So if you scrape down during a wet season, the rain will just turn the formerly compacted soil into more mud. Lafayette Dirt Sand & Gravel 337-342-5600 Natural Decomposed Granite This is a great alternative to mulch that can be placed around plants, shrubs, and trees. It doesnt matter how much you scrape and pack, your gravel (even 3 road base!) Of course here in our dry part of California I dont really need it but thought it might really help some of you in the wetter climates? trailer back into the shed stall area 'cause the ground (field) in front of the tractor shed is Bahia grass and soft . Only consideration is to put down rubber mats on top of the gravel in high traffic areas (eg around feeders) as that is where the horses hooves can punch through the gravel and the geotextile cloth starts to get uncovered in spots. HOWEVER, now that were heading into 2022, Ive had almost 3 years with the professional job that Mitchell did and the geotextile cloth is coming through. If I had known I would need him, I would have had him spend 30-60 minutes removing that topsoil/grass layer first, before spreading the gravel. I thought I could get a few friends out and spread the gravel using rakes, but when I looked at the size of the piles and realized how heavy the gravel was, I decided to hire a local farmer to come spread it for me. just in case you want to waste your money like I did. This is fascinating! Thanks you so much! During my research, I also called BC Parks & Rec who commission the horse trails in the provincial parks here and asked them what they did, as their trails seem to stay in pretty good shape all winter long, with lots of traffic on them. Ask yourself WHY your fields are hosting these plants? Crushed stone, a mixture of stone dust and stone of various sizes, packs together nicely. Heres what the 1/4 inch minus crusher dust looks like on the paddock: And heres what the 3/4 inch gravel looks like on the paddock: I figured this would be a really good test to see which gravel held up best under the horses hooves during the rainy season, because I had them side-by-side for direct comparison! Clear stone is sometimes known as drainage stone. It does require maintenance but is sustainable. But, I know how stubborn we can be, and how sometimes we just need to find things out for ourselves, so Im going to keep going with giving you other peoples ideas (that wont work in a rainforest climate!) In that case, I think it would depend on how your drainage is set up from your stalls A barn with good drainage probably requires a different material under the mats, than a stall with poor/no drainage. Youre welcome Suzy! I have just purchased a house with 2 acres. Add more gravel from time to time. Your email address will not be published. Boredom = monkeys . Buying gravel in small quantities costs more than $100 per ton. BLACK BASALT CRUSHED ROCK (1/2") Decomposed Granite. The Most Effective Short-term Solution For A Muddy Yard. Crushed Stone - Bagged Landscape Rocks - The Home Depot If you can afford concrete I would 100% go with that!! Usually its okay, but one year (same supplier) the crusher had clay in it and it completely packed down and stopped all drainage from happening! Okay so when you say stall mats were talking about a completely enclosed area 3 walls and a roof, right? Its good to know that packing it down like that can make such a difference though, I will definitely keep that in mind. And I would think youd want to use sharper-edged gravel (not smooth) so it can bite into the limestone and hold I discovered this by adding a load of smooth gravel on top of my crusher dust (1/4 gravel) to see what would happen, and it just slid around and was useless. And what you used. The discussion seems to be wide ranging and I would appreciate your thoughts. Id highly recommend going to look at farms that offer to let you see theirs and take a good hard look at their horses feet. If you do it right the first time, you may only have to do the underlayers once (as long as you keep organic matter off your paddock surface) and then top up with crusher dust every couple of years. Texas Aggregate & Base Materials can fill all your base material needs from recycled concrete, rip-rap, limestone, sand or gravel. How thick does each layer need to be? The result is a durable, all-weather surface that is acceptable for animals.. I would still do the Nilex barrier cloth as the bottom layer though, and clear down to hardpan. Walking Paths. As I have 2 horses I intend to build a small turnout paddock for the winter months. Their paddock is 8000 sq feet, so cost is definitely an issue. You can also examine the crusher dust and see which suppliers contains the least amount of dust. Ive always used crusher runits pretty, soft (good for the horses to lie on and me to fall on), keeps their hooves impressively manicured, and easy to clean (kinda like scooping a giant litter box). To create driveways. She began riding at age 2 in Kenya, and got her first horse at age 8 in Alberta, and so continues a life-long journey and love affair with these amazing creatures. Its a shame that gravel/aggregate companies around the globe cant use the same, standardized terminology, that would make sharing information and understanding things a whole lot easier for those of us in the UK, Australia, Canada, USA etc! It would probably be fine in a drier climate but on the Wet Coast, it isnt ideal. I tried that one year and it was the worst gravel ever because it slides around so much it also mixes with all the manure particles and you cant ever get the manure off the smooth gravel. Well first of all, paths dont