equidstar11
Active Member
Although the weather in Wales is currently very warm and sunny, I REALLY need to think ahead about this winter’s turnout options.
They are SO happy right now on hilly turnout as a herd, with PLENTY of meadow grass. We’ve just cut our own hay which is really good stuff too.
But for winter - historically the horses have come in to the stables, with turnout pretty much limited to the arena for a few hours a day with hay in hay cubes/nets.
The surface is great for turnout, but of course this ABSOLUTELY wrecks my sand/fibre arena, they dig big holes (causing awful big puddles and trip hazards), spread hay EVERYWHERE (I did try putting mats in areas but they still managed to get it everywhere), chew the wooden fencing and just generally cause havoc - not to mention not being able to leave any poles or jumps out without them being stamped on, chewed and knocked over - the younger one also loves to run around with the flexi poles in his mouth like a puppy…. But, I end up not being able to ride without levelling it due to the trip hazard (and then it takes ages because of how uneven it is), and I don’t really have time for that after work every day, and as a result they don’t get ridden as much as I would like to (which would be good for them in winter)…
This really messes up my winter riding, as I do actually have floodlights and find it much easier to school in winter as it’s normally too dark to hack apart from weekends.
I did cut their stables open so they can groom eachother over the walls, which they do love, but I hate the lack of constant movement, the stables are only normal size (not particularly big for the warmbloods). Even if they aren’t wandering in a big pasture, at least a turnout paddock with a few different ‘groups’ of hay around would mean they move about and have better interaction with eachother - and if I can ride more this would also help.
I am determined this year to not ruin my arena again (so that I can also do much more riding), so I would really like somewhere I can turn them out that isn’t a quagmire. Remembering my fields are HILLY/on a slope and on clay soil, so they do get very wet & boggy in winter, even if I only turn them out for an hour a day (they also do like to run, a lot).
It isn’t an option just to leave the field as is and turn them out, I’ve tried this and it just becomes a major skid risk, they get horrible mud fever and absolutely stinking, and they look miserable as even the hay is in mud. The mud would be up to their knees.
I have thought about fencing off one of the fields (using the electric fencing I already have) to turn it into a smaller paddock, and putting some mud control mats down (I wouldn’t be able to afford to do the whole paddock, just maybe one edge, the gateway and an area for hay), now while the grass is growing so the grass grows into them, hoping that this means they’ll not be so slippery in winter? But it would still be on a slope… Also the actual mud control mats are SO expensive, I wonder if the copies would be any good? Also i’ve seen people putting carpet fibre down on it’s own (and actual carpets!), any of you used them?
I don’t have a ‘yard’ for them to wander in, which I would have loved…
Obviously I want to avoid digging soil / buying a load of stuff as it needs to be as CHEAP as possible, after having my funds depleated with very large vets bills and 2 new fitted saddles (not to mention I not long ago bought a house)
also no road planings/chippings as they’re too permanent and the boss won’t allow it (dad).
Can people please share some suggestions on the most cost effective ways to make a semi-decent winter turnout paddock? Nothing too ‘permanent’ as next year I’d like to make a proper long-term paddock (or potentially even all weather track around 1/2 fields) with drainage/surface etc for winter. The stables will also be rebuilt next year and since we’re downsizing the number, we’ll make them XL sized.
Very much appreciated!
They are SO happy right now on hilly turnout as a herd, with PLENTY of meadow grass. We’ve just cut our own hay which is really good stuff too.
But for winter - historically the horses have come in to the stables, with turnout pretty much limited to the arena for a few hours a day with hay in hay cubes/nets.
The surface is great for turnout, but of course this ABSOLUTELY wrecks my sand/fibre arena, they dig big holes (causing awful big puddles and trip hazards), spread hay EVERYWHERE (I did try putting mats in areas but they still managed to get it everywhere), chew the wooden fencing and just generally cause havoc - not to mention not being able to leave any poles or jumps out without them being stamped on, chewed and knocked over - the younger one also loves to run around with the flexi poles in his mouth like a puppy…. But, I end up not being able to ride without levelling it due to the trip hazard (and then it takes ages because of how uneven it is), and I don’t really have time for that after work every day, and as a result they don’t get ridden as much as I would like to (which would be good for them in winter)…
This really messes up my winter riding, as I do actually have floodlights and find it much easier to school in winter as it’s normally too dark to hack apart from weekends.
I did cut their stables open so they can groom eachother over the walls, which they do love, but I hate the lack of constant movement, the stables are only normal size (not particularly big for the warmbloods). Even if they aren’t wandering in a big pasture, at least a turnout paddock with a few different ‘groups’ of hay around would mean they move about and have better interaction with eachother - and if I can ride more this would also help.
I am determined this year to not ruin my arena again (so that I can also do much more riding), so I would really like somewhere I can turn them out that isn’t a quagmire. Remembering my fields are HILLY/on a slope and on clay soil, so they do get very wet & boggy in winter, even if I only turn them out for an hour a day (they also do like to run, a lot).
It isn’t an option just to leave the field as is and turn them out, I’ve tried this and it just becomes a major skid risk, they get horrible mud fever and absolutely stinking, and they look miserable as even the hay is in mud. The mud would be up to their knees.
I have thought about fencing off one of the fields (using the electric fencing I already have) to turn it into a smaller paddock, and putting some mud control mats down (I wouldn’t be able to afford to do the whole paddock, just maybe one edge, the gateway and an area for hay), now while the grass is growing so the grass grows into them, hoping that this means they’ll not be so slippery in winter? But it would still be on a slope… Also the actual mud control mats are SO expensive, I wonder if the copies would be any good? Also i’ve seen people putting carpet fibre down on it’s own (and actual carpets!), any of you used them?
I don’t have a ‘yard’ for them to wander in, which I would have loved…
Obviously I want to avoid digging soil / buying a load of stuff as it needs to be as CHEAP as possible, after having my funds depleated with very large vets bills and 2 new fitted saddles (not to mention I not long ago bought a house)
also no road planings/chippings as they’re too permanent and the boss won’t allow it (dad).Can people please share some suggestions on the most cost effective ways to make a semi-decent winter turnout paddock? Nothing too ‘permanent’ as next year I’d like to make a proper long-term paddock (or potentially even all weather track around 1/2 fields) with drainage/surface etc for winter. The stables will also be rebuilt next year and since we’re downsizing the number, we’ll make them XL sized.
Very much appreciated!
