From the Ground Up

You are ready when you hear your name called. You send your horse full speed toward the first barrel. You sit down and turn and then run on to the second. You sit down and turn the second barrel. But then, you are somehow on the ground with a 1,200-pound animal pinning your left leg to the ground. The same ground, ironically, got you in this situation.

In the world of performance horses, success begins from the ground up, literally, Jace Maker, a horse trainer and barrel racer, said. Competing on inadequate ground can cause injuries to the horse as well as the rider. With appropriate footing, horses can compete more efficiently and safer.

While competing in a barrel race in Pryor, Okla., in 2015, Maker experienced the damages inadequate ground can cause. His horse went out of the ruts tracing the third barrel and fell. The fall caused a crack to the horse’s pelvis and an eight-month suspension from competing.

“[The ground] was really deep with a hard pan under it,” Maker said, “so when my horse lost his footing, there was no way for him to catch himself.

“My gelding was winning everywhere he went and doing really well,” Maker said.

This increased the value of the horse, he said.

“After the fall,” Maker said, “it set me back because I was unable to ride and win on him. It also decreased his value. Previous injuries often scare potential buyers away because they feel it will affect [the horse’s] performance in the future.”

Steven Cooper, an animal science associate professor and director of the equine teaching and research program at Oklahoma State University, said he considers a sandy and loam mix with a clay base to be the ideal footing for rodeo performance horses.

“Without the right mixture of ground, horses can sink down or slip and pull something,” Cooper said. “They can pull a tendon, muscle or even a horse shoe.”

Kris Hiney, an OSU animal science associate professor and equine extension specialist, grew up showing horses, competing in hunter under saddle and reining events, and was an exercise rider for a racetrack.

“The interesting thing about ground is that everybody wants it a different way,” Hiney said.

For each equine-related event, horses require footing specific to their discipline. This helps them perform efficiently, Hiney said.

“What’s good for a cutting horse won’t work for a reiner, what’s good for a reiner won’t work for a pleasure horse, and what’s good for a pleasure horse won’t work for a dressage horse,” Hiney said.

Any horse where quality of movement is observed needs less footing, Hiney said. For example, dressage horses are judged on the movement of their feet. Therefore, they require less footing.

“The big expressive movements of dressage horses don’t need to be muddled by essentially too deep of ground so they’re ridden on a lighter surface,” Hiney said.

When it comes to English performance horses, such as jumpers, they compete on a footing created from a variety of mixed materials.

“[Ground specialists] will sometimes add in shredded rubber,” Hiney said, “usually recycled from various sources, that provides a little bit more give.

“It has to be the right composition,” Hiney said, “because it also can’t be big pieces that would slip.

“Jumping horses have a lot more concussion,” Hiney said, “but also have to have the traction to be able to jump over [obstacles].”

The sliding and spinning of reining horses requires efficient footing, Hiney said. Without so, reining horses could face serious injuries.

“For reining horses, ground is a huge thing,” Hiney said. “It’s practically impossible to train right if you don’t have good ground. Reining horses require an amount of traction, or lack thereof, so they have a base to slide their feet through.”

For the search for ideal footing, “it’s all about finding that ‘sweet spot’,” Hiney said.

When it comes to finding that sweet spot, Hiney said Kiser Arena Specialists are the best.

“Kiser is essentially the guru of ground,” Hiney said. “In the performance horse industry, Kiser has developed a lot of really nice equipment.

“They are consulted for major events and show the managers how to work up the ground the right way,” Hiney said.

“All the major shows use Kiser drags because they’re really good at leveling surfaces,” Hiney said.

“They use lasers to make sure [the ground is] level and define the depth and the amount of moisture in the ground. All of that is going to impact the amount of cushion.”

“They made a lot of money from figuring out how to do dirt,” Hiney said.

Courtney Stevens, Kiser Arena Specialists’ director of sales and marketing, grew up showing horses. While in college, she discovered the importance of footing and got to work with the Kisers.

Deep footing can cause damage to the soft tissues of the horse, while hard footing can cause damage to the joints and bone structures, Stevens said.

When it comes to finding the perfect type of ground “there is no black and white answer,” Stevens said.

“Footing is dictated by the discipline and the demands of what the horse is being asked to do,” Stevens said. “Every discipline has different requirements.”

For example, jumpers require a footing that can offer enough support for takeoff, but enough cushion for landing. For speed events, such as barrel racing, horses fall because the footing does not have enough hold.

“We specifically design and pick materials and combinations of materials and put them together for what they’re going to be used for, but there’s no one answer for any discipline,” Stevens said.

“And that’s the tough area to find,” Stevens said. “A material that’s tough enough so they don’t slip and fall, but soft enough so you’re not looking at impact damage.”

“That can be the material that’s being used,” Stevens said. “Rather it be sand, which can be too loose or it can be the preparation of the material.”

Moisture is a major distinction between good and bad ground. There needs to be enough moisture to hold the material together. If the material is too dry, this can make the footing slicker, depending on the type of material.

Kiser prepares footing for AQHA national shows, National Reining Horse Association shows, National Reined Cow Horse Association shows and National Cutting Horse Association shows, Stevens said.

“AQHA is notable because there are so many events, and the footing is a specific blend,” Stevens said. “However, it is prepared differently depending on what classes are being held.”

When it comes to the question, “What type of footing is safest for performance horses?” A single, specific answer does not exist. Safety in footing starts with knowing the right footing for the specific event, Stevens said.