Best surface for starvation/throw out area?

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Patchworkpony

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So I put down road sub-base which has done a fantastic job with the mud however when walked on by ponies it gets disturbed and the stones are starting to come up, even though it was thoroughly wacked down. Stones hurt their feet and turn my ankle so I need to put a nice surface on top but what? I don't want sand it walks everywhere and gets in your shoes so I thought about bark or wood chip but does that come with problems? Getting desperate now so any good practical ideas would be more than gratefully received.
 
I have had a similar problem with our hardstanding. It is limestone with 40mm in the bottom and 20mm to fines on the top all well packed down. As with yours we had problems with loose stones and in the winter, because it was so wet, we had about an inch of limestone slurry on the top. I have put holey grass mats down (www.horsematshop.co.uk/shop/sportsm...asssupport-rubber-hollow-mats-1m-x-15m-x-22mm) and brushed sand in to stabilise them. Its working very well in this dry spell and it is comfy enough for the horses to lie on. This was the only cost effective solution for me. I have heard good things about the mud control mats but at over £20 per square metre they were too expensive for me.
 
We had chuncky wood chips. Been down four years and still good. It will need topping up at some point I suppose but for now is still good. They love rolling on it!
Wouldn't have sand if you intend feeding on it cos of sand colic.
 
Lamlyn has a good point about feeding on sand. I have a concrete area beside the sand to feed on and do other bits and pieces. I have logs and a chanel between the sand and concrete to prevent the sand getting on the concrete. I suppose you could always hang a haynet off a fence if you didn't want a concrete area.
 
antigone said:
I have had a similar problem with our hardstanding. It is limestone with 40mm in the bottom and 20mm to fines on the top all well packed down. As with yours we had problems with loose stones and in the winter, because it was so wet, we had about an inch of limestone slurry on the top. I have put holey grass mats down (www.horsematshop.co.uk/shop/sportsm...asssupport-rubber-hollow-mats-1m-x-15m-x-22mm) and brushed sand in to stabilise them. Its working very well in this dry spell and it is comfy enough for the horses to lie on. This was the only cost effective solution for me. I have heard good things about the mud control mats but at over £20 per square metre they were too expensive for me.
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That's a good idea but does the sand not wash out in the rain?
 
lamlyn2012 said:
We had chuncky wood chips. Been down four years and still good. It will need topping up at some point I suppose but for now is still good. They love rolling on it!
Wouldn't have sand if you intend feeding on it cos of sand colic.
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Thank you - these were what I thought of as they are probably not as slippery as actual bark and less likely to blow away. May I ask what size are your chips, how deep do you put them down, do they bed down nicely or scatter when walked or trotted on, where did you get them from and were they expensive? Sorry for so many questions. I so agree about sand colic.
 
I assume there will be some wash out but until it rains I can't find out how much! I am hoping that the sand will mix with the lime dust/slurry and it will remain stable. It hasn't moved at all since we put it in, even with two cobs *rsing around on it. If it ever rains here I will let you know what happens.
 
A friend uses pea gravel. The horses are barefoot and the gravel does keep the feet clean and conditioned. The area has to be flat though, or it would soon migrate. Pea gravel would be just as good for shod horses IMO. I would put a membrane between hardcore and pea gravel.
 
Membrane, then 5" of crushed limestone well whacked down, which is in turn topped by 1" or so of limestone dust, also well whacked in. This surface is easy to keep clean, and is good enough for vet trot ups.

An economy version also worked well when we diy'd a boggy walkway of about 20m x 4m with leftover limestone this winter, missing out the membrane and the proper whacking. We wheelbarrowed the leftover stone into place, raked it smooth then rolled it with a garden roller. A few stones came up to the surface early on but they were easily picked off.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Membrane, then 5" of crushed limestone well whacked down, which is in turn topped by 1" or so of limestone dust, also well whacked in. This surface is easy to keep clean, and is good enough for vet trot ups.

An economy version also worked well when we diy'd a boggy walkway of about 20m x 4m with leftover limestone this winter, missing out the membrane and the proper whacking. We wheelbarrowed the leftover stone into place, raked it smooth then rolled it with a garden roller. A few stones came up to the surface early on but they were easily picked off.
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Thank you - we had limestone years ago and found when it rained it got all over the horses feet and our boots. Maybe we used the wrong stuff.
 
It's a pity that you didn't get on with limestone previously. This is ours, it's been down two years. It's on a slope so some of the top layer of limestone dust did wash away during last winter when torrents of water streamed down it, but it's done ok. Pls excuse the clumps of weeds and grass, methinks a spot of roundup wouldn't go amiss :o.

m6GmDG4.jpg


b18g1IA.jpg
 
Tiddlypom said:
It's a pity that you didn't get on with limestone previously. This is ours, it's been down two years. It's on a slope so some of the top layer of limestone dust did wash away during last winter when torrents of water streamed down it, but it's done ok. Pls excuse the clumps of weeds and grass, methinks a spot of roundup wouldn't go amiss :o.

m6GmDG4.jpg


b18g1IA.jpg
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It looks great but since we've put in new gates large lorries can't get in anymore.
 
