GB2282604A

GB2282604A - Paving composition, cushion material, and horse race track made thereof

Info

Publication number: GB2282604A
Application number: GB9313970A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kazuya Otani; Toshiro Yoshida; Akira Fujisawa; Teruaki Yajima; Hayato Shinya; Kazuo Goto
Original assignee: JAPAN RACING ASS; Sanyo Chemical Industries Ltd; JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION
Current assignee: JAPAN RACING ASS; Sanyo Chemical Industries Ltd; JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION
Priority date: 1992-01-10
Filing date: 1993-07-06
Publication date: 1995-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-06
Also published as: FR2707298A1; GB2282604B; JP2995517B2; JPH0615065A; NZ247833A; GB9313970D0

Abstract

A paving composition comprises 0.1 to 30 % by weight of a synthetic resin having a contact angle of at least 95 degrees, 0.1 to 30 % by weight of an oil and 40 to 99.8 % by weight of sand. A silicone resin, a polyurethane resin, an acrylic or methacrylic resin having a polyurethane moiety or a polysiloxane moiety and a fluoropolymer are preferable for the synthetic resin. A silicone oil, an oil-soluble polyether, a plant oil and a thickened mineral oil are preferable for the oil. This paving composition is suitable for all-weather tracks for use in horse riding.

Description

Paving Composition, Cushion Material and Horse Race Track Made Thereof The present invention relates to a paving composition, a cushion or trackbed material and a horse race track made thereof. More particularly, it relates to a paving composition and a cushion or trackbed material, suitable for dirt tracks for racing, rearing, grazing or training, and a horse race track made thereof.

Heretofore, in various riding tracks such as race dirt tracks, a trackbed (or loadbed) material and a cushion material are laid thereon uniformly using natural sand, etc. In a riding circuit such as a horse race track using natural sand, if the sand is used as a trackbed material an appropriate supporting force is realized, while if it is a cushion sand, appropriate cushioning and foothold conditions are obtained. Therefore, riding ground using natural sand is preferred for horse exercise and it is well drained even if only daily maintenance and management are performed to a satisfactory extent.

However, riding ground using natural sand possesses an insufficient cushioning property for horses who have injured their legs. A substitute using wood tips in place of natural sand has been proposed but there is a drawback that an insufficient foothold is provided.

In a dry season such as a summer seasons wherein the atmospheric temperature rises, the water content of the cushion material becomes lower, resulting in a poor foothold, thus impairing smooth running of horse; besides, dust is blown up and impedes the sight of man and horse, thus possibly causing an accident. In order to avoid these inconveniences it is required to sprinkle water.

Conversely, on a rainy day in the rainy season, the water content of the cushion material and that of trackbed material as a support layer becomes higher than necessary, with the result that in the cushion layer, muddy lumps are spattered by a running horse, thus impeding the sight of succeeding man and horse and again possibly causing an accident. In order to avoid gathering of rainwater on the cushion material, it is compulsory to remove water or cover the track, for example with a hood.

In a cold season, since gravitational water and absorbed water between sand grains is frozen, not only is the exercise of a horse impeded but there is also a danger of a violent fall, etc, and hence it becomes necessary to stop exercising or racing horses. In order to avoid freezing of such water it is required to sprinkle calcium chloride granules or cover the track overnight which is both costly and laborious.

Various cushion materials have been proposed as substitutes for natural sand. For example, JP-A274905/1990 discloses a cushion material for use in a riding track comprising sand coated with an asphalt, a plant oil and a titan powder having a surface area of not less than 3,000 cm2/g. EP-A-0466514 also discloses a cushion or trackbed material for use in a riding track comprising sand coated with a carboxy-or anhydride group containing olefin polymer or an oxygen-containing wax.

US-A-3272098 discloses a paving composition comprising polyurethane rubber and a resilient aggregate such as synthetic cork. US-A-4819933 discloses an all-weather surface for equestrian events or sports events comprising a layer of material comprising a mixture of sand and synthetic fibers. US-A-3437614 teaches a paving composition comprising 0.3 to 5.0 % by weight of cork, 0.2 to 5.0 g by weight of asbestos, 77 to 96.5 % by weight of a mineral aggregate and a binder composition containing a specified polypropylene, a petroleum resin and a plasticizer mineral oil. EP-A-0231057 discloses a substitute soil material comprising sand treated with a binder comprising a polymeric material dispersed or dissolved in an oil having a viscosity such that it is substantially non-fluid at ambient temperature.

