Pferde am Arkusberg - Cross Visits (CV)
Founded in 2017 and located in Gleichen (Germany), the farm employs one full-time worker, though three people are involved. The idea came in 2015, inspired by the daughter’s desire to be self-employed and to incorporate horses into her father’s farming business. After researching horse care, they identified a market need for a paddock trail, which they developed.
Main activities: The farm focuses on horse boarding, grassland management, hay and crop production, and beef cattle farming.
- Equine count: 16–20 horses
- Land area: 50 hectares
Cross Visit’s objectives: To visit a paddock trail with two groups of horses: one with “normal” feeding and another “diet” group with restricted feeding. The paddock trail system is like a paddock paradise housing, it promotes horse movement by creating fenced corridors leading to strategic points like water, hay, and grass.
Animal welfare: The horses enjoy free movement along a 2 km trail with paddock mats on the ground. They are housed in groups and fed high-quality hay produced on-site, using a modern air-drying system. Riding areas are constructed using the horse-friendly TTE Riding Area Elastic system, which ensures proper drainage and comfort.
Economy & ecology: The farm operates efficiently with minimal labor relative to the number of horses. The trail also incorporates ecological elements such as vegetation hedges, shaded areas, deadwood corners, and dry stone walls.

This hay drying system positions hay bales above an electrically powered blower to complete the drying process for bales previously dried in the field.
The Need for the System
The farm is in a humid valley with limited sunlight, which makes it difficult to achieve proper drying of hay bales.
Capacity and Energy Use
- Capacity: 16 bales per round
- Drying Time: 4 hours per round
- Energy Consumption: 11 kWh per round
- Daily Output: Up to 3 drying rounds, averaging 50 bales per day
Investment Cost
The system requires an investment of €18,000.
Benefits
- Reduces mold in hay and lowers the risk of fire during storage.
- Increases the selling price of hay, up to €50 per 350 kg bale.
- Powered by photovoltaic panels installed on the storage building.
Drawbacks
- Energy consumption.
- Repeated handling of bales, which must be precisely positioned above the blower for effective drying.
- Reduced efficiency in humid weather, as the air used is not pre-dried.

In their natural state, horses walk an average of 5 to 12 km per day. Introducing trails within the farm encourages horses to move freely from one point to another throughout the day.
Trail Design and Features
- Width: Trails are approximately 6 meters wide, allowing groups of horses to move safely in both directions.
- Stabilization: Slopes are stabilized with slabs to reduce mud during winter.
- Rest and Feeding Areas: Stabilized resting areas are located at the center of the trails—indoors (hemp shavings) and outdoors (wooden chips). Hay racks are positioned at one end of the trails, while water troughs are located approximately 600 meters away at the other end, encouraging movement. Horses typically visit the water trough in groups twice a day.
- Meadows and Shade: Trails pass through meadows and shaded areas, accessible to horses for 5 hours daily to help control weight gain.
Additional Tip
Placing trunks at strategic points can prevent horses from moving too fast. This also benefits biodiversity and enriches the horses’ environment.
Benefits
- Encourages natural movement.
- Facilitates rotational grazing.
- Gives horses the freedom to choose their activities and companions.
Drawbacks
- Requires daily manual collection of droppings on the trails, using a quad and small trailer.
- Limits opportunities for horse handling work.
- Stabilizing trails may require permits in some countries.

This 40m x 20m outdoor arena, built in 2018, uses a flooring solution that combines wood and sand for improved performance and durability. The construction process included the following steps:
- Ground leveling and preparation.
- Adding a 10 cm layer of wood chips.
- Installing stabilizing slabs.
- Filling the slabs with smaller wood chips.
- Applying a 20 cm layer of silica sand (North Sand).
Investment Cost
The total cost of this type of arena is approximately €40,000.
Benefits
- Minimal watering is required, as the wood retains moisture.
- No additional sand is needed since installation.
- Offers good soil elasticity.
- Excellent drainage, even during heavy rain.
- Suitable for various activities, with a surface that is non-digging and not too hard.
- Classic handling for training and riding.
Drawbacks
- Limited data on durability beyond 6 years.
- Higher initial cost compared to standard flooring solutions.