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The Outdoor Manege
Work in Progress
November 2003
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With heavy clay soil, exercise has been limited to road work and the
off-road riding available opposite in forestry commission
woodland. With more horses at home, this year we decided a
manage was now a 'must have'!
The site selected is close
to the house and stables, but fairly secluded - so horses aren't
distracted by other horses playing in the fields. Our local
contractor started work during the unseasonably dry weather in
mid-November.
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The site was not level (nothing much is here!) so
considerable excavation was required at the top end.
In fact, the site is not built to be 'level' but
to have a fall both down the length and across the width of the manege
to facilitate drainage.
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The small barn is below the lower
end. We prayed for no rain until the initial excavations were
completed, and we were lucky!
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One long side is bordered by woodland and
a steep fall to a creek, facilitating drainage.
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Work progressed quickly and within a week,
drains were installed, membrane was laid, hardcore levelled and
fencing delivered.
Drains are installed every 5 metres.
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8 foot fence posts were required - to give
a fence height of just under 6 feet. They are all concreted in!
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The fence is now complete (except for the
gate) and the hardcore base is being compacted.
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The fencing is now complete and the kickboards are
in place - all that is required now is the surface.
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The first load of woodchip being spread.
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And by the beginning of December, the manege was ready (although the
lorry park is now a mess and will have to be topped up once we get
some dry weather!)
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Raj was somewhat surprised to see what we'd done to 'his' field - but
he seems to approve.
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[ Up ] [ Outdoor Manege ] [ Pasture Management ] [ Drainage ] [ Fencing ] [ Renovations ] [ Renovations-1 ] [ Renovations-2 ] [ Renovations-3 ] [ Renovations-4 ]
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can't find the answer and need help urgently, please e-mail:
help@saddle-up.org.uk
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