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QUESTIONS

1. How are the bales shipped?
2. Has this additive been sold someplace nearby that I can see an installation?
3. What type of sand is recommended for arenas, and works best with GGT Footing?
4. What specifically is improved with the GGT Footing product?
5. I would like the footing to be a little more "springy" and add moisture retention during the dry months...what can I do?
6. Our surface becomes wet then hot, and then wet and hot again...should we be concerned about mold?
7. I would like to improve the footing with an additive. What is suggested?

QUESTION: How are the bales shipped?

ANSWER: GGT Footing is shipped approximately 1800 lbs/pallet, 8 packages per bale , 3 bales per pallet.

QUESTION: Has this additive been sold someplace nearby that I can see an installation?

ANSWER: There are GGT-Footing arenas in most of the main equine centers throughout North America. Many of these arenas are not available except by prior appointment. The majority are all private that WE WOULD NEED to contact in advance for visitation. Please check with us about a site inspection. Two GGT-Footing arenas in Florida are White Fences (Loxahatchee) and Spy Coast Farm (click to read a press release for Spy Coast Farm)

QUESTION: What type of sand is recommended for arenas, and works best with GGT Footing?

ANSWER: An article on Footing and Shoeing is offered as background information. The article puts forth the argument that “sand is the most commonly used footing due to its availability and cost effectiveness. The relevant considerations are size, shape and hardness. Particle size affects dustiness, compaction, and water retention. Ideally, arena sand should be predominantly medium coarse (0.25-0.5 mm) and coarse grains (0.5-1.0 mm). Sand with a lot of fine particles is dusty when dry and compacts when wet. Hard sand is more durable, whereas soft sand tends to break down and turn to dust after relatively little use.”

Coarse and medium coarse sands do not break down as fast as fine sand, and compacts easier as well as producing more dust. We recommend a fine grain type of sand that has better impact and shear resistance than this more coarse sand. But, fine sand breaks down faster than coarser sand. If GGT-Footing is used with finer sand, all the problems the article mentions (compaction, break down, dust) are taken away through the synthetic fiber pieces being between the sand particles.

All of the sands in this report are coarser than the sands we would recommend for arena construction. The article contradicts our recommendation about the size and shape of the sand particles, mainly due to cost effectiveness. For these sands to provide enough stability while riding, a footing additive with a larger amount of fiber would need to be added. Our GGT-Footing Jumping product would be recommended in this case.

The German “research institute for arena construction” has developed guidelines for arena construction and footing, both inside and outside arenas. The people working for this research institute are specialists in their fields and have worked on theses issues for years, so we believe in their high quality guidelines and follow their recommendations.

Sand particle quality is important. Sand particles should be of angular shape and hard (hard enough so as not to be crushed easily). A washed sand with a 0-0.5 particle size does not develop dust and compacts easily. Adding GGT-Footing to this type of sand will help it to not compact as easily.

Many times, arena footing sand found in the USA is the non-washed type. Washed sand needs to be used for GGT-Footing arenas. Non-washed means that fine particles are left in the sand, which produces dust. Dust develops mainly through very small particles (<0,063 (= dust) more than 4%). Sand with a 0.5-1 particle size could also be used, with a synthetic fiber additive, as long as 80% of the particles are smaller than 0.7 with no more than 15% broken material. In this case, we also recommend using GGT-Footing Dust Absorber, since moisture stays in the footing even longer.

The Sieve Report article provides information about a sand with high concentration of silica, available through the Unimin Sand Company, located in South Carolina. This sand is of a fine coarseness and works effectively with GGT-Footing.

QUESTION: What specifically is improved with the GGT Footing product?

ANSWER: Adding GGT-Footing improves arena drainage. In heavy rain, the small Polyester pieces in GGT-Footing will not come out of the sand it's mixed with. During the dry months, a GGT-Footing arena would need less watering.

QUESTION: In general, my footing has good drainage and a sprinkler for the dry months. I would like the footing to be a little more "springy" and add moisture retention during the dry months.

Orlando, Florida has rubber footing which is springy, but floods when wet. I like Ocala, Florida and Poplar Farm in Atlanta, Georgia, which seems to have a wax-like coating? It was excellent in rain, springy, but not slippery...what can I do?

ANSWER: Poplar Farm has Cushion Track premier Footing by Equestrian Surfaces in the UK. Cushion Track is "a combination of chopped polypropylene fibres, elasto fibres synthetic, felt, rubber and selected fine high grade multi washed silica sand, (99.9%) which is carefully weighed and blended with the addition of a wax coating".

