has anyone put a surface on top of grass sucessfully?

[winston44]

i am looking to put a surface on top of grass as a makeshift arena though the winter, the ground is well drained but it will get cut up with my horses hooves when he's being a pratt, but the grounds not to bad when just walking and trotting, if it lasts longer than the winter that would be great. I have looked at both wood fibre and an all in one carpet fibre surface,

my worry with carpet fibre is that it won't rot down and may have to be removed at a later date, i would have to use a membrane with this so it didn't mix with the grass and soil.
the wood fibre sounds ideal for this reason and could potentially be left on the land and possibly wouldn't need a membrane, but I've heard it can become slippery esp on corners

any views/ experiences welcome on both products and also if anyone has been successful in putting a surface directly on to grass?

this area would only be used for schooling 3 or 4 times a weeks and the horses would be kept off it at all other times.

before anyone mentions it, i don't have the funds to put a hard base down and do it properly

 

[Vodkagirly]

Following as I am in the same situation. I have 2 fairly flat paddocks that I am rotating for riding in and they are well draining but I would be interested in the best ways to maintain them.

 

[winston44]

no one?

 

[emilylou]

I guess people don’t do it because it doesn’t work. Wood chip gets wet and sloppy quickly and sand or fibre wouldn’t be cost effective or proven to work without a proper base.
we don’t have an arena and just ride on grass, keeping the grass longer if you can helps and riding on different areas/riding after a frost/keeping off it after rainfall makes it last longer but ultimately it’s no good by mid jan/feb and then I stick to hacking for a bit or hire arenas.

 

[Melody Grey]

There have been a couple of other threads to this effect recently- might be worth a look on these as there were suggestions and thoughts?