Patchworkpony said:
Thank you - these were what I thought of as they are probably not as slippery as actual bark and less likely to blow away. May I ask what size are your chips, how deep do you put them down, do they bed down nicely or scatter when walked or trotted on, where did you get them from and were they expensive? Sorry for so many questions. I so agree about sand colic.
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Hi.
The chips vary in size but mainly about 3-4 cm x 2-3cm.We did about 6-8inches deep on top of stone and membrane, but it was a very wet area. Also put in drainage.
They do bed in well and fine for a buck and a fling!
I can't remember the cost, sorry.
We got ours from near Eland Lodge EC but we're not far from there. You're best sourcing locally to cut down on transport costs. If you're only doing a small area you'll probably get away with less depth. Ours is quite a size but was done partly to tidy up a bad area which was really good for nothing.
I now wouldn't be without it. Great for winter if turnout gets wet and great as a fatty paddock in summer, as turn out after bathing or just to keep clean if going to a show or something.
 
Woodchip - just the free chippping from local landscapers. They come and dump more - back up to my lami paddock and tip it in, then the kids rake it all out. We have woodchip everywhere ... It's a nightmare IF you can't keep it topped up as it of course degrades and gets deep and weeds start to grow through. If you can keep it topped up a few times a year, it's wonderful - soft and springy (deep bed!), smells nice, easy to poo pick ... My only concern is that my lami paddock + track between the fields (also woodchipped - and I turn the lami ponies loose on it overnight for a longer run/walk so it's like a baby track system) are now about 1 foot taller than the rest of the yard as I just keep topping up LOL - at least it never gets flooded any more!

In 6 years it's withstood all weathers ... When we moved some of the track 2 years ago, we simply moved the fencing and only recently has the grass coverage claimed back the old track - looks v fertile too!

So cheap and cheerful is my vote though of course it depends on your yard. Mine isn't posh :p
 
antigone said:
I assume there will be some wash out but until it rains I can't find out how much! I am hoping that the sand will mix with the lime dust/slurry and it will remain stable. It hasn't moved at all since we put it in, even with two cobs *rsing around on it. If it ever rains here I will let you know what happens.
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Well we had very heavy rain storms last night (hooray!) and the sand is still there - all of it. None of the mats have moved and I am delighted. If someone can tell me how to post photos I will put some on.
 
lamlyn2012 said:
Hi.
The chips vary in size but mainly about 3-4 cm x 2-3cm.We did about 6-8inches deep on top of stone and membrane, but it was a very wet area. Also put in drainage.
They do bed in well and fine for a buck and a fling!
I can't remember the cost, sorry.
We got ours from near Eland Lodge EC but we're not far from there. You're best sourcing locally to cut down on transport costs. If you're only doing a small area you'll probably get away with less depth. Ours is quite a size but was done partly to tidy up a bad area which was really good for nothing.
I now wouldn't be without it. Great for winter if turnout gets wet and great as a fatty paddock in summer, as turn out after bathing or just to keep clean if going to a show or something.
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Bless you for that - you have given me hope!
 
MissTyc said:
Woodchip - just the free chippping from local landscapers. They come and dump more - back up to my lami paddock and tip it in, then the kids rake it all out. We have woodchip everywhere ... It's a nightmare IF you can't keep it topped up as it of course degrades and gets deep and weeds start to grow through. If you can keep it topped up a few times a year, it's wonderful - soft and springy (deep bed!), smells nice, easy to poo pick ... My only concern is that my lami paddock + track between the fields (also woodchipped - and I turn the lami ponies loose on it overnight for a longer run/walk so it's like a baby track system) are now about 1 foot taller than the rest of the yard as I just keep topping up LOL - at least it never gets flooded any more!

In 6 years it's withstood all weathers ... When we moved some of the track 2 years ago, we simply moved the fencing and only recently has the grass coverage claimed back the old track - looks v fertile too!

So cheap and cheerful is my vote though of course it depends on your yard. Mine isn't posh :p
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Thank you for such valuable information. I don't mind cheap and cheerful - just want to make a soft area for little feet.
 
Our outdoor arena is just being refurbished and we used it to turn out in when the weather was awful. Obviously, we won't turn out in it now so we're making an area to use instead. The contractors (big name company) have given us advice which has been really helpful. The top soil has been scraped back and we're putting plainings down and then putting some of our old surface (sand and rubber) on top. OP perhaps you could ask if anyone locally is looking to get rid of an old surface as many people are happy to have it uplifting rather than disposing of it themselves?
 
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