-200 mesh) there would be
376,000,000,000 (376,000 billion) particles. The number is less important
than the dramatic relative difference.
Why
do you recommend harrowing the footing?
We
recommend harrowing the footing either daily, weekly or periodically,
because the activity occurring at the surface of the footing results in
further pulverization or degrading of the footing material, creating
smaller particles, which becomes potential dust. Harrowing mixes the fine
in with the larger coarser materials in the footing and they agglomerate
with the coarser particles. In addition, over time, Arena Rx® will tend
to migrate deeper into the footing and by harrowing and bringing the
bottom section to the surface, and blending the footing materials,
we
are recycling the Arena Rx® that is in the footing at the lower level in
addition to attaching the micro-fine to coarser material.
I
do not have a harrow but use a link fence type drag. Is this okay to use
rather than a harrow?
A
drag only affects the surface and does not turn and blend the footing to
its full depth. Because of this a drag does not replace a harrow nor does
it accomplish what is needed. In fact, since a drag is only causing
activity at the surface where new pulverized fines are, it can create
dust.
How
much Arena Rx® will be needed for a maintenance application and how often
will maintenance applications need to be made?
Maintenance
applications are necessitated by the continual process of pulverization of
footing and the creation of additional micro fines, which become the
source of dust. All of the Arena Rx® previously applied remains in the
footing, but because the number of particles are increasing; there is a
need for additional Arena Rx. We recommend that you consider having one or
two barrels of Arena Rx® on hand, so that in the extremely high traffic
areas, for instance at the entrance into the arena, you are able to do
maintenance applications with a 2 1/2-gallon hand sprayer. The maintenance
application for the whole arena will depend on the amount of activity and
the footing quality. Generally a maintenance application will be needed
within six (6) to fourteen (14) months of the initial application and the
maintenance application can be anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of the amount of
the initial application. On arenas with high quality new footing, a
maintenance application may not be needed for eight (8) and fourteen (14)
months. On a good, coarse sand footing, a maintenance application may not
be needed for twelve (12) months. On an arena with a high percentage of
micro fines and/or organic matter, a maintenance application may be needed
within the first six (6) to eight (8) months.
What
should I do if I find that my footing is badly degraded?
When
we find footing that is badly degraded with an extremely high percent of
fine and a lot of organic matters, we often recommend that the footing be
amended by the addition of 50 percent washed coarse sand before use of
ArenaRx. In certain instances we may even have to recommend that the most
economical and realistic approach for the arena is to replace 100 percent
of the footing. As part of our footing analysis, we will recommend such
actions, if we deem it in your best interest.
Will
Arena Rx® work on rubber footing?
Yes,
but because of the wide range of items that are being shredded and used as
rubber footing, we always suggest that we test the rubber footing before
the addition of Arena Rx®.
Do
you recommend rubber?
No,
we do not recommend rubber generally. The reason for this is that we see
so many different types of rubber used and which all act quite differently
in footing and create their own set of unexpected problems, particularly
associated with controlling dust. We would suggest that if an Arena Rx®
customer is anticipating adding rubber, a sample of the rubber to be added
be sent to us for our comments and recommendations regarding on how it
will affect the footing dust using Arena Rx®. In this way unexpected and
unsolvable problems
can be eliminated. The range of items that are being shredded and used as
rubber footing is so wide and so diverse, that we urge caution in using
many of these materials.
I
am thinking of adding rubber to my footing, when should I do it if I am
going to use Arena Rx®?
Our
recommendation is to apply the Arena Rx® to the footing and allow it to
mature in the footing for a period of at least two (2) weeks. The Arena Rx®
migrates in and through the footing particles and coats and impregnates
each particle of footing. We do not recommend adding rubber to footing
that has been treated with Arena Rx® until this process of maturation is
complete.
How
does Arena Rx® work?
Arena
Rx® is applied and harrowed into the footing and given approximately two
(2) weeks to coat and impregnate every footing particle. However, you are
able to use the arena immediately. As the footing is conditioned with
Arena Rx®, you will notice that the dark, almost wet look that existed
immediately upon application will, over a period of week change to a
lighter, dryer look. It is in this process of visible change that you know
the Arena Rx® is working its way through and into all of the particles.
The Arena Rx approach to controlling dust is consistent with sound footing
principles. The footing remains completely free and is able to be kicked
into the air with each stride of the horse, and as the footing particles
become airborne, by design they fall back to the arena floor and remain
within the footing rather than blowing or drifting as dust.
Will
I still need to water my arena?
NO,
Arena Rx® eliminates the need to use water.
Will
Arena Rx® freeze in my footing during cold, winter weather?
No,
Arena Rx® will not freeze even at -40 degrees F. Therefore it is ideal in
cold climates where there exists a concern of temperatures affecting the
ability to have dust control.
Will
Arena Rx® change the appearance of my footing?
Arena
Rx® will make the color of the footing material a richer color and
footing conditioned with Arena Rx® can be distinguished from untreated
footing.
In
what size containers is Arena Rx® available in?
Arena
Rx® is available in 5 gallon test kits, 55 gallon drums and 275 gallon
pallet tanks.
How
soon will my order be shipped?
Orders
are fulfilled and shipped within 24-48 hours upon receipt. They are
shipped by common carrier and usually arrive within one week of placement
depending upon geographical location.
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