Holzdweaver
Well-Known Member
May be a bit of a daft question really lol, so bear with me 
I keep my horses in a trash paddock (sided on two sides by evergreens which they cant actually reach but break the wind) with an adjoining shelter in winter which they have free access too, plus a 48' square 'yard' of rubber matting outside the shelter where their hay racks (adlib haylage) are so they arent knee deep in mud and i can have somewhere dry to do my jobs. The paddock is enough for them to stretch their legs have a hooly round and generally trash, but not big enough for them to graze in as it turns to mud quickly. Its also not big enough to ride them in.
Usually they would be out hacking three to four times a week (one ridden and one long reined) but they go up a tarmacced hill which this week has been a total sheet of ice and the roads in general are lethal, so iv made a roundpen on the dry bit in the paddock next to their winter paddock in which to exercise them as some bits of it are boggy so isnt suitable to just ride anywhere in. they arent the type to go unworked, my orange boy will stand at the gate and weave until he gets worked. Iv just made it out of fence posts and electric tape as im not sure how permanent it will be, although i must say im enjoying using it and the horses are having fun bucking, prancing, leaping in the air and generally having fun while completely ignoring me! haha
My only problem is that its getting a little trashed already, i popped some uneaten haylage at the gateway which has seemed to help that bit, but would like a better solution for the track round the outside.
Can anyone suggest something which doesnt cost the earth? but will provide a way to combat the mud?
i was thinking woodchip maybe?
I keep my horses in a trash paddock (sided on two sides by evergreens which they cant actually reach but break the wind) with an adjoining shelter in winter which they have free access too, plus a 48' square 'yard' of rubber matting outside the shelter where their hay racks (adlib haylage) are so they arent knee deep in mud and i can have somewhere dry to do my jobs. The paddock is enough for them to stretch their legs have a hooly round and generally trash, but not big enough for them to graze in as it turns to mud quickly. Its also not big enough to ride them in.
Usually they would be out hacking three to four times a week (one ridden and one long reined) but they go up a tarmacced hill which this week has been a total sheet of ice and the roads in general are lethal, so iv made a roundpen on the dry bit in the paddock next to their winter paddock in which to exercise them as some bits of it are boggy so isnt suitable to just ride anywhere in. they arent the type to go unworked, my orange boy will stand at the gate and weave until he gets worked. Iv just made it out of fence posts and electric tape as im not sure how permanent it will be, although i must say im enjoying using it and the horses are having fun bucking, prancing, leaping in the air and generally having fun while completely ignoring me! haha
My only problem is that its getting a little trashed already, i popped some uneaten haylage at the gateway which has seemed to help that bit, but would like a better solution for the track round the outside.
Can anyone suggest something which doesnt cost the earth? but will provide a way to combat the mud?
i was thinking woodchip maybe?
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