Low cost DIY all weather turnout

[Jojo1979]

I have recently bought my own property for my horses so have had to install stables, arena, etc and this has been very costly. I have a small area (where old much heap used to be) that was cleared whilst the arena was being built and I’m thinking it could be all weather turnout but i don’t have a large budget (professionally done would be 4K). It has a very slight slope and is currently just soil. I am looking for low cost DIY options….help!

 

[meesha]

I chucked membrane down then mud control slabs then sand with retaining board and posts and thick 40mm electric tape. No groundwork but not a cheap cheap option depending on size. Was perfect last winter.

 

[Dam1]

I just turn mine out on the arena in the winter. Drainage etc already in place.

 

[nutjob]

I just turn mine out on the arena in the winter. Drainage etc already in place.

This is what I do also.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Me too.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mine was probably super budget.
We dug out, more to get a level base, post and railed around , put weed control stuff down and put wood chip on top.
This did work for a year or so. It soon got too wet and rotted and was just a bit grim.
Getting rid of it all was hard work even with the right equipment.
It was redone with the same rolls of stuff underneath (because we ripped the first lot removing the rotten chip)
We then got lucky and found someone giving some arena surface away and also bought some second hand. That’s now been down years, still cost very little but I know that was pure luck seeing it advertised but it’s do-able and for me has been an absolute life saver.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I chucked membrane down then mud control slabs then sand with retaining board and posts and thick 40mm electric tape. No groundwork but not a cheap cheap option depending on size. Was perfect last winter.

That looks smart!
I take it you don’t have chickens! Mine is constantly scraped over the boards

 

[meesha]

That looks smart!
I take it you don’t have chickens! Mine is constantly scraped over the boards

No chickens, I have grass mats which helps collect the sand when they walk on and off as I don't want it blocking drains round yard. At last yard I had an arena and used to turn out on it....

 

[poiuytrewq]

No chickens, I have grass mats which helps collect the sand when they walk on and off as I don't want it blocking drains round yard. At last yard I had an arena and used to turn out on it....

That’s a good idea I may steal that. I think I’m loosing a lot of surface with them walking in and out. Mines not sand but a mix of sand and tiny plastic bits (looks like tiny bits of electric cable outer) I can’t get any more to top up now so need to save what I have

 

[Honey08]

We put a hard standing around our yard over ten years ago, which has been wonderful. We put rough hard core onto the land (no membrane) about 1.5’ thick, added clean, crushed hardcore on top to level/fill gaps, then added a few lorry loads of road planings, whacked it and that was it. We have had it topped up with another load of planings every four years, and we poo and hay pick it religiously. It drains well and doesn’t freeze, so is useable in all weathers.