yard without stables in fields - ideas?

cob&onion

cob&onion

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Currently doing some re-vamping of the field after planning permission has been granted for a house at the top of the field :) so seperating the land from the plot.
We have started the post and rail fencing yesterday and the new gateways which are being finished today. Very exciting :D:D lokking good so far and made a huge difference!
It will be a while before we can do stables, these are last on the list as in after the house is built. However i will be putting a nice shed in for my stuff (after years of 2 chests out in all weathers, complete with a family of slugs and creepy crawlies who also inhabit said trunks, i am very much looking forward to a nice clean dry shed :)
Also OH will be putting in a yard/concreted area - somewhere i can tie the neds and wash them etc without mud!! so some concrete will be going down too.
Am looking for inspiration of how to set this up.
Am thinking something like this next to the shed:

http://queryhorse.com/toppages/articles/horsewasharea.asp

Can i be really nosey and see your set ups in fields of similar arrangement?
Thanks :)
 
I don't have photos, but if I was redesigning my yard from scratch I would change a few things and keep a few things the same.

I would keep the windbreak. It's made from yorkshire boarding and it is positioned to give shelter from the worst of the wind that whips down the valley. The horses actually use it (they turn their noses up at field shelters) and it really does give better shelter than the windswept hedge. I have put stable mats down by it and they are better then just having mud, but I'd really like to have hardcore and concrete.

The hay feeder is very useful, it's on a hardcore area, but I'd like to put concrete over this as clearing up the mess is a real pain.

Unfortunately my hay store is a fair way away from the hay feeder and this is stupid. Place your hay store near to your hay feeder! ;)

My 6ft x 12ft tackroom is not big enough for tack, feed and drying 3 wet rugs in the winter, plus storing dry rugs and other stuff. I do have three horses though and they each have a set of rugs etc...

ETA. I found an old photo of the hay feeder. It's a snowy one so you'll just have to believe me that there is hardcore under the snow. :p

Horseshayfeeder.jpg
 
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My advice to anyone moving into new premises would be to plant trees on the side of the prevailing wind.

It might seem a waste of time as you are busy moving in but, trust me, you'll be glad you did!

I bought a couple of bunches of larch plants in a sale years ago for £30. They look really nice up wind of the house now they are mature and I've recently had them thinned yielding enough poles for several field shelters, fence strainers, etc.

It doesn't take long to plant a tree -- nor very long to cut it down if it is in the wrong place. Then, at least, twenty years later you've a nice heap of logs for the fire and your horses have had the shelter in the interim!
 
I started off with just 2.5 acres of scrubby field and no facilities, here's what Ive done in order :

first winter : 2 mobile stables with rubber matting and solar lighting and water trough in corner of one field.
first summer : realised mud from above was a nightmare so had hardcore done in front of stables and got fed up of carrying water to different fields and having no clean water so had another trough installed and tap to side of stables, also installed diy woodchip arena so somewhere safe for kids to ride.
next summer : realised having one only stable in use as other used for all my stuff was a pain so built shed for tack and feed room and was given a caravan so great for making a cuppa when weather awful, also sick of ponies trashing fencing so installed electric fencing all round.
this summer : now I have a trailer realised parking it on muddy field in winter is a pain so more hardcore installed for trailer and also to fence off so ponies have a wet weather hardcore turnout area to save fields from getting trashed and bought a cheap container for hay so finally have 2 stables in use. Also got fed up of looking at messy muck heap so in process of buying a cheap muck trailer.

Phew, I think thats all Ive done and shows you how Ive prioritised jobs, next jobs for me are installing mains electric then changing arena surface to sand as woodchip is pants !!! :-)
 
Some good ideas!

Yes we are putting hardcore around the gate area as a bit of a hard standing for the neds.
Putting down some concrete like a small yard with posts to tie them up and my shed is also going down in the same area. Maybe an overhang of some sort too for the hay in winter (store)


Anyone else?
 
Having a covered area is probably the key, somewhere to sit down, somewhere dry for hay and feed and rugs and tack. It all takes up more space than you imagine!
 
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