What would you do with this area?

[PapaverFollis]

Surface wise rather than function. It's part of my horse area. To the right of the picture they go in front of the barn to their field shelter and mooch pen/mud pit. Round the back of the barn they have access to grazing. Through the gate directly ahead will be access to winter grazing and there will be stables through the sliding barn door on the right.

Surface currently pretty rough broken up concrete, interspersed with some concrete slabs in reasonable order, with decently smooth hard-core round the back of the barn.

I also need to consider the surface in front of the barn into the field shelter and the mooch pen. But for now... this bit.

Open to quick fix solutions and longer term solutions. Currently having a bit of pressure wash and shovelling up the worst of the stones.

 

[Quigleyandme]

Dunno but lovely stone work and slates on your old building.

 

[ycbm]

Looks like a super all weather turnout pen as it is to me

I know from experience concrete or tarmac will cost a fortune, what's your budget for it?
.

 

[Steerpike]

Not sure but I would leave as is to!

 

[J&S]

I like it as it is too. We have road scrapings or what ever they are called, over hard core and I hate them. You can't sweep it and the little stones are forever in bare foot feet. That looks to have a solid base, just spray off if too many big weeds come through.

 

[Gloi]

Does look a good winter turnout area. If feet need stimulation you could make a pea gravel area.

 

[hobo]

Looking at that if you are having a bit of a clean up I would say it is fine as it is I was expecting much worse. A clean up every now and than is cheap apart from the aches and pains after.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’d love that area just as it is!!

 

[cobgoblin]

It looks like a large area, unless you have about 20 to 30k you don't know what to do with, I'd leave it as it is.
It looks in keeping with the old buildings and does provide non slip hardstanding.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

What is the ground where it isn't concrete?

As the others have said, unless you have a serious amount of cash to throw at it then leave it as is.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Hmmmm. It's horrible and gritty and stoney around the broken up concrete though. Since putting them out on it I've been constantly fishing stones out of their white lines and bigger stones out of other bits of hoof.

We've started to have a good clean up. Seems to dislodge more and more stones as you go. I'm wondering about putting something down that can just go straight on top and just kind of get brushed down into the grooves and dips. Rather than resurfacing the whole lot if you see what I mean.

Those concrete slabs can get icy in winter but I can put straw or even dirty bedding down to give grip. Doesn't look nice but saves a slip.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Budget as ever is "as little as possible". That's always the budget. ?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

If it gets slippery, hire a Kango and hack shallow grid lines across the existing concrete to help prevent slipping? Obs salt down when really bad tho.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

Ah. See what you mean. Especially regards budget.

Trying to think of something that will be kind to hooves, not get boggy when the rains come, won't fly away in a high wind, and you can get loose straw, etc. off without going batty... Hm... ?

 

[whirlwind]

Fine sand? Sweep around as much as possible into the deeper bits

 

[PapaverFollis]

I was thinking sand but kind of want to avoid it because the big horse is prone to deep central sulci and sand can really get in there and make a mess.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I mean. Leave it is certainly an option. Hopefully a good clean up will reduce the grit in white issue I'm currently getting... and it's reassuring to me that no-one is horrified that I've got horses walking around on it already! ?

 

[Spottyappy]

What about the mud control mats? They don’t have to be sited on my, though you would probably need Sand or a binding agent to keep them level ish.

 

[cobgoblin]

I suppose you could put sub-base over it and roll.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I think money would be better spent on mud control mats for a couple of other bits of the property! ?

 

[The Xmas Furry]

One thing to think about, if the concrete is breaking up in places and you heavily salt during a frosty/snowy spell, the salt will help the breakdown of it.
I have one 8ft x 6ft area which I don't salt now, as the rough surface gives me grip there but it did get 'sandy' the one year I last salted it (winter 2010/11).

 

[chaps89]

Maybe not mud control mats but how about regular grass mats? Should just raise them off the surface enough to keep little bits of grit and stone away from them. Might not be the cheapest solution but definitely cheaper than the proper mud control mats or fully re-surfacing?

 

[emilylou]

Woodchip bark over the top? If it’s for a winter turnout pen. You need to salt it if it freezes but you can scrape it all up and throw it on the muck heap in the spring. Or is that a terrible idea?

 

[Red-1]

If barefoot and sensible, I would keep it as it is.

With metal shoes or silly horses, I would not allow free access to this area as it is.

It looks FAB, by the way!

 

[PapaverFollis]

I think I'd be too worried about the wrong kind of wood in woodchip. And fat ponies eating it. Plus read that it does bad things to hooves.

I know I'm being negative, sorry. It's why I asked though. ? Everything I think off I end up going "no".

Oh yes, we're barefoot and sensible here. Sensible enough anyway. If they had shoes on I wouldn't have them on it either! The benefit of it being a bit stoney is that they are taking their time over it... but I don't like watching them pick their way over it either!

 

[SEL]

I'm jealous! Looks great.

Our YO has a pea gravel driveway which never seems to cause problems when the horses walk over it. If you needed to fill in any bits then that might be fairly cheap. I was thinking 'leave it as it is' though. One of the tracks I follow on FB has some concrete areas that they feed on in really miserable weather and then just scrape up the poo. Seems to work for them.

 

[SEL]

I think I'd be too worried about the wrong kind of wood in woodchip. And fat ponies eating it. Plus read that it does bad things to hooves.

I know I'm being negative, sorry. It's why I asked though. ? Everything I think off I end up going "no".

Oh yes, we're barefoot and sensible here. Sensible enough anyway. If they had shoes on I wouldn't have them on it either! The benefit of it being a bit stoney is that they are taking their time over it... but I don't like watching them pick their way over it either!

Friend's yard had woodchip winter turnout pens. Turned to mush. I believe they have since been replaced with some expensive sand.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Would limestone chips be more forgiving on feet I wonder.. softer rock? Just on top of the really shale-y gritty areas between the bits of concrete.

Also considering asking on Facebook if anyone is dumping a rubber arena surface any time soon. Again just in the low spots and swept into the gaps between concrete.

Bit worried that pea gravel would spread onto the solid concrete and make it slippery. Plus very mixed reviews wherever I look as to whether it is actually good for feet or not!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Friend's yard had woodchip winter turnout pens. Turned to mush. I believe they have since been replaced with some expensive sand.

Yes, mine was absolutely disgusting last year and my farrier advised not to use it which was a pita.
What about a thin layer of road planings if you can get your hands on some? Might that work. My yard used to be rolled planings and that didn’t get into white lines as I remember.

 

[Red-1]

I'm jealous! Looks great.

Our YO has a pea gravel driveway which never seems to cause problems when the horses walk over it. If you needed to fill in any bits then that might be fairly cheap. I was thinking 'leave it as it is' though. One of the tracks I follow on FB has some concrete areas that they feed on in really miserable weather and then just scrape up the poo. Seems to work for them.

My drive is pea gravel too, great for their feet. However, not cheap for the size that area looks to be.