Sheet ice on yard...

S

Silverspring

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 March 2008
Messages
2,895
Location
Scotland
Visit site
I've read various people over the last few weeks saying they couldn't get their horses out due to sheet ice on the yard.

I'm wondering why no one grits the yard (at night and then again in the morning) surely that would make it safe enough to walk on?

We have had freezing temps for the past 3 weeks and the horse's have been out everyday as we have constantly gritted the area they have to walk on, the most difficult bit is getting them to walk across the frozen mud at the gate!
 
Yeah I thought the same thing. Our yard has been gritted and we haven't had any problems. No horse has tripped!

Apart from when someone who has stables on top of a small slope decided to throw the water from there water buckets down the slope. Where it froze and someone went flying down the slope. Idiots!
 
We have new YO's and the guy (non horsey at all) said he doesnt agree with salt as it rots the concrete!!!
mad.gif


Mmmmm lets see what happens if my horse slips and breaks something!!!
 
Snap! Freezing temperatures here too! My horse goes out as early as possible and comes in late, often 10pm. We've had sheet ice every day for nearly 3 weeks! We have to navigate (slither) down a steep public road/lane which I grit by hand if necessary (only me to do the job!). It's just part of my routine. The field has been frozen solid now for that whole period but he still goes out. At a push, I occasionally put some of the mucky bedding out as a path in the yard and sweep up later. : )

Sue
 
He is correct, salt does ruin concrete and if used on earth you end up with one hell of a mess. I spread the contents of my wheelie on the areas where the horses pass to go out etc. It costs nothing, saves you a few trips to the muck heap and lasts all winter.It may not be pretty to look at but it works a treat. I can remember riding p2ptrs round a track made of manure when it was impossible to ride anywhere else due to snow, frost etc. Only bugger is picking it up when the thaw sets in. M.
smile.gif
 
We don't have grit, but I find that the muckheap is generous with its offerings, and they are seemingly neverending! A good amount of that soon stops it being treacherous
smile.gif


I would never not put my horse out because the yard was slippy
blush.gif
 
One of the yards I worked at used to grit but it wans't enough for an ongoing freeze especially if there was snow about so we used to muck out onto the yard to create nice safe muck paths over the previously gritted areas. Worked a treat, then we would all help shift it to the muck heap when everything melted again.
 
When I was a livery (own yard now), my YO always said he would not put salt down because if some one was injured by slipping on ice that was created by "natural causes", he could not be blamed, but if he was to try to salt an area, and then someone was hurt, he was to blame for not salting it properly.

He did however leave us a bunker of salt to use ourselves however we wanted to.

I don't blame him for this, although I just feel sad that the "blame & claim" culture has caused this pathetic state of affairs!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
When I was a livery (own yard now), my YO always said he would not put salt down because if some one was injured by slipping on ice that was created by "natural causes", he could not be blamed, but if he was to try to salt an area, and then someone was hurt, he was to blame for not salting it properly.


[/ QUOTE ]

My YO said this too. I thought he was talking from his rear end!
blush.gif
tongue.gif
 
The farmer puts muck pathways down on my current yard to move horses about, but if the yard was covered in sheet ice and there was no muck or salt allowed, the neds would have to stay in till it thawed. I wouldn't take the risk
 
We used to muck out straight onto the yard on icy mornings then turn out afterwards, problem solved. It used to save us hours in our morning routine with no walking to the muckheap!!

I can't understand those who don't move their horses when its frozen - what would you do if it were icy for weeks on end?
 
I've got mine at home and I have to say I've been gritting every day. It makes the yard nice and safe, the paths are woodchip so that doesn't really freeze and they are going out in the level fields so they have been out every day so far.
 
Well, whether he was or not, he was obviously worried about being sued, and that is pretty bad, as if he didn't have to be worried about that, he would have gritted/salted the whole yard, and that would no doubt prevent more injuries to horses and humans!
 
Mine are at home, we have been very good at emptying buckets straight into drains, keeping yard well swept and this morning there was nothing to freeze over.
 
