Ideas please for sand free turnout area - also to ride on.

M

myhorsefred

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 June 2008
Messages
1,118
Visit site
I'm on heavy clay soil and want to close fields off for winter, so I'm putting in a 20x40 turnout area. I also want to be able to ride on it.

I don't want a sand base because I will need to feed hay and am worried about them getting sand colic.

Was thinking about a wood fibre arena (not wood chip, and no bark in it either). But am worrying that it will be slippy to ride on.

Can anyone help with ideas please. Thank you.
 
An arena at an equestrian yard close to me used to have like a really fine grit but I'm not sure if that wud b any better colic wise than sand. It rode well tho
 
I thought about having a sand base and then using a hay hutch. But worried that if they 'hoovered' bits of fallen hay off the surface, then they may get sand colic.

I think I will have to go with wood fibre, but I'm getting worried now that it will be too slippy to school on it.
 
you would be very lucky to use an area for turn out that will last well enough to be ridden in too.

hay hutch's are IMO over priced and fairly useless
the hay sweats in them making it ferment and smell
they pull the hay out
they are heavy and cumbersome to move
the rain gets in them and does not drain

maybe put a good well drained sand surface down and put hay section in the corners (a bit like hay bars but all the way to the floor) then the horses have to put their heads into them to eat-the only problem with that is the horses will be standing in one place to eat all the tima and it will damage the surface and make it uneven
 
If one of mine is on temporary arena only turnout for any reason (sand/rubber surface), I use a fence mounted hay rack over a weighted tarpaulin (to catch the hay dregs).

Someone on here suggested using heavy rubber mats under the rack, which IMHO is a great idea to help keep it all tidy, and help reduce sand ingestion.

I agree that wood fibre surfaces can get slippery as they degrade.
 
I have a woodchip round pen which I ride in - walk, trot and a tiny amount of canter. If properly looked after it doesn't get slippy. Bark holds the water and makes the surface rot quicker, which is what makes it slippy.

On clay soil, which we are also on, it needs to be very well drained. We did this by building up the sloping field with a large amount of slate chippings. We then have a liner, felt type not plastic so the chippings don't slide on it!

I would't advise turnout in it though - I did this one winter with my colt, and he had a marvellous time digging holes and ripping up the liner. Expensive mistake :D
 
I have a wood fibre arena (no bark at all) which I ride in without any slipping issues, although I don't do a lot of jumping on it. It has been down almost 5yrs now & probably rides better now then when it first went down. I also turn out my lami prone horse in it when she is verging on an attack (usually a week or so at a time 24/7). Luckily she isn't the sort to dig holes, or run around excessively, so doesn't make a mess & I rarely have to level it before riding after she has been turned out in it. I feed hay in both haynets & loose when she is in there. However, when my yearling was gelded & turned out in there he did dig holes, but nothing that couldn't be fixed as he didn't rip the membrane.
As someone has already said though drainage is key on clay land, our arena is raised approx. 18" at its highest point & 6" at the lowest, but it never floods.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top