woodchip, non-grazing areas

MotherOfChickens

MotherOfChickens

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my boys live out-they have a good sized barn for shelter and a small fenced 'yard' area that I can keep them in away from the main paddock if required. I am considering woodchipping part of it-have a small, fat companion pony that could do with keeping off of the grass in the spring and it would also be useful in bad weather to keep them off of the mud/ice etc. It would not be for exercise such as riding/lunging as its too small for that anyway.Yard is hardcore topped by a couple of inches of mud.

any experiences out there? how deep, who to go to for supply, which are the least tasty or non-harmful (said pony will eat anything
grin.gif
even when he has hay available).
any help appreciated!
 
We've just done something similar.

Scrape mud off hardcore first and then put down cushionride from Giffords. They were the cheapest we found BUT it does depend on the transport costs so if you have a supplier significantly closer to you than the Giffords depot they might well work out cheaper.

None of mine have bothered trying to eat it yet - although Flynn spent a long tie lying down on it eating the snow off the top!

I wondered whether we'd get away with four inches not for riding on - not really. We've now had a second lot delivered and the horses all love charging about and showing off on the new deeper 8 inch layer we now have. They also don't dig through it now. Maybe it's just mine but they all seem to love a good dig.
 
I have recently done this as my lad had laminitis and was only allowed a stable sized pen outside his field stable to wander in and he trashed it in days to a thick deep mud...dangerous for me and not good for his foot situation! I got in contact with a local trees clearance man and he dumped me round a massive lorry full for £80. It allowed me to cover an area of about 2 stables in size a good 2 foot deep and has lasted really well all winter with my lad on it. It does rot down eventually so will need topping up for next year but it has meant he has been safely off grass but still in fresh air and I can walk on it safely and easily.
Some areas have mixed with the mud a bit but that has just produced a firm mud and tree chippings mix that is still perfectly walkable on for horse and me.
The stuff I got was literally stripped trees...been put through a shredder so it was quite rough looking and I was worried that my lad would eat it or have problems walking on it, but he has been fine and not bothered in eating it once he had tested a few bits and decided it was not food. I will be getting another load next summer in preparation for the winter...great stuff.
Might be worth asking your local council too as they usually have plenty of the stuf.
 
my woodchip area outside the stables is a layer of hardcore, then carpet (previous owners idea) but it works so well when the boys dig as the hardcore doesnt come up to the surface, then about 6 inches of woodchip (its in need of topping soon).
it hasnt frozen throughout all the snow/ice we had & the boys love it.
 
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