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Post by starbuck on Dec 14, 2011 11:33:47 GMT 1
With all this wet windy weather and no school I'm very restricted with what I can do at the moment. Last winter we had frozen snow and ice for 2 months and got nothing done, not even hacking as the roads were lethal and i'm getting fed up. Putting in a proper school is not an option, either financially or regarding planning permission but I've been wondering about a bark area. I've a piece of land that is approx 15m x 18m that is almost gravelly and well draining and wondered how it would work if I put a bark surface down. I'm not expecting it to be fantastic but it would give me an area to do limited riding in and ground work, it would'nt get heavy use, being only for 1 cob and 1 small pony.
Has anyone done anything like this and how did it work? It wouldn't happen this winter but could be something to think about doing for next year, (whilst stuck in the house fed up unable to work them)
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Post by Mellymoo on Dec 14, 2011 11:37:51 GMT 1
Our school is woodchip, so barkish I suppose, but all I will say is that it gets wet and soggy if it rains, and it freezes if it's cold. It was properly laid as well, with a membrane and hardcore base. If it had been up to me I would have used sand instead. Oh, and Jos hates the surface because he slips on it, so we don't use it now. I'd rather not work him than risk an injury from slipping (which has happened to YO horse before)
Sorry to sound negative, but our outdoor is only useful if it is summer and really dry.
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Post by jen1 on Dec 14, 2011 12:26:09 GMT 1
beach sand for winter is cheap , but it gets deep in summer, old carpet ,sub-soil taken off and rd plainings, another layer of old hessian backed carpet, then your sand, should last a good few years, how much are you wanting to spend and what kind of job , make shift rf cheap but done right?
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Post by specialized on Dec 14, 2011 15:13:04 GMT 1
If you use woodchip or bark peelings you must have good drainage and preferably have the surface higher than the surrounding ground. If you put it straight onto the soil it will soon turn to mush.
I put in a fenced school last year built up on clean drain stone with 8" bark peelings on top, which was initially deep but now 12 months later rides really well and has not needed any topping up. It does not go wet and soggy because the surface drains so well, and similarly was usable last winter once the snow cleared.
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Post by starbuck on Dec 14, 2011 19:02:12 GMT 1
My field is a thin layer of clay on top of a gravel bank and apart from the last fortnight of constant rain drains well. The area I'm thinking of using is a raised area at the top of the field and has very little top soil on it, when you dig into it it's gravelly and even during all the rain the horses feet are barely marking it which is what got me thinking.
The budget will be tiny, in fact there currently is no budget as I've yet to mention it to OH! I'd rather not do it at all if I'm going to end up with a wet slippy mess but if there is a way to do it it would be fantastic, as I'm getting so fed up with this weather.
Specialized that's really good to know that yours is working well, how deep was your base stone?
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Post by specialized on Dec 14, 2011 19:35:28 GMT 1
Around 4-6" of clean stone on top of a consolidated base. I would be wary of putting the bark directly onto the soil, even if it is thin, as the concentration of hooves will tend to mix the soil into the bark if you do not have a thick enough layer of bark. However if the bark is too thick it will ride very deep until it settles and binds together.
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Post by Spirit of Wales on Dec 14, 2011 20:01:59 GMT 1
As other suggestions. However, do be careful with anything that even resembles a schooling area as some councils would not accept that it is only a temporary/DIY area for winter use. Hence why most people have to go through planning permission. I know someone who done similar to you with a similar size area 18m x 19m they ended up having to clear the area and apply for planning permission as retrospective permission was not granted. All because a spiteful local/neighbour made a complaint to the council that they had put in a menage without planning permission.
Oh and don't fence off the area, as this definately makes it looks more permanent.
Just be careful..
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Post by specialized on Dec 14, 2011 21:15:45 GMT 1
That's quite true, even a few jumps in a field technically count as a change of use from grazing land to leisure use.
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