need any less treatment than your barn yard if you want them to say mud-free. How Can Animal Communicators NOT be Vegan? I only had the farrier out once this entire year and even then one of the horses didnt need anything the rest of the time they either self-trimmed or I helped them out with a touch-up here and there. Crushed Limestone Base. Also, if you want your paddock to give your horses the opportunity to self-trim their hooves then definitely dont put crusher dust as your last layer on top. If we have low-sugar hay in slowfeeders/haynets available 24/7 then our horses do not have to eat toxic plants to assauge the acid in their gut. It has great drainage, and my one complaint is that it gets dusty in the summer, but I consider that a small price to pay for a dry arena in the winter. GABION ROCK - 3" X 5" CRUSHED LIMESTONE. It is abundant, widely available, and inexpensive. Coarse aggregate does not compact easily; many voids may result leaving the surface uneven and difficult for livestock to walk on. Lime is spread on lawns that are not growing well to help the soil become more hospitable for grass. material calculator delivery rates #10 Limestone Screenings This is our finely screened crushed grey limestone. #4 Gravel stone is made of limerock from 1 inch to 2 1/2 inches in size. There is much truth to this quip, as adding something to a muddy road often has . To find out more, visit the limestone page on the website or, to get . On a full rainy day, these patches fill with standing water there is no drainage: So why not just use the 3/4 inch gravel? Rip rap is an aggregate that will perform in the harshest outdoor conditions. Yard Dirt (Unscreened Fill Dirt) from $ 51.10 per ton: Show Prices: Order Now: Your Zipcode. 250 cubic feet divided by 27 = 9.25 cubic yards. So you cannot leave any of this organic matter sitting on your gravel, or else it will quickly break down into a mucky layer that defeats the whole purpose. Decomposed Granite With Stabilizers Honestly, the best solution is concrete all the stables in the UK (same climate) use concrete for high traffic areas. When its settled a bit , say 12 months add another layer of 20mm minus, crushed rock and out a roller or wackier over it. Im mulling the idea of doing a video/blog post just about gravel terminology and what its called in different areas. How to Use and Install Soil-Cement - The Spruce A really interesting topic, and I have a question: is gravel 4/3 & 4/1 good as an alternative to fine sand in horse rooms, or is fine sand better? Google+; Thx, Kimberly, Hi Kimberly see points #4,5,6 in the first section: Create a Dry Paddock in even the Rainiest Climate. Second thing that can really help I was able to do this when I had 5 because there was enough space for everyone, but it no longer worked with 11: https://listentoyourhorse.com/stud-piles-teaching-horses-where-you-want-them-to-poo/. French Drain Basics Then I thought: What if they get a thrush infection and I need to keep them completely off mud I wont be able to do that without cross-fencing the paddock! It will all look normal. I am sure alpaca or lama might work too? Texas Aggregate and Base Materials - Crushed Concrete, Limestone and Because a farrier with lots of experience with it says its too acidic for the horses hooves. I live in a dry, desert region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and I have purebred Arabian horses. Thanks for the interesting discussion. Youre welcome And how terribly EXCITING!! I have been considering french drains as well. When choosing gravel, pea gravel, or limestone gravel, most experts say you should get crushed rock particles no larger than 3/4-inch, or they are not comfortable for the horses to stand on. Well wool holds 40% its weight in water, so that makes sense. The Easiest Waterhole for Horses that Doesnt Produce Mosquitoes! Add about 4 inches per level and compact each layer. Doing so can decrease the accumulation of dust inside your home and make the space useful as another living space like a porch or even a mini court for your kids. That is a good idea however I have an intense dislike of the noise of leaf blowers! Great info. You may always install. https://www.listentoyourhorse.com/equine-permaculture-in-rainy-climates-system-for-sustainable-pastures/, great info, i really appreciate you sharing with others as it takes time to post such info with pictures, too. We have tons of experience in residential, commercial and industrial applications . Repair Your Gutter Downspouts And Fix A Defective Drainage System, The Most Effective Short-term Solution For A Muddy Yard, Industrial Paint Colors (Best Shades & Style Options), Blanket Sizes (King, Queen, Full, Twin & Throw), Rustic Kitchen Backsplash(Types of Materials & Designs), Oak Bedroom Furniture (Wood Types & Styles), Office And Bedroom Combination(Layout Ideas), Regency Style Furniture (Design Characteristics), Garden Hose Sizes (Standard Length & Diameter), Types Of Shovels (Uses, Styles & How to Choose), Split Rail Fence Ideas (Types & Design Pictures). Great article. The question is: what should I put down on the surface of this paddock; what drainage materials will work best and not cost me crazy money? Heres all the reasons why I should have done it that way. Youre very welcome Catherine! Limestone helps to keep down the smell of urine and feces due to its natural lime properties. We have been using cheap quarried chalk (local limestone) and compacting it on site. Bridges of Kentucky > Blog > Uncategorized > crushed limestone for muddy yard. And it will drain even less well if its quarried rock rather than crushed drain