Weird Topic Building a horse pool

[buddytink]

This is probably different than most questions you guys get about pools and ponds, but I'm having a hard time finding info, so figured I'd come here to see if someone could maybe help me out.

I'm wanting to build a "pool" for my horses. I want it to be about 3 feed deep and I'd like to be able to lead them down into it and walk them. It's great exercise and builds muscles and helps heal injuries for the horses. I thought about making it oval or circular, so i can walk along the edges.

I thought about going a "cheaper" route by just digging one and then putting a pond liner in. Problem is I know nothing about pond liners LOL. Are they durable, would it hold up to a horse walking on it? Can I put rubber mats or pea gravel on the bottom so it becomes a more level, harder surface for the horse to walk on? Also if I did this what type of filtration would I be looking at, I don't want the water to sit and get stagnant? If it works out then I may eventually do a concrete more permanent set up.

 

[RobAmy]

I do not think a liner would work. You would need to keep this setup like a pool so no algae builds up at all, way to slippery for horses. I would check with your local horse vet and see if they know anyone that may have a pool and get a sense of their setup in your area. I would think to do this correctly for horses it would be big money.

 

[GBBUDD]

if not concrete i'd lean toward bentonite. but depending on your soil a bentonite soils pond can get messy with the animals getting milky white. But if you have substantial sandy silt and you were to dig your pond with very gradual slopes place your bentonite clay on the substrate and roto till it in I'm no expert on the ratio's but that's the avenue I'd look toward as it is among the cheapest methods to create a natural pond

 

[Angel]

if not concrete i'd lean toward bentonite. but depending on your soil a bentonite soils pond can get messy with the animals getting milky white. But if you have substantial sandy silt and you were to dig your pond with very gradual slopes place your bentonite clay on the substrate and roto till it in I'm no expert on the ratio's but that's the avenue I'd look toward as it is among the cheapest methods to create a natural pond

 

[buddytink]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Will definitely look at the Bentonite as well.

 

[buddytink]

If i do the bentonite for the pool, any suggestions on how to keep if from getting stagnant and snakey? It would be about 3 feed deep, the horse wouldn't swim in it just walk.

 

[GBBUDD]

I'm sorry weather swim or walk it's going to get dirty The best way to do it isn't cheap but it would do the job.

this video is extreme but down size the skimmer and the bog and it would do the job.

 

[buddytink]

Oh wow! I'd love to have something like the video you shared!

 

[Tula]

Wow, what a build for Dr. Pohl !! Those Aquascape pond workers can really work miracles

 

[GBBUDD]

Wow, what a build for Dr. Pohl !! Those Aquascape pond workers can really work miracles

Don't know if I would call it a miracle as much as I'd say see what money can buy. It was not aquascapes that I originally found that swayed me to build my pond . But they certainly did a lot to persuade me to pull the trigger and start This video in particular

 

[Tula]

@GBBUDD , I have no doubt that project cost a pretty penny