However, such paving compositions or cushion materials have certain drawbacks.

When cushion materials disclosed in JP-A374905/1990 are used for exercise and running of a horse in the rain, outflow of asphalt or plant oil contained in them results, so that the foothold becomes gradually poorer. When it rains, cushion materials disclosed in EP A-0466514 cause rain puddles on hoof trails because of their poor water permeability, resulting in freezing of such puddles in winter. In all weather tracks disclosed in US-A-4819933, easy separation of fibers from sand is caused by exercising of horses on it, so that water permeability and cushioning property become poor. When using paving compositions disclosed in US-A-3437614 it is difficult to provide steady and regular race conditions through a full season because they are apt to change in their tenacity with atmospheric temperature.Substitute ground surface materials disclosed in EP-A-0231057 are apt to cause lowering of the tenacity and water permeability because of a great change in viscosity of the oil contained in them which occurs with a change in atmospheric temperature. They are also apt to provide sticky cushions in summer and be made firm and compact by repeated exercise of horses, resulting in a deterioration in running performance. In addition, they are apt to freeze because of their poor water permeability. Thus, the above paving compositions or cushion materials are inferior in durability.

The present invention seeks to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks of conventional riding ground cushions or trackbed materials or the proposed paving compositions or materials for use in sports events. In particular, the present invention seeks to provide a paving composition suitable for il-weather tracks for use in a riding ground to provide a paving composition and capable of producing a riding surface excellent in durability, cushioning property, foothold and water permeability, and with appropriate hardness and tenacity. By this means, the invention seeks to provide a cushion or trackbed material suitable for use in providing a riding surface a nursery ground, a training ground and a grazing ground, especially for horses, and especially a horse race track using the above paving composition.

Thus, the invention provides a paving composition comprising 0.1 to 30 %, preferably 2.5 to 20%, by weight of a synthetic resin having a contact angle of at least 95 degrees, 0.1 to 30 %, preferably 2.5 to 20%, by weight of an oil and 40 to 99.8 %, preferably 60 to 95%, by weight of sand, a cushion or trackbed material for use in preparing ground over which riding, especially of animals (but possibly for example motor bicycles), is to take place or over which animals may tread, hereinafter referred to as "riding ground", which material comprises sand coated with a mixture of the above resin and the above oil and a horse race track made by laying the above composition on the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION There is no particular limitation to the type of sand used in a composition embodying the present invention and it may be of any shape or size, but a preferred grain size is from 2 mm down to 0.075 mm. Suitable sands include natural sands such as river sand, mountain sand and sea sand, artificial sand such as crushed sand, as well as silica sand and granulated slag from blast furnaces. There is also no special limitation as to water content of the sand. Therefore, it is not particularly necessary to use a dehydrated dry sand provided that the water content is predetermined.

The synthetic resin used in a composition embodying the present invention may be any such resin provided that it possesses a contact angle of not less than 95 degrees and is substantially water-insoluble. A preferred resin possesses a contact angle of not less than 100 degrees having regard to drainage and non-freezing properties.

Such resin may be used in the form of a liquid or solid. An emulsion or solution of the resin may be also used. Both thermoplastic and heat-setting resins, including single and polycomponent types, may be used. The preferred resin is selected from a hardenable and liquid type, foamable type and emulsion type.

Suitable resins include a silicone resin, a polyurethane resin, an acrylic or methacrylic resin having a polysiloxane moiety and/or a polyurethane moiety, and a fluoropolymer such as a poly(vinylidenefluoride), a hexafluoropropylene polymer, poly(vinylperfluoroalkylether) or a mixture thereof. The resin of foamable type is, for example, a foamable silicone resin such as "SE 1900" provided by Toray Dow Corning Silicone Kabusikikaisha in Japan and a high density foamable polyurethane resin. The resin of hardenable type is, for example, a moisture-curable silicone resin, a moisture-curable polyurethane, a combination of an isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer and a curing agent such as a polyhydric alcohol, a (meth)acrylate-silicone interpolymer or a (meth)acrylate-silicone-urethane interpolymer. Among these resins, a silicone resin and a polyurethane resin is preferred.A silicone resin and a polyurethane resin of emulsion, foamable or hardenable types are more preferred.

Also, an acrylic or methacrylic resin having a polyurethane moiety or a polysiloxane moiety and a fluoropolymer are preferred.

Suitable oils include a silicone oil; a plant oil such as a linseed oil, a tall oil, a coconut oil; a mineral oil thickened by a viscosity index improver such as polyalkyl-methacrylate and an oil-soluble polyether.

