Hello everyone, need some ideas/advice for how to make a step down from inside the barn to outside, when I turn the horses out. Currently it’s about a 2’ drop to the outside, my horses are older they can manage it, but I’m looking for a permanent solution. Any ideas?? Thanks!
Realistically, you need to build up a ramp of some sort: gravel with a rock base. It does depend on how wet the area gets too, on what materials to use. How big an area? How wide? What is there now and did it erode away?
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I have used bags of concrete mix unopened as a base. Sort of inexpensive and very easy to position, The bags overtime will absorb water hardening into rock like hardness.
There are many “temporary” retaining walls around here that were needed during construction periods that are still in place after forty years
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My old barn had a 4ft drop. Piled up earth inside 2 walls of rairoad ties descending to ground level, and laid more railroad ties on the dirt as footing down the ramp.
A bit like this, but I had more ties laid where this has rocks. Also supported the railroad ties with uprights either side.
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My vote is for a twelve foot long ramp of some sort, and as wide as possible. And obviously with a rough surface for grip.
I’d consider sides for the ramp too, and the ramp the full width of your barn center aisle, if that is your barn egress for the horses is.
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I was recently trying to solve a similar problem. A road engineer told me that the best approach would be to build a ramp with limestone screenings. It should be mechanically tamped down. He felt it would not require retaining walls and would withstand the weight of the horses. It would also be rough enough footing to not be slippery. I haven’t built it yet, but this is my plan
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