Abstract: An improved animal litter with granules having high hardness coupled with high absorbency, thereby rendering the animal litter long lasting and durable, dust and odor free, easy to clean and maintain, and inexpensive in contrast to conventional animal litters. The improved animal litter is a composition comprising granules having calcium bentonite clay, illite clay, and/or kaolinite clay. A method of fabricating the improved animal litter includes the step of providing a composition comprising granules having calcium bentonite clay, illite clay, and/or kaolinite clay. Additional steps may also be included, namely: crushing the composition; screening the composition; kilning the composition; and washing the composition.

Abstract: A soil amendment for use in the running surface of an animal competition arena comprises highly absorbent and durable calcined clay granules. The clay granules are porous and contain micropores and microstructures to capture and retain moisture for release over time. Additionally, because the clay granules are formed of a particularly hard calcined clay, they are sufficient to support the weight of even heavy animals even when mixed with soft soil such as sand. Methods of fabricating the soil amendment and amending soil include methods which provide the soil amendment granules and arena surface with selected hardness and porosity for the particular soil and use of the arena surface.