Frequently Asked Questions

Arena Sand comes in many different forms.  The type of sand depends on the style of riding and the needs of your arena.  Dressage and Jumpers need a finer grade sand for a firm footing.  Barrel racing and cutting horses prefer a looser, deeper coarse sand for adding protection in the sharp turns.  Also, amending your existing arena usually needs the same coarser particles to relieve compaction that happens over time.  New arenas may need either fine or coarse sand.  So, there is not one size fits all sand for horse arenas.  Masonry Sand, Concrete Sand, River Sand, and Manufactured Sand (m10s) can all work but you need to start with a basic knowledge of what type will work best for your project.  RSI can help you decide, and since we offer all these types of sand we can supply the best Arena Sand for your needs.

Topdressing bermuda greens is generally done in light and frequent applications.  Many superintendents still follow the practice to topdress with the same sand as the green was built with.  Others prefer a sand with the particles all being less than 1mm and the majority from 0.25mm to 0.5mm.  The primary issue is getting the oversized sand particles through the turf canopy.  Recent USGA research has found that topdressing with a less coarse sand is not an issue and layering will not occur with a different sand.  The primary issue is topdressing with sand that contains more than 25% fine particles (0.15 to 0.25mm) which may lead to excessive moisture at the surface of the greens.  River Sand has an ideal sand for topdressing miniverde, champion, TifDwarf, or other varieties of bermuda. 

If your turf has brown areas from unlevel spots after mowing (scalping), then topdressing can help level the soil surface and promote healthy turf.  Also, if you take a plug and see excessive thatch build up or shallow roots, topdressing along with core aeration will help promote healthy turf.  The time of year to apply topdressing sand is key. Warm season turfgrass such as bermuda, zoysia, and centipede should be topdressed once it has begun to turn green or is green.  In Georgia, that is typically when soil temperatures reach optimal level in April or May at the earliest.  Topdressing season can extend through June and July into August.  The limiting factor is allowing enough time for it to grow through the topdressing application before it goes dormant. Topdressing cool season grasses such as fescue and rye is best done with overseeding in the Fall.

River Sand, Inc. supplies golf courses around Atlanta and the rest of Georgia with multiple shades of green dyed topdressing sand.  Light, frequent topdressing applications can be easily applied without golfers noticing with the right green sand.

Divots are holes creating from the golf club removing a portion of the turf.  Sand placed back in the divot levels the surface back so the turf can grow back into place. If it is not filled the hole will remain as the turf grows back but it may cause inconsistent areas of play and unhealthy turf from uneven cuts with the mower.  So, sand helps repair the turf for better play and better turf health.