Such silicone oils include a polydialkylsiloxane such as polydimethylsiloxane and a polyalkylarylsiloxane such as polyalkylphenylsiloxane. Such polyethers include an alkyl etherated compound of an alkylene oxide adduct of an active hydrogen-containing compound such as polyoxyalkyleneglycol monoalkyl ether. The above adduct is known in polyurethane and detergent industries. For example, active hydrogen-containing compounds are mono or polyhydric alcohols, carboxylic acids and amines. The alkylene oxides are, for example, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide and styrene oxide.

Among these, a silicone oil and an oil-soluble polyether are preferred. More preferred are a polydialkylsiloxane and a polyoxyalkyleneglycol monoalkyl ether having a molecular weight of 1,000 to 4,000.

An oil used in a composition embodying the present invention usually has a viscosity of from 5 to 100,000 centistokes, preferably from 100 to 30,000 centistokes and more preferably from 500 to 10,000 centistokes respectively at 25"C. When it is below 5 centistokes, durability of the paving composition is lowered because of easy outflow of the oil. When it is over 100,000 centistokes, cushioning property of the composition is impaired.

It is preferred that ratio of the viscosity of the oil at 25"C to that at a temperature ranging from -20 C to 60"C is within the range of from 0.6 to 3.5.

The oil usually has a pour point not higher than 0 C, preferably not higher than -20 C, more preferably not higher than -50 C. When it is over 0 C, the oil freezes and hence the exercise of horses is impeded.

A composition embodying the present invention contains suitably 0.1 to 30 % by weight, preferably 1 to 20 % by weight, and more preferably 2 to 10 % by weight of the synthetic resin, based on the paving composition.

When the resin content is below 0.1 % by weight, dust is blown up and the paving composition freezes in a cold season. When it is over 30 % by weight, cushioning property is impaired.

The paving composition or cushion or trackbed material embodying the present invention usually has a bulk specific gravity from 0.1 to 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter, preferably 0.5 to 0.8 grams per cubic centimeter. When it is below 0.1 grams per centimeter, the foothold becomes poor. When it is over 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter, the paving composition sustains damage by the repeated exercise of horses, resulting in lowering of its durability.

A paving composition embodying the present invention may contain a coloring agent such as a pigment, a W absorbing agent and an antioxidant within respective amounts of these additives which do not impair the desired characteristics of the riding ground.

A paving composition embodying the present invention may be obtained by mixing the sand, the oil and the synthetic resin, accompanied by the above additives if desired, and then removing any water or solvent contained therein or curing by application of heat if necessary.

The mixing can be conducted at the scene of the application or at a manufacturing plant and in both cases a uniform composition can be produced. The preferred mixing is achieve oy adding to sand the oil, then the synthetic resin. The water content of the sand is desirably predetermined in order to allow feed of accurate amounts of the oil and the synthetic resin.

Sand coated by a mixture comprising 0.1 to 30 % by weight of the above-mentioned synthetic resin and 0.1 to 30 % by weight of the above-mentioned oil based on a total amount of the coated sand provides a cushion material or trackbed material. A paving composition embodying the present invention may provide a horse race track when it is laid down to thickness of 3 to 15 cm on a ground surface.

EXAMPLES Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following Examples and Comparative Examples.

Evaluation 1. Water-proofness Test After 500 ml of tapwater has been boiled in a beaker, 30 g of each paving composition are poured into such a beaker and allowed to stand for 10 minutes.

Thereafter whether or not the oil floats on the water surface is visually checked.

2. Hardness and Tenacity They are measured under a load of 400 grams by means of a Neo Curdmeter model M-302 (available from Iio Denki Kabusikikaisha in Japan). An average value is taken from 5 measurements on each sample.

3. Bulk Specific Gravity This is measured in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standard K 3362.

4. Water Permeability This is measured in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standard A 1200.

5. Freezing Test (1) On a laboratory scale A cushion specimen made of each paving composition is sprinkled with water and allowed to drain for 30 minutes, and after standing for 24 hours at -20 C, whether or not the specimen is disentangled when the specimen is pressed with a finger is checked.

0 represents a specimen which is disentangled when it is lightly pressed.

represents a specimen which is disentangled when it is strongly pressed.

represents a specimen which is not disentangled even when it is strongly pressed.

(2) Field Test After a horse race track prepared by laying down a cushion has stood in the rain or in the snow followed by its maintenance at an atmospheric temperature below freezing, whether or not the cushion becomes disentangled is checked.

