Method of making an equestrian surface using stone fibers
The invention provides a riding surface formed of a mixture of sand with stone fibers.
1. A method of making an equestrian surface comprising providing a layer of sand and blending stone fibres into the sand, wherein the proportion of fibres, based on weight of sand, is at least 0.2 weight % and no more than 20 weight %;
wherein the fibres have length at least 2000 microns to 5000 microns and are in the form of a granulate comprising flocks of entangled fibres.
2. A method according to claim 1 in which the stone fibers have content of oxides, as weight %, as follows:
SiO 2
38 to 48;
Al 2 O 3
15 to 28;
CaO
5 to 18; and
MgO
1 to 8.
3. A method according to claim 1 in which the fibres have length at least 2500 microns to 5000 microns.
4. A method according to claim 1 in which the diameter of the fibres is in the range 3 to 15 microns.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the stone fibres in the form of said granulate comprising flocks of entangled fibres are distributed over the layer of sand and then blended by use of a tractor.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein, during the blending, the sand is moist.
7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of compacting the sand before or after the stone fibres are distributed.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of mixing the stone fibres with the sand with an amount of shot having a size of about 600 microns and not more than 1.5 wt/%.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the stone fibres are the only fibres incorporated into the surface.
10. A method of modifying a riding surface formed of sand by blending stone fibres with the sand;
wherein the proportion of fibres, based on weight of sand, is at least 0.2 weight % and not more than 20 weight %;
wherein the fibres have length at least 2000 microns to 5000 microns and are in the form of a granulate comprising flocks of entangled fibres;
whereby the cohesivity of the riding surface is improved by modifying the riding surface;
wherein the fibres are bio-soluble and have a dissolution rate at pH about 4.5 of at least 25 nm per day.