Cheapest/Easiest way to make a winter turnout area?

[woodyjessie11]

I live in a very wet part of the country and it’s just not possible to turn my 2 big WBs out on grass at the moment without ruining the turnout fields for the rest of the year (some fields are dedicated hay fields).

They are currently getting daily turnout in the sand/fibre arena with hay and water, but they are making a big mess - digging holes, chewing the fences, just creating big divots - which is a nightmare for riding in. I also can’t leave any jumps out as they love to just run over and knock them…
The hay is also making a bit of a mess, which I’ve tried to overcome by using a wheelie bin (with holes in) on top of mud control mats so the hay doesn’t directly hit the sand.

So, I’d like to make a nice square area they can have a roll around in and stand and eat hay all day together outside, nothing too big.

All of my land is sloping, so I assume I’m going to have to get a digger in to create a more flat area. I have seen good results with a fenced off area with a membrane and then just mud control slats topped with sand?

Can people share pictures / plans of what they have built for winter turnout?

Budget conscious please

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We have mud control mats, they don't need a membrane. Our soil is sandy though.

 

[Red-1]

I have road planings on their 3rd winter. Still looks like new when rolled with the tractor. Not suitable for the horses to roll on for fun tho!

 

[KittenInTheTree]

I just section off a bit of their grazing and accept that it will be the winter sacrifice area. The grass there is never as nice as the rest of the field, but they have hay in winter anyhow, so it doesn't need to be.

 

[woodyjessie11]

I just section off a bit of their grazing and accept that it will be the winter sacrifice area. The grass there is never as nice as the rest of the field, but they have hay in winter anyhow, so it doesn't need to be.

That wouldn’t work - it would just be a total mud bath up to my knees! No good for them to be stood in.

 

[woodyjessie11]

I have road planings on their 3rd winter. Still looks like new when rolled with the tractor. Not suitable for the horses to roll on for fun tho!

Where do you get them from?

 

[Red-1]

Where do you get them from?

I don't know, my contractor got them.

 

[sportsmansB]

Where do you get them from?

If you contact tarmacing companies they will deliver lorry loads of them. I think the last ones we got were £80 a load or something. They have to get rid of them anyway

 

[MNMyShiningStars]

We got a few quotes last week for a load of road planings and they ranged from £420+VAT to £480+Vat. Essex area if that makes a difference :-(

 

[meleeka]

Planings are good if you just need somewhere for them to stand. They do compact and go hard though, so not sure you’d want them rolling on them. I’ve put cheap grassmats on mine because I have a pony with sensitive, thin soles, and they haven’t moved. I just have an area round the shelter.

 

[EventingMum]

Planning work well as a standing area, I would be tempted to section off an area of it with sleepers and fill with sand to make a softer area to roll/lie in. I have also done a turn out pen with mud control mats which work well but need topped with sand, there was no need to put a membrane down.

 

[Goldenstar]

Planeings work well you need to use a membrane under them I would make a sand rolling area builders sand will do for this you don’t need silica sand.
You need to top up planeings now and again.
The bad news is that road planeings can now be recycled back onto roads so they are not waste product to extent they where .o

 

[SEL]

I like the set up a friend has. There was an existing hard core track down to her bottom field so she extended it with more hard core so the horses could use it when her fields turn to soup. She now has a small loop down & back from her yard. At the yard she has a sand pit (membrane but it's higher up so drains) and the horses can sleep there. It's not huge but with her little track gives good movement.

I use mud control mats because they literally sit on top of soup but sand washes through quickly.

 

[4Hoofed]

We used rough hardcore then topped with planings. We’ve done half. The other side was really firm but with how wet it’s been in now has a 10cm layer of mud. I remember not long ago lads at the pub offering me planings just to get rid of them! Now it’s a small fortune but seems to do a fair job and mines a big lad so the surface is working hard in this weather!

 

[SantaVera]

You'll need planning permission if you are going to move subsoil.

 

[rextherobber]

I just take the attitude that the fields will recover, and I'd certainly still use the hay fields up until mid Feb. It is remarkable how resilient the land is. I rotate the fields, so they all get equally used, even the utterly trashed gateways recover to green and smooth again . Give them a harrow before the grass gets going, it'll be fine.