All Weather Turnout Paddocks
Durable, all-weather turnout areas to keep your horses mud-free and moving year-round.
Durable, all-weather turnout areas to keep your horses mud-free and moving year-round.
Winter weather often means restricted turnout to protect both the horses and the pasture. Our all-weather turnout paddocks provide a durable, mud-free area where horses can move, stretch, and socialise safely regardless of the ground conditions elsewhere.
At CDS Arenas, we design and construct free-draining turnout pens and paddocks using similar techniques to our riding arenas. We ensure proper groundworks, effective drainage systems, and suitable top surfaces to prevent pooling water and deep mud.
Engineered sub-bases and drainage specifically designed to handle heavy rainfall and prevent waterlogging. We use the same drainage principles as our riding arenas — perimeter and lateral drains bedded in clean gravel, connected to a suitable outfall. The result is a surface that clears standing water within hours, not days.
Hardwearing, low-maintenance surfaces that withstand constant use and provide a safe footing. Turnout paddock surfaces need to cope with rolling, pawing, and horses moving at speed without becoming churned up. We specify surfaces that offer good grip without being abrasive on legs.
Seamlessly integrated with high-quality fencing to ensure a secure environment for your horses. Turnout fencing needs to be strong enough for horses that play and run together. We use robust post and rail with optional electric tape as a standoff to protect the fence line.
An all-weather turnout paddock is not a luxury — for many horse owners, it is the single most practical improvement they can make to their yard. Here is why.
Horses that are stabled for extended periods through winter can develop stable vices, respiratory issues from dust and ammonia, and stiffness from lack of movement. A turnout paddock gives them daily freedom to move, roll, and socialise even when the fields are too wet to use.
Every day your horses are on the turnout paddock instead of the fields is a day your grass gets to recover. Rotational use of an all-weather area can dramatically reduce poaching damage and mean your paddocks come back much faster in spring.
Less time managing mud means more time riding. No more hosing legs for 20 minutes, scraping mud off rugs, or treating mud fever. An all-weather paddock keeps horses cleaner and makes turnout and bring-in quicker and easier.
Mud fever, thrush, and other mud-related conditions are common through the wetter months and the treatment costs add up quickly. Keeping horses on a clean, dry surface significantly reduces the risk of these conditions and the associated veterinary expenses.
The construction process is similar to building a riding arena, but tailored for the specific demands of turnout use — heavier drainage, more robust surfaces, and fencing designed for horses at liberty.
We visit to assess the proposed location, checking ground conditions, natural drainage patterns, and proximity to your stables and existing infrastructure. We discuss sizing based on how many horses you need to turn out and whether they will be in groups or individually.
We strip the topsoil, level the formation using cut-and-fill where needed, and compact the sub-grade with a vibrating roller. On sloping sites we may install retaining features to create a level platform without excessive earthworks.
Perimeter and lateral drains are installed to handle heavy rainfall. A compacted stone sub-base is laid on a geotextile membrane, providing a stable, free-draining foundation. We use clean angular stone that interlocks under compaction for long-term stability.
A non-woven membrane separates the base from the riding surface, which is spread and levelled to the correct depth. Post and rail fencing is installed around the perimeter with access gates sized for safe horse handling. We hand over the paddock ready to use.
