Josh Lyons said,"I have used the magnesium flakes for 5 years in my arena and could not be happier with it. This is truly the very best dusty control product for your arena available. It not only keeps the ground in great shape but my horses are much healthier because of it. I can't recommend it enough. It is a MUST HAVE for any indoor riding arena."
There are an infinite number of blends of footing materials that are used by equestrians in indoor arenas. The common problem in all footings is that they start out great, but over time quickly develop nuisance dust because the footing is pulverized by the hoof action of constant riding and pounding. Footings are a very individual thing. Some may prefer a Palomino mix of sand and stone dust, while others want a blend of wood, sand, and stone dust, and still others want only crumb rubber or chip rubber and sand. There is no limit to the formulas of footings for each individual facility. The common denominator is that over time they ALL break down, and dust becomes a problem. Even rubber products will break down and eventually become airborne dust particles.
The US Department of Labor has some staggering statistics about the ill effects of dust and respiratory illnesses caused by it. Nearly every riding arena has sand of some type somewhere in it; either as part of the subsurface or base, or as part of the footing itself. Sand contains silica, an OSHA listed human lung carcinogen, exposure to which leads to silicosis, an incurable lung disease that is caused by inhalation of airborne silica, or sand. Wood fibers also are a very real lung health problem. Consider that when the maximum permissible dust levels in the average woodshop are exceeded, OSHA or local health authorities are not only permitted but are required by law to shut down the facility until the dust is mitigated. Most arena owners are oblivious to the fact that they might be violating air quality laws.
While there are many types of dust, all dust is the result of the material becoming so finely pulverized that it can become airborne and consequently inhaled. The easiest way to mitigate dust problems is with the addition of water to weigh down the particles and prevent them from floating. Water is a viable solution for dust problems in many areas, but it does not come without costs. You must have the water or purchase it, then dispense it with a sprinkler system, and then that sprinkler system must be maintained, which means pumps, pipes, hoses, and potential plumbing problems. Also, if you live in a frigid environment, water can mean dealing with frozen footing in the winter.
Enter MAG®, a proven humectant or hygroscopic agent that draws in moisture naturally. Harvested from the Dead Sea, MAG® is the only neutral pH dust control agent that comes in food grade purity and is backed with a lifetime warranty when purchased directly from an authorized and trained equine footings dust stabilization distributor.
One pound of MAG® can hold up to four times its weight in water under ideal conditions. MAG® will draw in moisture continuously and indefinitely and suppress dust permanently in any type of footing in any indoor arena.
MAG® must be purchased through an authorized dealer for a lifetime warranty. Dealers are trained to evaluate your footing and make recommendations specifically for you. In addition, they are a resource for questions, application instructions, and maintenance requirements. We will NOT warranty or assist owners who apply other Magnesium Chloride products to their arena!! If you intention is to use our application instructions to apply something other than MAG® to your arena, be aware that it will not work! Do not waste our time or your money providing you with instructions and guidance only to put an inferior product on your arena.
