Can recycled tyres save horses at Kenilworth?

Can recycled tyres save horses at Kenilworth?

Category News

Local equestrian arenas are starting to use rubber mats to protect horses’ hooves and add a layer of protection should the horse fall. These rubber mats are produced from the rubber crumb supplied by the Mathe Group’s tyre recycling facility in KwaZulu-Natal.

Simbithi Stables in Ballito already uses rubber crumb in their arena - one of the first in South Africa to make use of the recycled tyre product. Similar rubber mats are being used in Australia and America too. This recycled rubber can help horses at Kenilworth Racecourse.

Recycled rubber is safer for horses

Studies conducted in the United Kingdom have suggested that surfaces containing a mixture of sand and rubber are the best for preventing injuries to horses. This combination means that Kenilworth Racecourse could benefit from using rubber crumb by adding a layer of protection for the horses that fall during races.

The sand-rubber surface provides the right amount of cushioning and grip for horse races, dressage and show jumping events. The same study revealed that woodchips and grass (like Kenilworth's turf) can actually cause severe injuries for horses when they fall.

Horse arenas and race tracks commonly use a clinker foundation (lumps of stony residue from furnaces) with sand on top. Like human athletes perform better on rubber tracks, horses can benefit from using rubber too. Adding rubber crumb to the sand at racecourses like Kenilworth and Durbanville could have added performance benefits for the competing horses.

Rubber is a cost-effective alternative

“A number of different substances - including coconut husks and fibre - have been used to provide better cushioning and to prevent hoof slippage. However, these solutions are often extremely expensive,” says Simbithi Stables manager Stephanie Ashley-Cooper.

“We were looking for a more affordable solution that did not require further investment in equipment needed to rake the surface of the arena each morning,” she says. To date, 10 tonnes of rubber crumb has been delivered to the stables from the Mathe Group recycling facility. The stables use a mixture of one part rubber to three parts sand for their surfaces.

“The surface gets better and better as we use it. The horses working there seem to float over the surface instead of sinking into the sand. The rubber crumb has created a lighter surface that ha a certain bounciness,” says Ashley-Cooper. The new surface has improved the performance of the horses.

Horses benefit from rubber flooring in their stables

Rubber crumb is also not affected by water and weathering like coconut husks. It has a long lifespan and does not need to be replaced as frequently. The stables at Simbithi have also been covered with rubber mats, protecting the horses’ hooves when they are resting.

The rubber is warmer and more comfortable for the horses than the concrete flooring previously used. It prevents the horses from scraping their knees when lying down and standing up as well. This is a more cost-effective solution that woodchips and hay.

Locally, recycled rubber crumb is normally used to create rubber flooring, paving, acoustic underlays for carpets and foundations for astroturf sports fields. The Mathe Group recycling facility is able to process over 200 000 truck tyres per year.

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Author: Seeff