Author Topic: Muddy paddock (Read 5837 times)

laurelrus · « **on:** November 20, 2017, 05:24:17 pm »

The paddock where our two Shetland ponies are is becoming terribly muddy especially by the gates and around their stable.
There were some paving slabs there from when our pygmy goats lived there but the Shetlands seemed to find that slippery so we took them away. We put hardcore down but it's disappeared into the mud really fast.
Clearly we have to think of an alternative, and quickly, as the mud is so bad I'm finding it hard not to slip over/lose a boot and it's only mid-November!
Could we use more of the rubber matting that we use in the stables? I'm worried about their feet which are really muddy, and would really appreciate advice.
thanks very much

lord flynn · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2017, 05:57:55 pm »

when we first moved here, we had that really wet winter of 2013 and we had a lead time on stables of 4 months and my ponies were disappearing into mud.

a temporary measure that worked well for two ponies was that plastic grass grid similar to the link below, with rubber matting on top-we had some quarry conveyor matting left here which is remarkably unslippery even when wet/frosty. we made an area of about 20ft x 15ft along a wall for them that they could have hay on. its still there tbh as I have got round to digging it up but haven't used it for the ponies since then. you could use the very heavy rubber stable mats on top and there were various deals available online for the grids.

don't put rubber matting straight onto mud-you will lose it as you did the hardcore. grass mats can work if you put them down in the summer so grass can grow through them.

laurelrus · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2017, 06:58:40 pm »

Thanks Lord Flynn - that’s most helpful!

LeanneR88 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 09, 2017, 10:05:08 pm »

You could put up some electric fencing round gates to keep them from making anymore mess, also spraying there legs with pig oil will help with the mud sticking to them!

laurelrus · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2017, 10:09:37 am »

Thanks LeanneR88 - I'll get some pig oil and try that!

bazzais · « **Reply #5 on:** December 22, 2017, 08:30:56 pm »

feed them in the most remote places and dont encourage them to to come to the gates in good weather. When wet comes - it will be wet - it will grow back.