Keeping Horses on Hardstanding

[Dino7]

Has anyone ever kept (young if that matters - yearling/ weanlings) horses almost entirely on hardstanding during the worst winter months?
I hate horses being cooped up in barns for months on end and I’m thinking of setting up an area of hard standing attached to a 2/3 bay field shelter. The area would be directly linked to paddocks so when it’s suitable they can be let out on to grass. But they may well be off the paddocks for a couple of months knowing how wet our winters are.
Wondering if I need to provide an area of sand or something similar to roll/ lie down and pee on or whether they’ll cope without. I’d rather not bed the shelter if possible.
They could come into a barn with straw for short periods if we have any bad storms or snow/ very icy or slippy conditions but ideally I’d like them to have a little more freedom to move about most of the time.
In an ideal world the barn with straw would be linked to the hardstanding/ paddocks but that’s not possible.

 

[foxy1]

Do you mean shelter base is also hardstanding/concrete? So concrete yard area with concrete shelter?

 

[Dino7]

I haven’t fully decided on the shelter base yet but likely either the same dusty hard standing surface that we have elsewhere and works really well or concrete with rubber mats - just not sure if mats will become too slippy. I definitely wouldn’t leave them on just plain concrete though.
I did wonder whether to try a pellet bedding in the shelter as it wouldn’t be as messy/ blow away as easily. But I don’t really want to encourage them to toilet solely in the shelter.

 

[Cloball]

I think you would need to mat or put something down to sleep on if they're not going into the bedded barn regularly. Concrete can be pretty slippy as well especially I would imagine for playful youngsters plannings or something would probably be better. I've been at a yard that had a large hardcore turn out pen for winter that worked out well but they came in at night still.

 

[I'm Dun]

I haven’t fully decided on the shelter base yet but likely either the same dusty hard standing surface that we have elsewhere and works really well or concrete with rubber mats - just not sure if mats will become too slippy. I definitely wouldn’t leave them on just plain concrete though.
I did wonder whether to try a pellet bedding in the shelter as it wouldn’t be as messy/ blow away as easily. But I don’t really want to encourage them to toilet solely in the shelter.

Mats will be slippy, but I think the barn would be a better option. Even if you only bed some of it and leave some as dusty hard standing. It will stay dry inside, whereas outside its going to get wet and slippy I would have thought. Esp with youngsters who can be absolute idiots.

 

[Sanversera]

I have a hard standing area it is stone rolled hard like a road. It isn't ideal.im looking to extend the area and use mats, with mud mats or jelka or w k racing mats,still doing research as to which.

 

[TheMule]

It can work really well- I have a similar set up for the wettest days (with access to the arena too if more than 24hours), though mine won’t ever spend very long on it as I fundamentally believe horses, especially young ones, should move around as much as possible.
Mine is crushed hardcore topped with limestone dust, I have a double field shelter which is matted and bedded down with straw. I deep litter it and it’s pretty easy to maintain, I wouldn’t be comfortable not providing some kind of soft surface for them to lie on.

 

[Dino7]

It can work really well- I have a similar set up for the wettest days (with access to the arena too if more than 24hours), though mine won’t ever spend very long on it as I fundamentally believe horses, especially young ones, should move around as much as possible.
Mine is crushed hardcore topped with limestone dust, I have a double field shelter which is matted and bedded down with straw. I deep litter it and it’s pretty easy to maintain, I wouldn’t be comfortable not providing some kind of soft surface for them to lie on.

Thanks for this. I’m similar in the belief they need to keep moving. How many do you have in when they’re in the bedded field shelter? Assume you shut them in if it’s fully bedded?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Ours aren't young now but they live out 24/7 with a fully bedded shelter, we use chopped rape straw which stays in place well.

 

[Landcruiser]

I have this sort of arrangement as we are on clay here. Mine is 3 open stables with ARC mats (the lightweight, thick ones, less slippy than rubber and warmer), then a crushed aggregate stable yard leading onto a 20x20 crushed aggregate area. This leads onto a 100m surfaced track, currently just out and back with a feed station at the far end. In the summer it's a loop 200m long. The 20 x 40 arena is also accessed off the 20x20 turnout. All these areas can be fully open, or each can be closed off, as needed. I don't bed anything unless for box rest, which I avoid if at all possible.