0 represents a cushion which is disentangled when it is lightly pressed.

represents a cushion which is frozen.

6 Durability A constant amount of the paving composition is ground in an automatic mortar (model ANM-200, available from Nitto Kagaku Kabusikikaisha in Japan). Thereafter its bulk specific gravity is measured in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standard K 3362. When natural sand is used in a horse race track for years, its bulk specific gravity rises to 1.67 grams per cubic centimeter.

7. Pour Point This is measured in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standard K 2269.

8. Contact Angle - A thin film (50 microns) made of a synthetic resin to be used in a composition embodying the present invention is adhered to a cleaned glass plate and its contact angle measured at a temperature of 25"C and relative humidity of 65 % by means of a contact anglemeasuring apparatus) model CA-2150, available from Kyowa Kaimen Kagaku Kabusikikaisha in Japan).

EXAMPLE 1 Twelve parts by weight of Permarin UA-300 (39 % polyurethane emulsion in which the polyurethane resin itself has a contact angle of 100 degrees, available from Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd. in Japan), 12 parts by weight of silicone oil having a viscosity of 1,000 centistokes at 25"C and a pour point of -50 C (available from Toray Dow Corning Silicone Kabusikikaisha under the tradename of "SH 200") and 400 parts by weight of sea sand from Aomori in Japan were mixed for 5 minutes in an universal mixer (model 5DM-L-03-r, available from Kabushikikaisha Sanei Seisakusho in Japan) and then allowed to stand at room temperature for 8 hours. A paving composition (1) was thus obtained. The composition (1) comprised the sand coated with a mixture of the resin and the oil, above-mentioned.

Table-l below shows water-proofness, hardness, tenacity, bulk specific gravity, water permeability and freezing property of the composition (1) and Table-2 shows its durability.

Table-l Paving Water- Hardness Tenacity Bulk composition proofness specific gravity dyn/cm2 dyn.sec/cm3 g/cm3 1 No outflow 8.6x104 9.2x105 0.71 of oil 2 No outflow 9.2x104 8.6x105 0.73 of oil 3 No outflow 8.8x104 9.3x105 0.74 of oil 4 No outflow 8.6x104 8.9x105 0.73 of oil 5 No outflow 2.3x104* 1.2x105* 1.41 of oil 6 No outflow 9.2x104 8.8x105 0.94 of oil 7 No outflow 9.0x104 8.3x105 0.88 of oil *shows values obtained before adjustment of water content.

Table-l (continued)

Paving Water permeability Freezing test composition (cm/sec) 1 1.52x10-2 0 2 1.47x10-2 0 3 1.69x10-2 0 4 1.41x1O-2 0 5 l.OlxlO- 2 X 6 1.21x10-t n 7 1.27x10-2 0 Table-2 Paving Bulk specific gravity Composition Freshly Prepared After one hour elapsed 1 0.71 0.90 2 0.73 > 0.87 3 0.74 0.85 4 0.73 0.91 5 1.41 1.67 6 0.94 1.16 7 0.88 1.21 EXAMPLE 2 In the same manner as that of Example 1 except for using 12 parts by weight of linseed oil having a viscosity of 100 centistokes at 25 C and a pour point of -20 C in place of the silicone oil of Example 1, a paving composition (2) was obtained. The composition (2) comprised the sand coated with a mixture of the resin and the oil, above-mentioned.

Table-l shows water-proofness, hardness, tenacity, bulk specific gravity, water permeability and freezing property of the composition (2) and Table-2 shows its durability.

EXAMPLE 3 In the same manner as that of Example 1 except for using 12 parts by weight of foamable, RTV silicone resin having a contact angle of 105 degree (available from Toray Dow Corning Si'one.Kabusikikaisha in Japan under the tradename of "SE1900") in place of the polyurethane emulsion of Example 1, a paving composition (3) was obtained. The composition (3) comprised the sand coated with a mixture of the resin and the oil, above-mentioned.

Table-1 shows water-proofness, hardness, tenacity, bulk specific gravity, water permeability and freezing property of the composition (3) and Table-2 shows its durability.

EXAMPLE 4 In the same manner as that of Example 1 except for using 10 parts by weight of Newpol LB-1715 (polyoxypropyleneglycol monobutyl ether having a viscosity of 2400 cst and a pour point of -20 C, available from Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd.) in place of the silicone oil of Example 1, a paving composition (4) was obtained.

The composition (4) comprised the sand coated with a mixture of the resin and the oil, above-mentioned.

