Warm Season Turfgrass Equine Sports Surfaces: An Experimental Comparison of the Independence of Simple Measurements Used for Surface Characterization

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Turfgrass equine sports surfaces represent only a subset of surfaces used in equine sports but are often used in some of the most high-profile events. The use of grass adds complexity to the management because of the interaction of horseshoe and foot with the surface. The orientation of the roots allows the toe to penetrate the surface while at the same time reinforcing the surface during propulsion. The availability of injury data and the sensitivity of the public to rider and horse safety make safety-related research a primary focus for horse racing. The epidemiological research associated with risk due to surface conditions is generally based on ratings on the turf, typically a qualitative judgment from officials. The focus of this paper is on the use of several commercially available or easily constructed portable instruments which could be used for quantitative ratings. The results suggest that testing conditions may determine the data consistency. As in previous work, caution must be exercised in the interpretation of the results since these tools have not been demonstrated to correlate to either performance or safety of the surface. ABSTRACT: Turfgrass in equine sports has clear advantages over other types of reinforcement but adds complexity to the management. This study investigates factors that influence the turfgrass’ surface performance and how the use of a drainage package and a geotextile reinforcement affect quantitative measurements of turfgrass. The measurements are made using affordable, lightweight testing tools that are readily available or easily constructed. Eight boxes with turfgrass over a mix of the arena with peat at a consistent depth were tested for volumetric moisture content (VMC %) with time–domain reflectometry (TDR), the rotational peak shear device (RPS), the impact test device (ITD), soil cone penetrometer (SCP), and the Going Stick (GS). Results obtained using TDR, RPS, ITD, SCP, and GS indicate that the presence of the geotextile and drainage package was mainly detected by VMC (%), SCP detected geotextile addition, and GS detected the interaction of geotextile × drainage package. Linear regression showed SCP and GS are related to geotextile and was positively correlated between them and negatively with VMC (%). The testing showed some limitations of these devices, mainly related to moisture content and sod composition, but the potential exists to utilize these devices for quality control as well as for the monitoring of maintenance of the surfaces when controlling the range of both VMC (%) and sod constitution.