What would you do with this area?

PapaverFollis

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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.

20200823_161548.jpg
 

J&S

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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.
 

hobo

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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.
 

PapaverFollis

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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.
 

MrsMozart

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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... ?
 

PapaverFollis

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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.
 

The Fuzzy Furry

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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

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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?
 

PapaverFollis

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.
 
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