Using sandy soil for a school!

[madginger]

May sound like a odd question but we have very sandy soil where we are, literally below about a foot of topsoil it looks like the beach and goes down for another 3 foot like this!

I am looking at building a school eventually but wondered in the meantime whether I could get away with scraping back the topsoil and using the sand?

Drainage in the fields is fine and the sand is well compacted, so I just wondered if you guys think that this would do for now?

 

[Ani]

I think you've answered your own question, in the short term if the sand is compact & will not get too deep when dry and drains ok, why not try it you won't loose anything by trying, obviously it may not be ideal for certain horses but most would cope. i've ridden in worse than that sounds!

 

[madginger]

I also thought about adding a bit of rubber to stop it getting too deep or freezing which I should be able to re-use on the new school hopefully!

 

[pinkcatkin]

You will probably find it is fine. Where I used to keep my horse at livery had a "school" which was a fenced paddock off which the top had been scraped and it was pure sand. It was even brilliant when soaking wet, never slippery.

 

[cobden99]

*is envious*
Wish I had sandy soil
Mine is clay and like a bog at the moment

 

[faerie666]

A racing yard near us has done just that to make some gallops.

TBH it does get very deep when it's dry, but it drains well and rides really nicely when it's wet, so maybe you could keep it watered when the weather is really dry.

I'm sure it would be fine, especially if it's only a temporary thing.

 

[carthorse]

Just wonder ,if you scrape soil away and so it is lower than the rest of the ground whether it will all drain to the lowest point ,that you have made.