Polypropylene fibers as found in Cushion Track deteriorate in time. GGT-Footing is synthetic polyester shredded felt that does not deteriorate. Wax coatings can melt when it's extremely hot and are no longer allowed in Germany.

GGT-Footing will give you the characteristics you like in the Poplar Farm footing. GGT-Footing stabilizes the sand in your arena and gives it a springy feeling, and provides a dynamic, safe, uniform riding surface that eliminates the shock from your horse's workout to allow your horse perform at its best.

QUESTION: Our surface becomes wet then hot, and then wet and hot again...should we be concerned about mold?

ANSWER: GGT-Footing is made out of Polyester. Polyester does not rot or decompose. The organic footing components (sand, dirt, manure) can stick to the GGT-Footing shreds and rot on the surface.

In this case, it matters how the horses and arenas are taken care of. GGT-Footing should not be the cause of mold in arenas.

QUESTION: I have a standard dressage arena located in SW Florida. We have extremely heavy rain with occasional high wind in the summer, and extremely dry conditions in the winter. I would like to improve the footing with an additive.

The foundation is limerock, hard compacted, slightly crowned with slant to all 4 sides and on top concrete sand. Water run off is to all 4 sides, which has drainage built in as well as 3 bigger drains directly at the edge of my arena. What would you suggest?

ANSWER: GGT-Footing is the best footing in the world, the choice of champions in all disciplines. For a standard dressage arena (20mx60m) at a footing depth of 2 1/2", you'll need approximately 12 bales of GGT-Footing Dressage. The product is shipped from the USA.

Some features and benefits include:

• Stabilizes sand particles and delivers high elasticity. Good resistance to compacting and improves drainage
• Reduces concussion shock, Reduces muscle strain, Minimizes injuries, Increases training time
• Gentle on the bare hoof (less horn abrasion) with great energy absorption for less concussion
• High slide strength and intermediate shear resistance delivers additional stability
• Balances moisture absorption allowing longer intervals between watering
• High water storage capacity and good emission and drainage
• Significant dust reduction!
• Easy to care for and durable (up to 10 years, depending on usage & maintenance)
• Polyester fiber product – 100 % Glass fiber free

A Press Release by WEP for Spy Coast Farm

WELLINGTON, Fla., Jan. 14--Robert and Lisa Lourie, the owners of Spy Coast Farm, have joined Wellington Equestrian Partners, LLC (WEP).

WEP is the holding company that owns the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) as well as Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC (ESP) that in turn owns and operates the Wellington horse shows including the world famous Winter Equestrian Festival. The Partnership owns over 500 acres of Wellington real estate that surrounds PBIEC.

The Louries have extensive equestrian interests under the umbrella of Spy Coast Farm, with farms in Wellington, Long Island and a breeding facility in Lexington, Ky.

The Louries became involved in show jumping through their daughter, Julia, who began riding at age 8. Julia is now 16 and competes in the Junior Jumpers and Equitation. Her mother, Lisa, began riding at the same time as Julia, but has focused her interest on horse breeding. Lisa, a former ICU/CCU nurse, enjoys the challenge of breeding older, proven performance mares. The first progeny, Spy on the Devil, was Champion in Thoroughbred hunters the first week of FTI WEF. Robert, a former professor of nuclear physics, has worked in quantitative finance for the last 14 years.

The Lourie family has been participating in WEF for five years.

They met Ali and Shane Sweetnam, owners of Sweet Oak Farm, during the 2006 season. They have been training with them and sponsoring Shane since that time.

Spy Coast Farm has acquired world class breeding stallions, some of which are shown by Shane.

As their involvement in the sport has grown so, too, has their commitment to the community that WEF serves.

"We are very excited about the Louries' involvement in the WEP Partnership," said Mark Bellissimo, the WEP Managing Partner and Chief Executive of Equestrian Sport Productions,

"The Louries are very committed to equestrian sport, Wellington, and to our vision to make Wellington and the PBIEC the premier equestrian destination in the world. Our ongoing goal is to broaden the partnership by bringing in new circles of equestrians that will contribute new ideas and feedback to our efforts.

"We look forward to working with the Louries. All of our partners have a family member involved in the sport which ensures a long term orientation."

"We are pleased and honored to be partners in this exciting endeavor and all it means for the future of show jumping in America," the Louries said in a statement.

The Lourie family has also become members of WEP's Operating Committee which comprises the largest shareholders and guides the entity.

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