Footing for Paddock

[Tess]

Hi all,

Now that I have had these two minis for years in the same paddock, the earth beneath them decided to become a mud pit when it rains. Their pen is large, and we did nothing for footing, just let them trample it to dust, which worked for years, but now, when it rains, the place is inches deep in mud. And we don't get much rain to begin with. I think we had 12" of precipitation last year, but that didn't stop the mud when we did get rain. I want to find a good, comfortable solution to this for us and them. After looking around the forums, it seems there are a couple of options, but I want advice on which is best.

It seems that I could just rake up the paddock and turn over the top few inches of soil and that would help with drainage when it rains.

Or I could cover the entire paddock in a few inches of gravel or other footing material.

The paddock has an excellent slope, so that is not the problem, it's just the footing.

Also, with either of those choices, I am talking about the place where they spend their time everyday, so I want it to be comfortable for them. Additionally, I feed them their hay directly on the ground, so that has to be taken into consideration as well.

What would you suggest?

Thanks!

 

[LostandFound]

I would think that tilling it up would just make the mud worse. I use crushed stone. I haven't had a problem with them eating hay off it. But mine don't usually finish all their hay, and I throw the new on top of the old for a few weeks and it really compacts it. I think my mare was eating it some trying to dig up the few weeds that poked up, but I haven't had any issue since I re-stoned it. They sleep on it no problem so it seems comfortable. I have also heard good things about those grids you put down, but I think they are expensive.

 

[candycar]

The best affordable method is GEO textile and pea gravel. If you can, get some mats to feed hay on. It will last for years, is easy to poo pick, doesn't freeze solid and is good for hooves. I was lucky that my farm had the GEO textile and limestone gravel already. All I had to do was replace the limestone with pea gravel.
I would have spent the $ to get it done right tho. Saves sooo much hassle and the horses love it. I have only had to "top off" the pea gravel once at about the 5 year mark.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I use a piece of old carpet for the area where the rain runs off the shelter roof and they enjoy standing. Carpet stores just give it away. A good quality carpet lasts longest. I turn it upside down so the jute side is up, so it doesn't matter what color the carpet is. Some cheap pieces last a few months; the piece I have now has been there over a year. The photo shows where I put the carpet; this is after 6 inches of rain in one day. (Our pond overflowed and the pasture was flooded and covered with little fish.) The carpet is under water but it's still doing its job. I just needed a larger piece! The downside is you have to haul it off when it is past its use... I saw this in the pasture of a miniature horse owner and thought it a great idea. My husband is repelled by this "redneck" fix, and does not want to be seen with me when I've scavanging for new carpet. But I love it.
I have gravel around the water tub and the area they come through the gate. It works fine, but we have to rake it back where it is supposed to be a few times a year. And for the first couple of years we had to replenish as the gravel sank into the clay soil.

 

[Kelly]

I’ve heard of the carpet idea. I wonder do you have to take up the carpet once it is old? Could you not just add new to the top of it?

The last couple of days the little boys have not left the barn, by their own choice, it’s too cold. I have shavings down in the 1 stall but nothing in the aisle. According to them it is too cold to go outside and pee. I put a huge packing blanket down to act as a pee pad hubby did not like my idea but it is working great.

According to the farrier class I took over the summer, the best footing for a paddock area is pea gravel or river rock (smooth gravel/rock) about 4 inches deep.… and supposedly the horses love it!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I’ve heard of the carpet idea. I wonder do you have to take up the carpet once it is old? Could you not just add new to the top of it?

The last couple of days the little boys have not left the barn, by their own choice, it’s too cold. I have shavings down in the 1 stall but nothing in the aisle. According to them it is too cold to go outside and pee. I put a huge packing blanket down to act as a pee pad hubby did not like my idea but it is working great.

According to the farrier class I took over the summer, the best footing for a paddock area is pea gravel or river rock (smooth gravel/rock) about 4 inches deep.… and supposedly the horses love it!

No, you wouldn't want to lay a new rug over the old one. When it's done for, it's done for. I use mine where it is exposed; if it were indoors it would last much longer.

I have pea gravel in my totally contained garden. Yes, it keeps my feet clean but it "travels" like crazy. I don't see how it could be contained in a yard. I think it would be a pain. I have some around my little barn and it works well after it's been there a while and I keep it raked up. The horses think rolling in rocks is the best thing since horse treats--and that really spreads it out!

 

[Tess]

Thanks LostandFound, candycar, Marsha Cassada, and Kelly. This is great information. The geotextile and pea gravel sound like very nice options, but I can understand how the pea gravel would travel. We did rock paths around the pens and sheds on our property, and where we used pea gravel it has traveled. The old carpet idea intrigues me. I think I will have to try that. I do like the idea of how the pea gravel would look though. I'll probably try both ideas in a small section of the pen and see how it goes.

 

[candycar]

When my pea gravel travels outside the fence, I use the leaf blower to shoot it back. Fast & easy. I also love to rake the lot, it's very "zen" for me

 

[Marsha Cassada]

When my pea gravel travels outside the fence, I use the leaf blower to shoot it back. Fast & easy. I also love to rake the lot, it's very "zen" for me

The leaf blower idea sounds interesting. Might try that. The traveling pea gravel frustrates me.