The Importance of All Weather Gallops

In addition to a healthy diet and competition frequency, the performance of race horses also depends on the volume of exercise they undertake all year long. At D & E, we understand the need for all weather gallops. Training race horses all year long, on all types of weather, is vital for their performance, but also for their physical and mental health. This is why we provide all weather surfaces, which are made of resistant materials. Sand and fibre or rubber flooring are usually recommended for all weather gallops, as they do not freeze and they are particularly resistant to bad weather. As sports horses are expected to compete on a variety of surfaces and under different conditions, choosing the right surface is really important. Training your horse on the right surface will improve its performance dramatically.Although keeping your horses in training all year long can be a very difficult task, we are here to help. We will play our part by offering you high quality, safe, all weather surfaces for you to win that competition you are preparing for!

In the past, competitions took place on grass based surfaces, but the effects of bad weather on these surfaces led to the creation of other solutions. All weather gallops and all weather surfaces became a necessity in the horseracing industry. As race horses compete from a very young age, their legs are often prone to injuries. This is why we create all weather surfaces that ensure the safety and comfort of racehorses. Good quality surfaces prevent damage that can incur due to daily training.

As a general fact, in the UK, two types of all weather surfaces are used for horse races:

Polytrack

This is a type of all weather surface that consists of sand coated in a rubberized material called polymar. This mixture is used to ensure that less sand will be kicked into the horse’s’ eyes during running. Polytrack is used by the majority of trainers, as it helps reduce injuries. Races taking place on Polytrack are considered to be more competitive than those taking place on Fibresand.

Fibresand

Compared to Polytrack, Fibresand is considered to be a difficult surface, as it is slower and produces kickback, which can be harmful to racehorses during high speed running.

To sum up, it is important to remember the advantages of all weather gallops and all weather surfaces:

• Maintaining the fitness level of the horse
• Suitable for both fast and slow training
• Ensure performance in competitions
• Safety and comfort all year long

For more information on our products and services, you can contact us and we will be happy to provide further advice and guidance.