Cost effective options for field shelter base?

[soloequestrian]

My field shelter is a bit of a disaster area at the moment - it's just an earth base with no real drainage so it gets muddy and horrible during the winter. It's a few panel walls with no roof, so shelter from the wind rather than rain. It used to have hardcore down but mucking out with the tractor has removed a lot of that. My current plan is to dig out what's there, put in some drainage and then replace the hardcore. I would muck out daily by hand to avoid having to use the tractor. I've had someone round to look at doing the work and the cost of hardcore was bigger than I expected - around £2k, and it's not a huge area. Are there any alternatives, either to the hardcore or to the whole idea? Many thanks.

 

[dorsetladette]

That sounds a lot. Maybe price up the hardcore yourself and then labour to get it laid separately.

 

[sarcasm_queen]

Is it a fixed field shelter and a mobile one? Mobile ones, I’m pretty sure you’d need planning permission to put down a permanent base.

 

[ihatework]

Why not just put mud control mats down?

 

[soloequestrian]

Why not just put mud control mats down?

I have had that in the back of my mind but I know nothing about them - how do they fix down, what stops horses tripping over the edges etc. Do you have experience of them?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I have had that in the back of my mind but I know nothing about them - how do they fix down, what stops horses tripping over the edges etc. Do you have experience of them?

They slot together and if you want to you could also add cable ties. No more likely to trip over them than hardcore. Ours are a godsend. Very easy to lay and at 7kgs not too heavy to handle. Hold their value well and can be moved if you need to.

 

[cauda equina]

I have 'mobile' (well they were once!) shelters parked on grass with rubber stable mats inside
They work very well, being flexible enough to mould to the uneven contours of the ground

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks, this sounds promising! I just read information on one of the sites that sells mats and it recommended sand on top of the mats. Mine would be to go where the ring feeder sits so I would be mucking out poo and haylage. I suspect the sand wouldn't last long other than in the holes in the mat. Have other people used a covering or just left the mats as they are?

 

[FFAQ]

I just put old bedding on mine after I took the muck out.

 

[honetpot]

Thanks, this sounds promising! I just read information on one of the sites that sells mats and it recommended sand on top of the mats. Mine would be to go where the ring feeder sits so I would be mucking out poo and haylage. I suspect the sand wouldn't last long other than in the holes in the mat. Have other people used a covering or just left the mats as they are?

The sand is really just to finish filling the holes, as the sand dries out it settles. I have some in a large shed, have never needed extra sand, I just sweep the tops to clear up any hay and mud they have brought in, they have been down about four years. I have also just laid them to make a track to my paddock without sand as there was grass covered hardcore already there.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Thanks, this sounds promising! I just read information on one of the sites that sells mats and it recommended sand on top of the mats. Mine would be to go where the ring feeder sits so I would be mucking out poo and haylage. I suspect the sand wouldn't last long other than in the holes in the mat. Have other people used a covering or just left the mats as they are?

We did put sand down but it didn't last long. However our horses don't wear shoes and our soil is very sandy. Our field shelter has bedding on top of the mud control mats

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks all, this is really helpful! I am going to start another thread specifically about mud mats - I've read quite a few but it would be good to get up to date information about brands etc.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would use grass mats

 

[fidleyspromise]

The mud mats that are generally recommended are Mud Control Mats, WF Racing mats and Jelka mats. - They are the three that I see regularly recommended on FB.

 

[Asha]

We have rubber mats in the field shelter and mud control Mats in front .
Over winter the youngsters actually lay down a lot inside the shelter . I can’t see them doing that on mud mats .

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I would use grass mats

The OP said there is no roof on her shelter so it gets muddy. In my experience grass mats would just sink and break up. On a dry floor I agree grass mats would do fine.

it's just an earth base with no real drainage so it gets muddy and horrible during the winter. It's a few panel walls with no roof, so shelter from the wind rather than rain.