Outdoor arena footing in NY

[SFVine]

Does anyone have a good “recipe” for outdoor footing that will work all winter in NY?

The fact is I am never getting an indoor. So, I need to make my outdoor ring as useful as possible. I know good drainage is a must for spring and fall…but what about winter? What would be the best footing to have that will not freeze?
This might sound ridiculous, but does anyone remove the snow (not so close that it removes footing) and/or harrow the ring to mix the snow (obviously only a few inches) to ride? My ring really is not going to be that large. Just about 80-90 by 150ish.

Probably easier (and maybe cheaper!) to just buy a trailer and go to my friend’s indoor 1-2 times a week, but still looking for suggestions!

[S1969]

I cannot imagine a footing mix that won’t freeze because with limited light and cold temperatures, at some point it will become saturated and freeze solid. When it warms up enough to thaw, it probably won’t have time to dry out before it freezes again.

I do know people that ride outside in the winter, but they are riding in the snow over solidly frozen ground (dirt or arena footing).

I suppose it might depend on where in NY you are - if you were near the city and the winter was mild it might be possible with very good drainage. I am in the Capital Region and at a certain point in time in the dead of winter the sun can only reach half my arena - so even in the best weather, half of it never gets direct sunlight so it remains frozen solid.

[CLB15]

A friend of mine used to snowblow and religiously harrow two 20m circles in her outdoor in MA. She had barefoot horses, added pet safe salt when the “track” froze from horses treading on the layer of snow left or after winter rain. Mostly just a way to keep horses from going without any work and it didn’t last all winter, but got further into the season while still riding then if she didn’t do the clearing/dragging

[Mallard]

I’m in Eastern Ontario, 20 minutes from the upper NY border.
There is no way that any outdoor rings will stay rideable here.
Yes… if the snow is deep enough, you can ride on the snow. The problem is that those nice tracks you made in the fluffy snow will then freeze into glaring ice.
Riding in snow deep enough to cushion the frozen sand can also be very hard work for your horse!
I don’t know anybody here who schools outside in the winter. We ‘could’ hack, but the past few years there has been more ice than snow.