grass free turnout area

MotherOfChickens

MotherOfChickens

MotherDucker
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3 May 2007
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has anyone had one put in, if so what, how big and how much did it cost? I can't afford an arena but would like an area of non-bog for the winter. I know that woodchip is possibly the cheapest and not last that long. I'd be interested in pea gravel, hard core or possibly sand.


any experiences?
 
Last winter the area between the main gate, the gate to the school, the gates to 2 paddocks (which has the field shelter and water trough in it) was so muddy and boglike we excavated and put down scalpings. My 4 were turned out here with hay during the day during the winter to protect the paddocks. Not a huge area, but TBH they just wanted to stand and look miserable in the weather we had, anyway, and it preserved the grazing for the summer.
 
Mine have the yard, stables and a 10ft wide 60m long track in winter.

The stables and yard are on a concrete base. The track was dug out, had drains run down one side to stop it being washed away, filled with hard core, flattened and has had road planings added on top of that. This has been rolled and it hasn't moved. It was wonderful through winter to keep the fields, whilst they still live out. It gives them enough space to have a canter and kick their heels up but they can't gain too much speed ;)

Pea gravel would have been my first choice, but because of where the track is (at the bottom of a bank) it would have washed away, as would sand. They did have a small bit of field which they were allowed to trash. It was used for rolling mainly, they didn't spend much time down there.

At present they're coming onto it in the day, so they don't explode from eating too much!
 
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