I’m looking to board one of my horses and the options for gelding turnout are 3 horses in a paddock that has a metal culvert or a large group. My horse has never been in a large group and is a bit silly so I am worried about him getting injured with either scenario. Is there some type of edging or cover that can be added to the exposed metal on the culvert to make it horse safe?
If the culvert is located IN the ditch, lower than the surface of the ground, then yes. I’ve just done one. You fill the sides in with rock, and put a layer of turf/soil over top of that, with logs placed over the end of the pipe as edging. Ours has never been a problem, but it’s always bothered me. So it’s done now.
Turning a new horse out with others is always a tense time for you. Best to let them meet over a fence to start with for a few weeks, and have just a few strange horses in the group. A large number of horses can band together and drive the new horse over or through a fence, causing significant damage to the new horse. If you can, introduce one horse at a time to your horse, don’t just throw him out there with the others and hope for the best. Because it may not turn out well.
What diameter culvert pipe?
It’s pretty big maybe 18-24”
Ok. That sounds workable. I could just continue to keep him at home but if some work on my part could let me sleep at night with this situation it would be safer for me to have other people around when I ride. 
Pool noodles was the first thing that came to mind. My husband didn’t think it would work but it would at least give me a chance to help barn owner get a more permanent solution in place.
Pipe insulation is already slit lengthwise so might be an easier thing to install.
2 Likes
Is the boarding barn owner amenable to you making changes like adding rock and log decking over the pipe? Will you be supplying the materials and labor?
My own culvert with a 2 foot diameter pipe, which is not in a pasture, has a deep ditch leading to and exiting from it. Does yours?
And consider HOW MUCH water may run thru the culvert to undo your edging efforts. Pool noodles would be gone in the first heavy rain from my culvert. The water gets VERY deep and strong in that ditch… Luckily that ditch is beside the paddock, no horses can get close.
Definitely talk to Barn Owner before trying or spending for any modifications. The split pipe edging sounds reasonable, but would need glue or screws to keep it in place under water pressure. Maybe some anti-chew paint so horses don’t play with it.
I can’t see pool noodles working, they will float away at the first big rain, or, even worse, encourage the horses to chew and play with it, attracting them to the danger.
Check with the barn owner. Your best option is likely large 6 to 8” riprap or other stone that can lock together. Large enough to allow water to drain through and obvious enough to (hopefully!) keep the horse away from the metal and getting into trouble.
Is there a way to fence it off? People do it w trees.
If the barn owner is amenable, a goodly application of angular rock (we call it rip rap here) along the top and sides should be sufficient and permanent. Nothing along or near the bottom of course. It’s really (IMO) more for the visual of ‘doh, dat’s rocks me jumpie’ vs actual protection from contact.
However, if it’s in some random place they don’t hang out and nap or play or or or- I’d ignore it.
1 Like
It’s a section about 12 feet long that I think was put in place to facilitate boarders and vehicles crossing the v shaped ditch. The paddock is not large enough to expect that horses will not cross/jump/play king of the hill on it. It is covered with dirt/turf my concern is the approx one foot section of exposed metal and the corresponding edge at either end. The whole space is probably 100’x200’. I would be surprised if water actually flowed at any type of speed I believe it’s more of a bridge.
I’m sure a conversation with the owner who I have known for almost 20 years will result in this being sorted out or me keeping my horse at home with no hard feeling either way. I just wanted to have some possible solutions to offer at my own cost as they seem to be ok with the situation as is.
3 Likes
I would get some plastic step in posts and electric tape or even just flagging tape. It doesn’t have to be hot, just a visual barrier to deter the horses from getting too close to the metal.
1 Like