Table-1 shows water-proofness, hardness, tenacity, bulk specific gravity, water permeability and freezing property of the composition (4) and Table-2 shows its durability.

EXAMPLE 5 A riding track (A) 150 meters round and 10 meters wide was made by laying down the composition (1) to a thickness of 8 cm on a ground surface.

The track (A) was used for exercise of horses on rainy days or on fine days through the season from summer to winter. The water permeability, the bulk specific gravity, the hardness, the tenacity and the freezing property was evaluated for the track (A) after passage of one month, three months and six months. Test results are given in Table-3.

EXAMPLE 6 In the same manner as that of Example 5 except for using the composition (3) in place of composition (1) of Example 5, a riding track (B) was made and evaluated.

Test results are given in Table-3.

Table-3 Term of Riding Hardness Tenacity Bulk Exercise ground specific of Horse gravity dyn/cm2 dyn.sec/cm3 g/cm3 A 8.6x104 9.2x105 0.71 No exercise B 9.8x104 9.3x105 0.74 C 2.3x104* 1.2x105* 1.41 A 8.5x104 9.1x105 0.72 One month B 9.6x104 9.2x105 0.75 C 2.2x104* 1.2x105* 1.44 A 8.4X104 9.OXlO5 0.74 Three months B 9.3x104 9.1x105 0.76 C 2.2x104* 1.1x105* 1.48 A 8.2x104 8.9x105 0.76 Six months B 9.0x104 8.9x105 0.78 C 2.1x104* l.lx105* 1.51 *shows values obtained before adjustment of water content.

Table-3 (continued)

Term of Riding Water permeability Freezing Exercise ground (cm/sec) test of Horse A - > 1.52xlO- 2 0 No exercise B 1.47x1O2 2 0 C 1.01x10-2 A 1.51x10-2 0 One month B 1.46x10-2 0 C 0.98x10-2 A 1.49x10-2 0 Three months B 1.45x10-2 0 C 0.95x10-2 X A 1.47x10-2 0 Six months B 1.43x10-2 0 C 0.89xlO- 2 X COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 A paving composition (5) was obtained by mixing sea sand of Example 1 with 4 to 6% by weight of water based on the sand.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2 After mixing 100 parts by weight of sea sand of Example 1 dried at 11O0C, 0.5 parts by weight of titan powder for 15 seconds in the universal mixer of Example 1, 2.5 parts by weight of hot straight asphalt, 2 parts by weight of petroleum oil fraction and 0.5 parts by weight of tall oil were added in order and mixed for an additional 40 seconds. A paving composition (6) was thus obtained.

Table-1 shows water-proofness, hardness, tenacity, bulk specific gravity, water permeability and freezing property of the composition (6 and Table-2 shows its durability.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3 A petroleum oil fraction having a viscosity of 1,000 centistokes at 20"C was heated to 1600C. One part of by weight of poly(ethylene-vinylacetate) containing 28 t vinyl acetate having a contact angle of 71 degrees and a meltflow index of 25 was then added to the heated oil in a ratio of 1 part of the resin to 9 parts oil by weight and caused to dissolve by stirring in the universal mixer of Example 1. The dry sand of Example 1 was then added to the mixture in the ratio of 154 parts sand to 6.5 parts mixture and thoroughly mixed. A paving composition (7) was thus obtained.

Table-1 shows water-proofness, hardness, tenacity, bulk specific gravity, water permeability and freezing property of the composition (7) and Table-2 shows its durability.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 4 A riding track (C) 170 meters round and 10 meters wide was made by laying a composition (7) to a thickness of 8 cm on a ground surface.

The track (C) was used for exercise of horses on rainy days or on fine days through the season from summer to winter. The water permeability, the bulk specific gravity, the hardness, the tenacity and the freezing property is evaluated for the track (C) after passage of one month, three months and six months. Test results are given in Table-3.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A paving composition comprising 0.1 to 30 % by weight of a synthetic resin having a contact angle of at least 95 degrees, 0.1 to 30% by weight of an oil and 40 to 99.8 g by weight of sand.

2. A paving composition according to claim 1, which has a bulk specific gravity of 0.1 to 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter.

3. A paving composition according to claim i or 2, wherein the resin is a silicone resin or a polyurethane resin.

4. A paving composition according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the resin is an acrylic or methacrylic resin having a polyurethane moiety or a polysiloxane moiety or a fluoropolymer.

5. A paving composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the oil is a silicone oil or an oil-soluble polyether.

