Fixing mud in the paddock

[CanterQueen]

We bought this place last year and the mud in the sacrifice is terrible. We've taken the topsoil off and since we're doing this ourselves, I'd like to know what others put down to combat the mud. Please be specific (like #3 for base and crushed on top, etc.) because I will be doing the ordering from the quary.

I tried a search on this topic and couldn't find anything, but I know it's been discussed.

So, I turn to you, Oh Great COTHers for help. :)

[Calvincrowe]

Well, I live in the rainy PNW, with clay soil, and a barn sited on the wettest (not by me!) part of our farm. I have tried several ideas, but the one that worked is this:

1. slope your paddock, if at all possible, directing runoff away from gates and barn.

2. put down geotextile cloth (cow carpet, road fabric, etc.). It will create a barrier between the subsoil (mud) and your footing material. This step is essential, unless you really like spending money on gravel, only to watch it disappear.

3. add 8" or more of your footing material. I like 3/4minus gravel, about 3", topped with what we call "screenings"--the material left after gravel is sieved/ground. Looks like sand/grit/very small gravel all mixed together. Great on their feet, easy to clean manure off of. Too little material will lead to horses catching the geo cloth and ripping it up, exposing areas to the subsoil, and creating little "sink holes" of mud...sigh, ask me how I know that!

4. pack your footing down with your tractor, and enjoy your mud-free areas.

Seriously, I have a sacrifice area that is 60 x 48 done this way, and it is wonderful!! Two horses are turned out here, year round, and it has held up beautifully (they are out 24/7 with pasture access from May to September, then out 12, in 12 on this only for the rest of the year to save my very small pastures).

You have to clean the paddock pretty religiously.

[skyy]

When I built my barn I refused to put up with the mud problems like we have at the barn where I work. My barn has an attached paddock about 60' x 40'. During the early spring and late fall the horses are in the barn 12 hours with access to the paddock as they please. During the winter they are in the barn 24 hours with access to the paddock (they live out 24/7 during the summer). The paddock is sloped so the water runs away from the barn and we started with #5 rock (the real big stuff) and then #3 ending up with 2b and then screenings on top. There will never, ever be any mud. Cleaning the paddock of manure and hay that they bring out of their stalls is a pain but well worth the lack of mud. In the winter I sometimes have to wait until we get a warmer day because it's impossible to chip off the frozen manure.