Whats around your barn

[Denise]

Theres a couple areas around the barn that the horses get to, that go under water every time it rains. It becomes so muddy that it can suck your boots off. What would be good to put there that wont wash away, blow away or chip their hooves. I do put down bags of shavings when its going to rain but that is just a quick fix, I need something permanently.

 

[Tracy CCF]

Have yyou thought of filter strip. It is a tightly woven meshy fabric, sometimes called filter fabric. you can buy it in like 360 foot rolls, 16 foot wide, then cut to suit. you put it down, then gravel over it, has a lifespan like concrete, but cheaper. We have it on our farm, on our heavy use areas, and it is a godsend. we cut the ground down 4 inches then put the strip, then rock and light gravel and it is wonderful in the wet times, and great to have around.

Here in Ky, you can get it from your local Soil Conservation District ( you have to buy it, but cheaper than at the feed stores, etc.)

 

[susanne]

Following week after week of heavy rain (extreme even for the rainy side of Oregon), we finally have a dry spell predicted...hopefully it will hold out and our swimming pools--er--dry lots will be dry, at least until the next rain.

The best I have seen for keeping mud at bay is hog fuel...large wood chips that don't simpy sink into the mud. A friend of ours owns a small tree nursery. Any bare ground there becomes something akin to quicksand, but where she has put out hog fuel remains walkable.

I realize now that I should have asked for a dumptruck load for Christmas...

 

[Southern_Heart]

If the spots are always a problem, then why not just have dirt hauled in when its not the rainy season to build up that area so it won't hold water and then it will pack before the rain comes.

Just a thought.

Joyce

 

[Riverdance]

I use ag lime sand. It pattens down like sand but holds more like concrete, but is more cushiony.

 

[Katiean]

We had 1 1/2" of rain in an afternoon. That is about 1/3 of our yearly rain fall. Anyway, water did pool up a bit. Then we got 3' of snow on top of that rain. We still have Ice out there where the water pooled so I don't know what we will have if we ever warm up again. I may be facing a mud problem then.

 

[Gracie]

Hog fuel, ( wood chips ) are a GOD send TEMPORARILY ONLY... If your in a really rainy area they will eventually add to the much making it worse, I learned the hard way after hand spreading over 300 yards of it,, after about 2 months it was usuless,

also hog fuel can have MANY unwanted thiings in it that have killed horses who eat it,

 

[mistyrose]

There is a federal cost share through the Conservation division currently for a mud field pad to decrease run off and erosion.

Crushed limestone helps but needs redone every few years. I order screenings for mud areas. We need a none muddy period to put it down however.

 

[Denise]

Someone else had mentioned to me crushed limestone, I think I will check into that. I'd like to see what it looks like first, I dont want it chipping hooves or causing them bruising. I also looked at the ag lime but it looks more like little pebbles?? I better hurry because rainy season starts late Feb and March is when I need the ark.

 

[tnovak]

We have a few muddy areas here....I spread out a few bales of straw. Working for us.

 

[Marty]

I have 3/4' gravel walkways and gravel roads all over my barnyard which leads out to all my fields.

It's really for me, not the horses. They do not have to walk on it to get anywhere unless they choose to.

It works great, no mud problems, no foot problems at all.