6. A paving composition according to claim 5, which is a silicone oil and wherein the silicone oil is a polydialkylsiloxane.

7. A paving composition according to claim 5, which is an oil soluble polyether and wherein the oil-soluble polyether is a polyoxyalkylene glycol monoalkyl ether having molecular weight of 1,000 to 4,000.

8. A paving composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the oil is a plant oil or a thickened mineral oil.

9. A paving composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the oil has a viscosity of from 5 to 100,000 centistokes at 25"C.

10. A paving composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the oil has a pour point of not higher than -20"C.

11. A paving composition according to any preceding claim, wherein ratio of the viscosity of the oil at 25"C to that at a temperature of from -20 to 60"C is 0.6 : 3.5.

12. A paving composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the synthetic resin is present in an amount of 2.5 to 20% by weight, the oil is present in an amount of 2.5 to 20%, and the sand is present in an amount of 60 to 95% by weight.

13. A cushion or trackbed material which comprises sand coated with a mixture comprising 0.1 to 30 g by weight of the resin of claim 1 and 0.1 to 30 % by weight of the oil of claim 1 based on a total amount of sand, said resin and said oil.

14. A cushion or trackbed material according to claim 10 or 11, which has a bulk specific gravity of 0.1 to 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter.

15. A horse race track comprising a paving composition of claim 1 laid on the ground.

16. A horse race track comprising a cushion or trackbed material of claim 13 laid on the ground.

17. Use of a paving composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12 for preparing riding ground.

18. Use of a cushion or trackbed material according to claim 13 or 14, in laying riding ground.

19. A method of preparing riding ground, which method comprises laying on a ground surface a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the riding ground is a horse race track.

21. A paving composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

22. A cushion or trackbed material according to claim 13 and 14, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

23. A horse rack track according to claim 15 or 16, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

24. Use according to claim 17 or 18, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

25. A method according to claim 19 or 20, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

26. Riding ground whenever laid by a method according to any one of claims 19, 20 and 25.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS: 1. A paving composition comprising O.1 to 30 O by weight of a synthetic resin having a contact angle of at least 95 degrees, 0.1 to 30% by weight of an oil and 40 to 99.8 % by weight of sand, wherein the synthetic resin is a silicone resin, a polyurethane resin, an acrylic or methacrylic resin, which acrylic or methacrylic resin has a polyurethane or polysiloxane moiety, or a fluoropolymer.

3. A paving composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the resin is a silicone resin or a polyurethane resin.

6. A paving composition according to claim 5, wherein the oil is a silicone oil which is a polydialkylsiloxane.

7. A paving composition according to claim 5, wherein the oil is an oil-soluble polyether which is a polyoxyalkylene glycol monoalkyl ether having molecular weight of 1,000 to 4,000.

11. A paving composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the ratio of the viscosity of the oil at 25"C to that at a temperature of from -20 to 60"C is within a range of from 0.6:1 to 3.5:1.

12. A paving composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the synthetic resin has a contact angle of at least 100 .

13. A paving composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the synthetic resin is present in an amount not more than 20% by weight.

14. A paving composition according to claim 13, wherein the synthetic resin is present in an amount of from 1 to 20% by weight.

15. A paving composition according to claim 14, wherein the synthetic resin is present in an amount of 2.5 to 20% by weight, the oil is present in an amount of 2.5 to 20%, and the sand ws present in an amount of 60 to 95% by weight.

16. A cushion or trackbed material which comprises sand coated with a mixture comprising 0.1 to 30 % by weight of the resin of claim 1 and 0.1 to 30 % by weight of the oil of claim 1 based on a total amount of sand, said resin and said oil.

17. A cushion or trackbed material according to claim 16, which has a bulk specific gravity of 0.1 to 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter.

18. A horse race track comprising a paving composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15 laid on the ground.

19. A horse race track comprising-a cushion or trackbed material according to claim 16 or 17 laid on the ground.

20. Use of a paving composition according to anx one of claims 1 to 15 for preparing riding ground.

21. Use of a cushion or trackbed material according to claim 16 or 17, in laying riding ground.

22. A method of preparing riding ground, which method comprises laying on a ground surface a composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the riding ground is a horse race track.

24. A paving composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

25. A cushion or trackbed material according to claim 16 or 17, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

26. A horse race track according to claim 18 or 19, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

27. Use according to claim 20 or 21, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

28. A method according to claim 22 or 23, substantially as herein described and exemplified.

29. Riding ground whenever laid by a method according to any one of claims 22, 23 and 28.