[ QUOTE ]
We have new YO's and the guy (non horsey at all) said he doesnt agree with salt as it rots the concrete!!!
mad.gif


Mmmmm lets see what happens if my horse slips and breaks something!!!

[/ QUOTE ]


I have just randomly Googled the question 'Does salt rot concrete?' this came up on a building site:

<font color="red"> Concrete surfaces, unlike wood, are resistant to rot, termites and salt damage which alleviates unnecessary maintenance, work and worry. </font>

Remind your YO that part of being a YO is the dreaded H&amp;S aspect. He is, I believe responsible for taking all due care in areas where the public might go. Just for a moment, forget about the horses, what if YOU slipped and broke yourself?
Or the Vet or Farrier? (They wouldn't be shy about claiming compensation I imagine)
 
We grit the walkways but YO had special paths put it of grit and sand to walk the horses over. They froze for the first time ever this morning!! Luckily we used the human walkways even though one was a bit of a squeeze the horses all decided to behave and walked down nicely
smile.gif
 
our yard is covered in gravel anyway, there is a pathway of concrete leading along the length of the stables which hasnt frozen yet (outside ottos stable may do after ash dumped the contents of his water bucket right outside the door, dozy moo) the field gate is about 10 steps from the stables (bliss) and so far we have had no incidents putting the horses out
 
Our horses have all gone out everyday and the staff (me on the weekend, somebody else in the week) have been leading them very slowly and carefully. However there's been the odd idiot hosing legs off on the yard on an evening (usually on the part of the yard that is a slope!), or emptying buckets onto the yard instead of into drains.

Some people have no common sense when it comes to these things!!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I can't understand those who don't move their horses when its frozen - what would you do if it were icy for weeks on end?

[/ QUOTE ]

Fortunately I live in a part of the country where it isn't frozen for weeks on end, so that issue hasn't arisen for me
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
We have new YO's and the guy (non horsey at all) said he doesnt agree with salt as it rots the concrete!!!
mad.gif


Mmmmm lets see what happens if my horse slips and breaks something!!!

[/ QUOTE ]


I have just randomly Googled the question 'Does salt rot concrete?' this came up on a building site:

<font color="red"> Concrete surfaces, unlike wood, are resistant to rot, termites and salt damage which alleviates unnecessary maintenance, work and worry. </font>

Remind your YO that part of being a YO is the dreaded H&amp;S aspect. He is, I believe responsible for taking all due care in areas where the public might go. Just for a moment, forget about the horses, what if YOU slipped and broke yourself?
Or the Vet or Farrier? (They wouldn't be shy about claiming compensation I imagine)

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a very good point, thank you for sharing that i may just take that up with him this evening.
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]


I can't understand those who don't move their horses when its frozen - what would you do if it were icy for weeks on end?

[/ QUOTE ]

Try months!
smile.gif


I have no bedding to throw down
frown.gif
If I have sheet ice then I throw down salt, it is all in sanded gateways and walkways anyway so it does no harm, but even if it did rot the concrete (I have none) or damage the grass, I'd rather sort that later than have a broken limb hanging off a horse or human in the meantime.

Re the concrete thing, presumably there are different types of concrete. Mayhap Canadian concrete HAS to be salt proof because it gets covered with it for months and months and not just a few weeks as during an English winter.

I had the liability conversation with someone the other day, apparently saying "Watch your step, it's icy" can make you just as responsible as not saying anything at all, and just hoping that visitors have an ounce of sense and eyes in their heads. Catch 22, you can't win whichever way it seems.
 
At out yard the horses have been out everyday except when it was actually raining/snowing as they would stand at the gate. The yard is like an ice rink first thing in the morning and in the afternoons, being in Scotland the sun doesnt get very high. we have to walk up and down some steep tracks but none have slipped so far.
YO does have some salt which he puts down, it makes some difference.
I always turn mine out as much as possible.
 
YO has salt put down but I had left for work by then. I left my boy in this morning as he is a bit doddery on his feet at present (getting over a medical problem) so safer to stay put. He has had a potter around now that the ice has gone. Up to today we have gone out but today the ice was really bad.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top