I look forward to the day I get to make a track system and incorporate things like this. Especially because I know certain stones can help strengthen hooves, I need that for my girl, but we are doing the best we can while boarding. Oh the day I get to do things like this! I think everyone across the US is or will see a horrible muddy season!
We had a ton of rain in AZ this winter and my pens were under water. I ended up putting down 25 tons of sand. I wondered about the rocks, maybe I should have gone that route. My round pen is arena sand, too. Bobcats are the best machinery ever made- small, compact, yet able to move large amounts of matter effortlessly.
Unfortunately, the woman who owns the farm where I am involved, is 84, broke, and such a doll that we all plow through the mud. I love your idea and wish it was possible!
Well, we've built "playpens" built up with 6 or 8 inch wood at the edges, with fabric underneath, and sand. Easier to scoop manure out of. So far so good. We're aboit 3 years on for one, and needing to replace some sand. It does stick to the manure, so eventually it goes away in spite of the fabric. A couple high traffic spots are done this way, although I'd love to be able to afford more. No shoes on our babies btw.
You know, after hurricane Matthew came through NC a couple of years ago a lot of earth was washed away revealing a load of stones underneath! We didn't even know it was there! It was awesome but going on two years later, I guess the stone has washed away bc we are back to mud! Putting straw or hay down before it rains does help a lot. I pick up the hay the horses drop around the hut and use that. I actually made a make do bridge out of plywood to cross the mudpit this year!
Oh I need that delivered to my house!! Lol we have terrible mud in between the two barns and up along the side of the 1st horse barn. They don't like to walk through it but when they do their feet are covered in sloppy yucky mud almost to their knees😩 I put hay down when I knew it was about to rain, that helped temporarily
My horses don’t wear shoes, so if the mud is awful, I hose them off every evening and put them in a stall. Also, there’s a bunch of wasted hay from round bales they ate all winter, so they like to stand on the raised area, and they could walk out to the field where the ground is higher and get out of ankle deep muck. What size rock is that you used, or what do they call it? looks like 2-3” rock. No sharp edges I see.
Ooooo, I like that idea! I just board where I am so although I can suggest (and have a great Barn Manager), it's not really my call. We currently do option 1 and just leave it. We have other areas to work and the paddocks are big enough that only half the the current winter paddock is muddy, the rest has drained. All of our horses are barefoot though. Are there any concerns with bruising? Oh...no...I just read the rest of the post. Very interesting! Thank you for the post!
