Hardstanding area, how did you do it?

I

inkaandcomet

New User
Joined
7 March 2024
Messages
5
Visit site
I've been given the very generous opportunity to have land of my own for my few horses, and I'm over the moon! But it is just one huge field right now, and I have to put in my own stables, which is no problem. I'm currently very stuck on what to do for the ground under and in front of the stables. Concrete isn't an option, so what is? I've heard of people putting down a sub-base (granite, Type 1, etc.)around 6in and then road planings/scalpings or limestone 6in on top, while others go straight in with the top layer and no sub-base. Is there any point in using a sub-base? Or would 6-8in of scalpings or limestone do on its own? Drainage on the land is very good. I've done several drainage tests in different areas, and all results say drainage is great. If that helps at all. I don't have huge budgets, so if I can go without the two types of stone, it would be better, but I will make funds work if needs be! I don't want it to be a job that needs to be redone in a year or two.
 
I’m in no way experienced in the options, but I developed a field fairly recently to give hardstanding. I just took the advice of a local with good rep.

Top soil removed. Membrane. 6-8 inches type 1. Then 2-3 inches of granno dust over the top.
 
We used mud control mats in our shelter, on top of hardcore, and then mud control mats as hard standing. No need for planning permission, fully SUDS compliant and work superbly.
 
Weve used the mud control mats too. They are fab.

We scraped the top layer off, put stone down, then membrane. Then popped the mud control mats down add some sand and away you go. Worked so well last year, weve done another section
 
Do you have planning permission for the stables? When I did mine there were a number of restrictions around the base for the stables and yard and for the parking area and access tracks, so it may be worth looking to se what if any, restrictions there are around the planning..
 
I have mud control slabs round the horse side of my barn. They are laid on the surface after the odd bit of unevenness was leveled out. It has been there for several years now and is brilliant. So much so we now have them in the yard for the cars to park on, instead of redoing the stone as it wore away.
 
Another vote for mud control mats.
Ours were laid with limited prep (very basic levelling where the field shelter was going).
Inside the shelter we use shavings which seems to have stopped any grass / weed growth, outside the shelter the loafing area has a good grass covering & copes well with tractors / farrier etc driving on it.
 
I've got two areas, one was filled with "crushed concrete" which was cheapish, but we used alot so not overall cheap, but over the years I've picked numerous bits of metal/glass/rubbish out of it. Keeps the ponies feet trimmed

It has held up better than the MOT/mudmats , the mats are still, there but very wonky, the MOT has just disappeared into the ground. Both areas have had a lot of pony traffic.

No planning required for mudmats and shelter on skids
 
Mine is just a lorry load of planings, no membrane or anything. I do have mats inside the shelter and I have had to top up the areas where they frequently turn (I've put grass mats over them now, which are working). I estimate it's about 6-8inches deep and it's solid now.
 
YorksG said:
We used mud control mats in our shelter, on top of hardcore, and then mud control mats as hard standing. No need for planning permission, fully SUDS compliant and work superbly.
Click to expand...

Slight hijack, but how did you find the MCM worked in the shelter? I've not used them inside a shelter before but am am tempted to this year as the grass underneath mobile shelters keep taking a battering and thought the mats would help stop the damage. Shelters are moved 3/4 times a year so all the little trashed patches are annoying
 
ElleSkywalker said:
Slight hijack, but how did you find the MCM worked in the shelter? I've not used them inside a shelter before but am am tempted to this year as the grass underneath mobile shelters keep taking a battering and thought the mats would help stop the damage. Shelters are moved 3/4 times a year so all the little trashed patches are annoying
Click to expand...
They work brilliantly in our shelter, they are in hardcore there, but we have done the yard with them too, not on crush, just leveled and they are fine with cars, tractors and all other equipment. We do use bedding in the shelter, either shavings or chopped straw.
 
I should add: never put mud control mats directly on clay in winter, they just get absorbed into the ground and you end up spending the next week digging them out. Don’t ask how I know this… I don’t want to remember… 🤣

Our surface is about 50cm of gravel with binders in it, mud control mats on top with pea gravel on the mats. The pea gravel has, to some extent migrated under the mats. This is designed to trap some soil so some stuff can grow and planning can’t complain. The stables are on the base gravel surface, with rubber stable mats on top of ~1-3cm pea gravel to aid drainage and level it out.
 
Google fleece lasagne, we made a hard standing area for our hay feeder from fleeces, twigs & scalpings & it’s brilliant. The yard have done all the gateways & some tracks, they are like roads to drive on. Works very well, & cheap if not free.
 
Petalpoos said:
Do you have planning permission for the stables? When I did mine there were a number of restrictions around the base for the stables and yard and for the parking area and access tracks, so it may be worth looking to se what if any, restrictions there are around the planning..
Click to expand...
Yes! Should've added that... there is planning permission for the land!
 
Grassy said:
Google fleece lasagne, we made a hard standing area for our hay feeder from fleeces, twigs & scalpings & it’s brilliant. The yard have done all the gateways & some tracks, they are like roads to drive on. Works very well, & cheap if not free.
Click to expand...
this looks very interesting and would be a great idea for when i create tracks between fields. but i dont think its the best option for my hardstanding due to how big its going to be!
 
Hi everyone! Thank you for all the replies. Just wanted to add a few details I probably should've put in my original post. The area is going to be pretty big (although I do plan to do it in sections over the next year or so). By the end of it, it'll be 26m by 11m at the widest point! The stables alone are 15m by 3m (3 12x12 stables, 8x12 tack room and 6ft leanto), that's the area I plan to do first, with around 8ft in front to allow for tie up of horses. Then the rest will be for parking of the cars and horsebox, which will be done next spring, just hoping to get stables up before winter if I can! Mud control mats are not a viable option for me to cover the whole area alone, as the number of vehicles that'll be driving over them and how expensive they are, ni don't plan to add them in front of the stables at some point, but that's very low on the to-do list. But thank you all for your suggestions!
 
You have a not dissimilar area to mine - I have approx 30mx10m for the horses and 15m x10m for entrance and parking. This is it mid way through (minus fencing and the dust in the horse area. It was cheaper to do it this way than MCM for the area.

IMG_2413.jpeg
 
inkaandcomet said:
I've been given the very generous opportunity to have land of my own for my few horses, and I'm over the moon! But it is just one huge field right now, and I have to put in my own stables, which is no problem. I'm currently very stuck on what to do for the ground under and in front of the stables. Concrete isn't an option, so what is? I've heard of people putting down a sub-base (granite, Type 1, etc.)around 6in and then road planings/scalpings or limestone 6in on top, while others go straight in with the top layer and no sub-base. Is there any point in using a sub-base? Or would 6-8in of scalpings or limestone do on its own? Drainage on the land is very good. I've done several drainage tests in different areas, and all results say drainage is great. If that helps at all. I don't have huge budgets, so if I can go without the two types of stone, it would be better, but I will make funds work if needs be! I don't want it to be a job that needs to be redone in a year or two.
Click to expand...
Do it once do it right! We scraped off 9 inches of top soil/clay (we’re on clay 🫠) then laid a cloth membrane followed by 6 inches of 50-70mm limestone topped with 3 inches of 20mm- dust and rolled it all in. It’s been in nearly 10 years and is as good as the day it went in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top