Get informed about polytrack surfaces. It's nothing all that new in Europe.
http://www.polytrack.com/racingmenu.html
one question i have which I haven't found an answer to is this:
What if individual trainers can't afford a plolytrack system, so he or she needs to train the horses on traditional footing. The question here areises; how easy is it for the horse to make the swiching back and forth?
SB
POLY SURFACE
Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster
I Googled it:
Source: PaceAdvantage
Source: Tottenwoodthroroughbreds
Source: Sports.Yahoo.com
There is one training yard in England that has had Polytrack for almost twenty years and some others that have had it for 10 - 12 years. No reports of surface problems and no reports of exercise riders or anybody else getting sick from it.
Source: PaceAdvantage
Poly Track is a combination polypropylene fiber, recycled rubber, and silica sand covered in a wax coating...
Source: Tottenwoodthroroughbreds
Before Turfway, the last major North American racetrack to install an all-weather surface was Remington Park in Oklahoma City. It opened in 1988 with Equitrack, a polymer-based surface in which sand is covered with a wax coating. But by 1991, the track switched to dirt because the Equitrack surface was starting to melt and causing health problems when horses inhaled kicked-up track.
Keith Chamblin, who was in charge of public relations and marketing at Remington at the time, said the troubles with Equitrack shouldn't apply to Polytrack.
Source: Sports.Yahoo.com
And thou fly without wings, and conquer without any sword. Oh, horse. - The Qur'an
From the Polytrack FAQ site:
"Q: What impact does manure have on this surface?
A: Over an extended period of time, manure will breakdown the Polytrack surface and dry out the wax coating. Therefore, it is recommended that manure be removed from the surface."
This got me to wondering, what exactly happens with the poop on a conventional surface? I mean do they just grind it up into the dirt? Do they remove it? What happens on the turf surface? I just never gave it any thought but they can't have a poop-infested surface with clods of the stuff flying around can they? Sorry, it's raining and I'm bored.
"Q: What impact does manure have on this surface?
A: Over an extended period of time, manure will breakdown the Polytrack surface and dry out the wax coating. Therefore, it is recommended that manure be removed from the surface."
This got me to wondering, what exactly happens with the poop on a conventional surface? I mean do they just grind it up into the dirt? Do they remove it? What happens on the turf surface? I just never gave it any thought but they can't have a poop-infested surface with clods of the stuff flying around can they? Sorry, it's raining and I'm bored.
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana"
I think what people are failing to realize is that it is cooler and damper in England than in most of the U.S. Equitrack also had no issues in England, but think about it folks when wax gets hot it melts as does rubber. The Equitrack would get hot, melt and literally adhere to the horses skin when it wasn't clodding up and bruising them.
As for the training track, horses galloping on a track training in the morning do not see the amount of kickback they see in a race. I'm not saying the stuff is horrible, but it has not been tested in our climate and so it seems to me that one may want to see how it reacts to more extreme summer and winter temperature variances before declaring it a godsend. I have read pretty much everything out there on the stuff and the fact is that they don't know what it will do in a real world situation with our climate and I hardly think the PR guy is a valid expert on the difference between Equitrack and Polytrack
As for the poo, on a dirt track they harrow it in. I read that statement on the Polytrack thing as well and had to laugh. Is there going to have to be a "poo crew" who's sole job it is to keep the stuff clean?
That's a big surface to keep clean.
As for the training track, horses galloping on a track training in the morning do not see the amount of kickback they see in a race. I'm not saying the stuff is horrible, but it has not been tested in our climate and so it seems to me that one may want to see how it reacts to more extreme summer and winter temperature variances before declaring it a godsend. I have read pretty much everything out there on the stuff and the fact is that they don't know what it will do in a real world situation with our climate and I hardly think the PR guy is a valid expert on the difference between Equitrack and Polytrack
As for the poo, on a dirt track they harrow it in. I read that statement on the Polytrack thing as well and had to laugh. Is there going to have to be a "poo crew" who's sole job it is to keep the stuff clean?
That's a big surface to keep clean.I don't have low self-esteem. I have low esteem for everyone else. ~ Daria
The synthetic surface may not necessarily be Polytrack. Michael Dickenson 's Tapeta surface is being installed at Fair Hills training center and is also under consideration in California.