 

[TheMule]

Thanks for this. I’m similar in the belief they need to keep moving. How many do you have in when they’re in the bedded field shelter? Assume you shut them in if it’s fully bedded?

No, never shut in (only if 1 in on box rest on its own, then the others have the hard standing)
They don’t walk straw out, I have a full bed with a small square left at each doorway.
I’ve had up to 4 on it, but they were all good buddies- it’s really only suitable for 2 or 3 due to the shelter size

 

[sbloom]

Equicentral especially would have advice on how to do this, secondly the owner of Forageplus has her horses on crushed limestone for much of the year so worth looking at their social media too as she posts about it.

 

[meesha]

Mine are shut on concrete yard with open fronted matted shelter which joins sand pit.

Lovely to not have to use bedding, they sleep on sand but hay is in matted shelter. I invested in thick soft matts so they could lie on them but don't think they ever will

 

[ihatework]

Mines type 1 with granno dust over in the loafing area, and type 1 with gravel grids over in the shelter. Then part rubber matted and part straw pellet bedding.

They use the shelter a lot! Lie down together etc. the pellets make a firm but spongy base, and there is a level of free drainage (yes the buggers do like to come in and have a pee in comfort!)

It’s rare they get shut in the pen/shelter though, 4 of them currently in this set up.

 

[Dino7]

Mines type 1 with granno dust over in the loafing area, and type 1 with gravel grids over in the shelter. Then part rubber matted and part straw pellet bedding.

They use the shelter a lot! Lie down together etc. the pellets make a firm but spongy base, and there is a level of free drainage (yes the buggers do like to come in and have a pee in comfort!)

It’s rare they get shut in the pen/shelter though, 4 of them currently in this set up.

View attachment 167162

Love this and your shelter is very much what I have in mind. Do you mind me asking where you got it from please? Is it on skids on is it static and pinned?

 

[Caol Ila]

Mines type 1 with granno dust over in the loafing area, and type 1 with gravel grids over in the shelter. Then part rubber matted and part straw pellet bedding.

They use the shelter a lot! Lie down together etc. the pellets make a firm but spongy base, and there is a level of free drainage (yes the buggers do like to come in and have a pee in comfort!)

It’s rare they get shut in the pen/shelter though, 4 of them currently in this set up.

View attachment 167162

Your set up looks amazing. Can we move in?

 

[ihatework]

Love this and your shelter is very much what I have in mind. Do you mind me asking where you got it from please? Is it on skids on is it static and pinned?

It’s a hunters shelter. It’s on metal skid so technically moveable, but for me it’s static (plus hunters advised that it would be unadvisable to try and move it anyway, too big and would likely get damaged)

 

[sportsmansB]

Mine have a shelter with woodchip (I just poo pick it) adjoining the concrete yard and an all weather area with road planings which sort of loops around the stables (they are closed) and shelter. It joins onto paddocks too but I can close them off in the worst of the weather. They do lie down in the shelter. I think you need somewhere for them to lie down and roll.
I know people hate wood chip outside but it works really well as a shelter base for me and its cheap as chips to top it up and the underneath just gradually flattens down. Mine is on top of loose stone though which helps drainage.

 

[Dino7]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Sounds like what I have in mind will work but likely need to have some sort of bedding in the shelter or a sand/ surfaced area as well.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

I have this sort of arrangement as we are on clay here. Mine is 3 open stables with ARC mats (the lightweight, thick ones, less slippy than rubber and warmer), then a crushed aggregate stable yard leading onto a 20x20 crushed aggregate area. This leads onto a 100m surfaced track, currently just out and back with a feed station at the far end. In the summer it's a loop 200m long. The 20 x 40 arena is also accessed off the 20x20 turnout. All these areas can be fully open, or each can be closed off, as needed. I don't bed anything unless for box rest, which I avoid if at all possible.

Sounds amazing. Did you put all that in? Wish my other half would let me do something like this

 

[lamlyn2012]

You definitely need some sort of soft area for them. Standing on hard surface for long periods is detrimental to joints, muscles and soft tissues.
I have rubber mats ( on top of stone) in the shelter. The shelter has a canopy and never gets wet inside. They go outside to wee.

Outside is a gritty sand. I was a bit worried about sand colic but haven't had any problems. They are mainly fed inside though.