rock. Sometimes you have to do some research into what to lay down below it. In my opinion, in this rainy climate, not removing the topsoil down to the firmer layer and then putting down a layer of commercial-grade barrier, and then a layer of large rocks (at least 3 inches wide) is throwing your money away. Larry. Rubber Mats Although this can occasionally be effective, there is a saying in the trade that "adding a bucket of gravel to a bucket of mud just gets you a bigger bucket of mud.". Beware of Temperature-Absorbing Materials The cost per yard can start at $30 and go up to $45. Or for sure you will be re-doing every year. Because the 4 of gravel that was on top, has either been moved around by punchy horse hooves, or been thrown out along with manure that breaks down into tiny particle sizes. The crushed drain rock is going to roll more than the quarried rock. Glass Mosaic Tile (13.26 sq. . Every bit of feedback is useful , Hi! After scraping down to compacted subsoil, put a commercial-grade barrier material on top of the hard pan soil. how essential is the geotextile if you have scraped down a few feet? Every one of my 11 horses knows this. However, I cant imagine anyone giving away fleece for free around here! My questions are as follows: if I use your advice of geotextile fabric with layers of gravel am I going to get washing of the fine gravel on the slopes with heavy rain? Call 360-318-8554 to order rock or gravel delivered in Whatcom County. As long as you keep their hay off the sand (hay nets with a large bucket or built in container to catch escaped hay underneath?) approximate weight per bag. Dont worry about timing everything to occur on the same day. This is where we can choose to support our horses in a wholistic manner. Im so happy I found your website! What can I use as a surface layer that will pack down fairly hard and not get cut up by hooves? They told me a similar story to what I outlined above: After scraping down to the compacted subgrade soil, they place an industrial-grade barrier material, then a layer of large, flat 3-4 rock. 3 inches equals .25 feet Smaller stones, averaging under 1/2 in., are best for paths because they offer more comfort underfoot and pack together better. However, you cant just use 1/4 inch minus with smooth edges, or 3/8 inch minus smooth gravel with no dust as then the gravel will not pack down well. BUT, what am I going to put on their paddock surface to create a paddock footing with adequate drainage? But by April, the area around the slow feeders was wet and mucky. I like the fines so far for helping with the mud, but for sure am trying a longer term solution. Unless you are willing to have the top layer scraped off (and evened out again), and new crusher dust (1/4 minus) laid down every year ($$) its just never going to work well in a rainy climate. The Art of Building Crushed Stone Trails - American Trails Over the last two years we have found that the compacted chalk works well under a straw bed inside. Now, keep in mind that Dr. Swinkers advice is not tailored for a heavy rainfall area. Virginia Limestone Supplier | Purchase Limestone in Virginia | Get Quote For sure, a base layer of well-compacted, large, well-draining rock would have helped prevent the 1/4 minus from being taken over by the mud so quickly. The most common concern about using crusher dust which is just tiny, crushed gravel is whether it will be too sharp for the hooves. You have to be sort of careful of sharp twigs if not screened but I have not had any problems over 19 years. The permeable pavers offered by TRUEGRID are an inexpensive, durable, effective, and long-lasting solution to muddy driveways. 1. We have a rescue donkey and rescue OTTB that love to roll in mud but after 4 days of rain, its too much mud! Heres what 3/4 inch minus looks like and it costs me $700 including delivery: The truck arrived and dumped both loads of gravel near the shelters. Simple Solutions To Reduce Dog Mud In Your Yard Either that or you need to lay the plastic drainage mats but thats even more expensive. 2 inches equals .167 feet I also found it really helpful to install a French Drain in my current paddock to help funnel the water off/away from the paddock and this made a huge difference in the effectiveness of my paddock surface. So the only surface Ive seen work is concrete. 1.5 tons are enough for one cubic yard. Excellent article, and appreciate the before and after pics. Id like something that would be most comfortable as they sometimes stay in there for a longer period of time, like heavy rain or cold windy days. 3/4" Crushed Limestone Rock, 57 Stone. I have friends who have used almost the same formula but without the compacting and have to pick the rocks regularly (at least weekly, if not more often). Ive never seen 3-inch woodchips for sale anywhere in the Vancouver area. Great info Donna thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! Best article ever- I needed up making it a little simpler and doing geo textile then 6 in granite fines and have no mud in my barn yard- Thanks for all the valuable info. In the table below you will find the average prices for crushed stone . Just before we close, lets talk a bit more about geotextile cloth, which many paddock experts recommend using. About #4 Limestone Gravel Gray. I have heard that pea gravel is best although it doesnt pack down. Thinking about limestone gravel or C30 sand. How to Manifest the Land of Your Dreams Part 3. However, on the flip side of that argument, here's what a Farrier has to say about why she prefers crusher dust: "As a farrier, my favourite footing in this area is crusher dust.