Considering he developed it in Maryland, it has been well tested in what can be a rather hot and steamy climate, which still has some serious winter weather too.
Considering he developed it in Maryland, it has been well tested in what can be a rather hot and steamy climate, which still has some serious winter weather too.
monicabee wrote:The synthetic surface may not necessarily be Polytrack. Michael Dickenson 's Tapeta surface is being installed at Fair Hills training center and is also under consideration in California.
Considering he developed it in Maryland, it has been well tested in what can be a rather hot and steamy climate, which still has some serious winter weather too.
But isn't humidity and moisture part of the great unknown? In California, there isn't any and we are in a desert which makes constantly watering the stuff problematic.
WarHorse: thanks for the blurb on Remington's surface. I remember when it was Equitrack and how it was deemed the track of the future. It was rather bizarre to see a track go from being wet to dry in no time.
Monicabee: don't remind me of the hot sticky summer climate of Maryland.
I dread this summer (especially with electric bills going through the roof if our legislature doesn't get on the stick...then again look at the slots issue here... 
)
Monicabee: don't remind me of the hot sticky summer climate of Maryland.
I dread this summer (especially with electric bills going through the roof if our legislature doesn't get on the stick...then again look at the slots issue here... )A horse gallops with his lungs
Perseveres with his heart
And wins with his character. --Tesio
Perseveres with his heart
And wins with his character. --Tesio
kickback
if there is so much concern with kickback from polytrack...why dont the horses wear a mesh protector over there muzzle ? it wont affect air flow and should solve the kick back problem.....or is this solution to simple ? 
A great man cannot help himself," "He can see things that other men cannot see themselves, and his greatness lies in doing whatever is necessary to make his vision real
WarHorse wrote:Barbaro06:It was rather bizarre to see a track go from being wet to dry in no time.
Was this because of the wax coating?
I believe it has much more to do with the intensive drainage system built underneath.
reenci wrote:if there is so much concern with kickback from polytrack...why dont the horses wear a mesh protector over there muzzle ? it wont affect air flow and should solve the kick back problem.....or is this solution to simple ?
Any mesh fine enough to prevent dust entering the nostrils is likely to also impede airflow. Horses do not breathe through their mouths so covering the entire muzzle would be unnecessary.
Perhaps some bright spark will invent nostril strips that "grab" the bulk of the dust before it gets into the nostrils....
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....
invention and inovation is the direct result of "need" so you are probably right......some one will come up with the answer and make a bundle $$$
A great man cannot help himself," "He can see things that other men cannot see themselves, and his greatness lies in doing whatever is necessary to make his vision real
-
louis finochio
- Darley line
- Posts: 9181
- Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 5:21 am
- Location: Alhambra-Calif.
- Contact:
I asked jockey P. Val what his thoughts were on PT.
This is what his reply was. In Calif. where the sun shines in our desert climate their will be fine particles of dust flying back at the TB and jockeys.
Pat Val said he is going to wear a protective face mask so he wont inhale the dust into his lungs.
P. Val said the TB in the middle and rear of the pack will get the dust in their face.
P. Val said the total cost of the PT is 40 million, I dont know if that figure is for all the racetracks in Calif.
P. Val voiced his negative thoughts at a board meeting. but it fell on deaf ears.
P. Val said the more water that is put on the PT the less dust would be kicked back.
P. Val has ridden on the PT at Turfway and said he didnt notice that much dust being kicked back because he was on those speed horses on the front end.
This is what his reply was. In Calif. where the sun shines in our desert climate their will be fine particles of dust flying back at the TB and jockeys.
Pat Val said he is going to wear a protective face mask so he wont inhale the dust into his lungs.
P. Val said the TB in the middle and rear of the pack will get the dust in their face.
P. Val said the total cost of the PT is 40 million, I dont know if that figure is for all the racetracks in Calif.
P. Val voiced his negative thoughts at a board meeting. but it fell on deaf ears.
P. Val said the more water that is put on the PT the less dust would be kicked back.
P. Val has ridden on the PT at Turfway and said he didnt notice that much dust being kicked back because he was on those speed horses on the front end.
Those without sin cast the first stone.
Louis Finochio
Louis Finochio
