Muddy Paddocks

[Equestryn]

I'm look for some advice as to what to do to fix muddy areas of paddocks. I have two paddocks attached to my barn and I can open the doors to the stalls and allow the horses to come and go as they please. Unfortunately, I live in Florida and it rains almost every afternoon (not to mention Hurricanes). There is a 10 foot area outside their doors that is just a disgusting muck. It's thick mud and it likes to suck the shoes right off the horses feet.

Does anyone have any kind of solution for this? I know I need to get a back hoe in there and scrape some of the mud out, but is there anything I can put down to help the drainage problem?

I don't know about putting shavings or straw down. Rock is a NO. What about sand? Grass won't grow there since its a high traffic area. What else can I do?

Thanks!

[Calvincrowe]

Do a search, this has been talked about a lot on here. Why no gravel? Unless you create a barrier between the subsoil (mud) and the footing material you put in, you'll just get mud again when the horses mix the old mud with the new sand you put in.

I suggest using a geotextile cloth (road cloth, cow carpet, etc.) to create a water permeable barrier, then adding new footing on top. You can use sand, certainly, but a layer of gravel then sand would be best. If you can slope the area to create drainage, all the better. You'll need at least 6" of new material on top of the cloth. The cloth is fairly inexpensive, if you can get it yourself from a supplier (landscaping or construction companies usually have it).

[Equestryn]

I'm worried about gravel as I don't want it getting stuck in the shoes or bruising the hoof.

[Calvincrowe]

Well, many farriers and vets will tell you that rounded gravel is excellent for foot health--mine have been out on it (one shod, one "natural") for 5 years with no problems at all. If you offer them a break from gravel, a mix of footing surfaces, they should be fine. Mud is far more harmful to horse foot/leg health than small stones are.

[Leather]

I echo the recommendation for geotextile.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/0304.html

Or a grid:

http://www.stable-grid.com/

http://www.hoofgrid.com/

[Waterwitch]

I have a sacrifice paddock that is compacted limestone with what is essentially pea gravel (7/8 minus limestone chips) over it (topsoil removed first). My paddock drains beautifully and the gravel pieces are small enough to fall through a manure fork. Haven't had a problem with bruising and the horses seem to like having somewhere dry to stand.

[Equestryn]

I'll go price some small pebble gravel. I'd have to have the current mud scraped off first. I should probably talk with the gravel suppliers to find out what I'll need. I didn't think about the fine gravel. I always imagine big granite rock that'll get stuck in shoes or bruise.

Thanks for the info!

[shakeytails]

The best thing to do is scrape the mud off (the bucket or a grader blade on a tractor is good enough), put down geotextile fabric, and cover it with gravel.

Another option is wood chips free from the local tree trimming guys. If you can get them, put them at least a foot or two deep in the muddy areas. They'll last for a year or two.

[FancyASB]

I had the same problem when I first moved into my house. Outside the back of the barn it was a foot deep in mud the first winter. I had a french drain put in, graded to drain away from the barn, gutters with underground downspouts and then river rock which is like pea gravel but we have lots of rivers here so very cheap. Now I get at the most a quarter of an inch of water but drains away really fast. If you can go the french drain way it works miracles with standing water.

[sandstar]

We also live in Florida...same problem..completely corrected with concrete screen sand. Drain very well...even in well used paddocks.