 

[Landcruiser]

Sounds amazing. Did you put all that in? Wish my other half would let me do something like this

We put in the arena and did the the 100m track ourselves -it is literally builder's rubble laid on top of the soil with aggregate rolled into it to level it all. It was incredibly wet before. We got the rubble free from a local guy that does driveways etc. The 20x 20 turnout is the same we think, but was fully overgrown and looked like a scrub field when we moved in. Ditto the yard. We did all the fencing/gates. None of it is fancy but it's all cleared these days and is very functional.

 

[Cherisheddust]

We're on clay and have a hardstanding arrangement. It's evolved over time and we have experimented with lots of different surfaces over the years. Three horses, 17.2, 16.2, 15hh. All with free choice for fully bedded down field shelters off the hardstanding. Currently out on grass for most of the day and in at night on this set up. In Winter, they are restricted to this hardstanding when the weather is poor. Bedding we have tried, big wood chip from the tree surgeon, which was free but smelly over time. Shavings, too expensive and messy, blowing around. Settled on straw. The beds are very big and mucked out daily. We have allowed a shallow 'well' to develop in the centre of the field shelters, where urine collects, so an easy job to clean out. Base of shelters is compacted clay in two and crushed rubble in one.

Hardstanding started off as crushed rubble/concrete. Then added areas of large granite chips (excellent for feet but horrible to muck out). We topped an area with sand when we extended the hardstanding, that was a failure. Smelly! Last year we topped the whole area with fine crushed road plannings and we think we have finally got the right combination after 20 years. It's surprisingly forgiving under foot. But we did keep it deep. Horses are in work and barefoot. The horses can be separated into individual areas if need be. Hay/haylage is fed from big tractor tyres and a hay hutch.

 

[Tarragon]

Mines type 1 with granno dust over in the loafing area, and type 1 with gravel grids over in the shelter. Then part rubber matted and part straw pellet bedding.

They use the shelter a lot! Lie down together etc. the pellets make a firm but spongy base, and there is a level of free drainage (yes the buggers do like to come in and have a pee in comfort!)

It’s rare they get shut in the pen/shelter though, 4 of them currently in this set up.

View attachment 167162

That is a lovely set up!

 

[ihatework]

That is a lovely set up!

I’m very lucky (and in debt )

 

[tda]

We have two hardstanding areas with cover and access to paddock have raised 8 youngsters over the last 7 years this way, but I would rather deal with mud than contain them too much. When you see how much they move , its hard to restrain them.
One area was laid MOT quite deep with mud control mats over, this has been mainly for the older ponies
The other area, the level was built up quite a bit with crushed concrete (cleaned rubble), there is a double stable/shelter and a large open fronted lean to barn opposite. They have rubber mats.
They only go into the lean to to toilet no matter what/how much bedding i put in.
Yes after 7years its looking rough, muck brought in from the field, but I just know they much prefer to be out in the field to sleep
Sorry OP, not much help

 

[Dino7]

We have two hardstanding areas with cover and access to paddock have raised 8 youngsters over the last 7 years this way, but I would rather deal with mud than contain them too much. When you see how much they move , its hard to restrain them.
One area was laid MOT quite deep with mud control mats over, this has been mainly for the older ponies
The other area, the level was built up quite a bit with crushed concrete (cleaned rubble), there is a double stable/shelter and a large open fronted lean to barn opposite. They have rubber mats.
They only go into the lean to to toilet no matter what/how much bedding i put in.
Yes after 7years its looking rough, muck brought in from the field, but I just know they much prefer to be out in the field to sleep
Sorry OP, not much help

No, it is useful to hear other peoples set ups.
I’m not averse to mud and paddocks looking a mess but it gets so wet nowadays that we run out of grass. Yes I need more land but nobody will sell me any! So hard to come by. I’d much rather buy more land than have to lose land to hard standing.

I’ve barned horses before for a few months in winter but I hate them being stuck in for long periods so thought this was a good middle ground. Easier to just let them out onto the paddock when it’s feasible and there’s enough grass than have to lead them backwards and forwards when they’ve been stuck in for a while - asking for trouble!

I mean, I know a lot of studs and particularly in Ireland they are all barned for most of the winter but just because people do it, doesn’t make it right. I guess we’re all just trying to adapt to a changing climate.

 

[tda]

Agree, and we have hay in round bales feeder on the yard all year round, so they probably do go in and out more than if they were just grazing.
I don't have as much land as I'd like either