Best thing to put down in front of mobile stables?

[kit279]

I've put two mobile stables in my back garden as a sort of temporary holding measure and all works fine. In the freezing weather, the ground was frozen hard and there was no mud. But now that we are thawing out, I'm beginning to think I should put something down in front of them.

Should I go for:-

a) Hard-core - not very attractive and will have to look at it from my kitchen, not reusable
b) Stone chips - more expensive
c) Field matting - http://www.fieldguard.com/field_path_mats.html, again not enormously attractive but could be reused elsewhere.
d) Proper concrete - not keen on this as the plan is to put in some more attractive, permanent stables in the future so would have to break it all up and start again which feels like a waste of money.

Would be good to hear other people's experiences and advice!

 

[*hic*]

Personally I would (and do) use mats like those in your link. You need to get them down asap as once it has got muddy they tend to try to sink through it, if you put them down before it gets muddy they work very effectively.

I bought a pallet-load and have found multiple uses for them, including carrying a couple in the lorry and my landrover in case of getting stuck on muddy ground.

 

[Sarah2207]

We had a similar setup and used field mats infront, ditto *hic* and would get them down asap, otherwise they'll just sink into the mud!

 

[mrussell]

erm, a layer of sand, levelled over, with council style heavy duty paving slabs. You can then pull them up and re-use them when you finish with them.

 

[kit279]

Thanks all - looks like field mats may be the way to go. However, I'll have to put them down now when there is mud - is that a real problem or will they still work?

 

[Vizslak]

I had very similar set up and used woodchip in a thick layer under and infront of the stables, makes a fab floor to put mats on inside the stables too. Worked very very well.