MENAGES which type of filling ,do you recomend please

[shane]

well since ive moved house, the first thing we are doing is builing the stables, but since i want to let my horses out everyday we are putting in a menage...

so i thought about putting RUBBER CRUMB down, as it doesnt freeze,and no insects can live in it,

but my only concernis , would they try to eat it? i was going to get bigger lumps of rubber

but am i better off with a different type of filling altogether??

i dont like the thought of tree bark, we have too many wood lice yuck!

they will be using this menage to hang out in when the weathers too wet for the graSS,

opinions welcomed

thank you

 

[BeckyG]

Hi Shane,

I feel a little foolish, 'cause..... I do not know what a Menage is. So, I do not think I can help with a suggestion. LOL

:

Based on what you indicate..... I am guessing it might be a protected horse hang-out.... maybe. Can you "educate" me about Menage???

Thanks,

Becky

 

[R Whiteman]

Shane,

Here in the Pacific Northwest of the US, we have access to "screenings". These are the by product of the sorting of gravel and sand for cement through a screen for size. Screenings are bigger than sand, but much smaller than gravel. We use it in our round pen and also in gateways, pathways, etc. It might seem that it would be very hard on small feet, but it is not. It is also big enough that the little lips can sort it away from feed, so no sand colic. It holds up well and only gets really dusty when it starts to break down from use. A friend has it in her indoor arena (menage is so much more an elegant term) and it has been there for 10 years or more. She rides full-size horses and just rakes it with her riding lawnmower and a shallow harrows every so often if it packs. The rubber footing made from recycled tennis shoes is popular, but somewhat expensive when compared with the wood byproducts which are so easy to find here, so I've not had any experience with that.

Good luck with your quest and I'd love to hear what you come up with.

Dorothy

 

[user 488]

well since ive moved house, the first thing we are doing is builing the stables, but since i want to let my horses out everyday we are putting in a menage...

so i thought about putting RUBBER CRUMB down, as it doesnt freeze,and no insects can live in it,

but my only concernis , would they try to eat it? i was going to get bigger lumps of rubber

but am i better off with a different type of filling altogether??

i dont like the thought of tree bark, we have too many wood lice yuck!

they will be using this menage to hang out in when the weathers too wet for the graSS,

opinions welcomed

thank you

Hi Shane,

Please do not use the crumbled rubber around your horses. There are many places that are using it for "footing" in show arenas and it is FABULOUS stuff, but there are a number of horses who have DIED from eating rubber fencing and the rubber footing because they were turned out to play on the stuff. The fencing was made from rubber strips and horses would stand at the fence and chew like they would on wood. It caused impactions. Same with "crumbles". Just remember.....horses will eat just about anything......and minis are the worst.

 

[shane]

I hear you Carol loud and clear!!!!! thats what ive been worried about, id love to hear amore about what your talking about Dorothy if thats possible?

IT SOUNDS EXCATLEY WHAT IM AFTER

: and thank you all for taking the time to answer me on this,as its soooo important i get it right

:

lynda

edited to add that a menage is just like an outdoor schooling surface to let them all hang out

 

[R Whiteman]

id love to hear amore about what your talking about Dorothy if thats possible?

We live near a couple of concrete companies. They mix the cement with different sizes of sand or gravel, depending on the particular construction project. Screenings are like very very, coarse sand. They are sifted out of sand, too coarse for the concrete mix. They are fine enough that they are soft against the feet, but not so fine as to stick to everything, or mix with feed and be ingested. They will "compact" over time, if not raked or harrowed, but are easily raked. They drain very well, which is why we use them here with our heavy winter rains. I wish I was better able to describe them so as to be able to have you find an Irish equivalent.

Dorothy