In this front area I call the paddock are their water tubs and 2 walk-in shelters, each with its own slow feeder and rubber mats. Crusher dust is gravel that has been crushed to the size of 1/4 or less. So then when the ground shifts, it may develop sink spots, become wavy, etc but it doesnt matter since your mats are one piece. Now Im going to moving my other mare over so wanted to check whats the best footing as I live on Vancouver Island, the place with the most rainfall on the planet. But as I pointed out above, examine the crusher before you order it, to make sure it is just crushed rock fines and doesnt contain any clay particles. But Im afraid the only thing that is maintenance-free is concrete! I write for a quarry and sand-and-gravel operation. You may also be able to get away with just doing 3/4 minus and then 1/4 crusher dust if your subsoil (hardpan) is hard and not too deep. GAH this is the bane of my existence! We just had our stable built, with excavation down to the hard soil. Please feel free to share your experience and experiments in the Comments section below. To ensure adequate drainage for the stable when using any type of flooring, elevate the top of the stall floor at least 12 inches above the outside ground level. They also recommended I use 6 inches of it. Why Do The Horses Always Have Better Ideas Than Me? How Can Animal Communicators NOT be Vegan? They also know WHEN to eat a plant some are not toxic at first growth in Spring and only become toxic as they approach maturity. 2. It can pack into a hard surface with limited drainage capacity. 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. For a 2040 metre area I would put 20 cubic metres. My own experience (keep reading) confirms this. You have to be sort of careful of sharp twigs if not screened but I have not had any problems over 19 years. Gravel is extremely simple to put on lawns and offers a long-term solution. Absolute BEST Barn Design for Horses or Cows Cold or Heat! Will last a lot longer. First layer of rock should be 40mm crushed rock, with no fines in it. It was great to read such an informative article. I received your email, but no need to send the link now I see. Clear stone is sometimes known as drainage stone. Every one of my 11 horses knows this. The two in front look taller than usual, Thank you so much for the invitation, but I will have to wait until I can afford my own plane (or fractional jet ownership!) One word of caution: Ive been using it for 6 years, no problems, but recently, recently, almost lost one of my horses to colic. Thank you for your response. I think it also depends on the crusher I got one load that was insanely dusty, I was concerned about them inhaling it. One yard of #57 limestone gravel weighs approximately 1.4tons. It gets as wet as the paddock, so the same footing will probably be best. I am in the UK. Shamanic Journey & Psychic Predictions from 5 Years Ago! Multiply the square footage (length x width = square footage) of your paddock by the depth of gravel you want. You'll find that natural decomposed granite offers better drainage and is great for keeping plants warmer during the winter. So 6 = .5 feet, or 3 = .25 feet. I am also a muddy hillside east Tennessee horsefarm owner. I only bring this up because who would ever think that doing the right thing for your horses would be against the law. Ive also not had one issue of gravel puncturing or injuring their soles when horses hooves have a place to dry out regularly, and they have a variety of surfaces to choose from, in my experience, their hooves and soles harden up and just take care of themselves. And thanks so much for letting all of us know. The process involves breaking of collected rocks down to the specific sizes with the help of different rock crushers/machines. You need good quality freshly chipped. The most common approach to firming up a muddy road is to add gravel. I will leave the back field open for them through the winter until May/June and let them trash it with their hooves and manure. Then, depending on their water tolerance, select plant species for each location. What can I use as a surface layer that will pack down fairly hard and not get cut up by hooves? Thanks so much Eve, for stopping by and adding your wisdom/experience to this conversation much appreciated! I have put rubber mats down on every different gravel footing Ive tested and they always move and become uneven. I have been considering french drains as well. Ive never seen 3-inch woodchips for sale anywhere in the Vancouver area. He says it grinds away at their soles and bars in particular. However, at my current property, after doing everything exactly right, with the commercial-grade barrier cloth and all the right layers, by the end of the winter there were still craters and low spots in the footing. Even though we moved some gravel over from other parts of the paddock, the gravel had sunk down into the soil all over, so there wasnt much left to scavenge. And then the cloth gets moved around by their hooves. For a 6-foot- (1.8- meter-) wide trail, this amounts to about 1 cubic yard (0.76 cubic meter) of loose material per 6 . Natural Decomposed Granite This is a great alternative to mulch that can be placed around plants, shrubs, and trees. I have also not had to top it up in any way, although I pick manure daily, and also harrow it weekly as I dont want to mess up my base by having holes in my sand from the horses playing out there! 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? I would love to turn one of my higher ground areas into a huge covered area with drainage footing and then 8 inches of sand on top just for them to use to lie down Maybe someday. And in a paddock entryway with 8 inches total of gravel/crusher. The perm agg base coarse is basically a coarse 1-1/4 minus, and the perm agg top coarse is a coarse 5/8 minus (basically a 3/4 minus). But if you live somewhere rainy like the Pacific Northwest or UK, then this industrial-grade barrier material is crucial. Thanks for the interesting discussion. And yes, because horses hooves pound gravel and shift it around unevenly, eventually you will have spots where the geocloth is exposed usually at the edges of an area. Gravel is bound to have runoff, so your installation of a French drain was a great idea. INC. - Eighty Four 1016 Pennsylvania 519 Eighty Four, Pennsylvania 15330 (724) 222-4303 Get Directions Kirby Agri 500 Running Pump Road Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601 717-229-2541 Get Directions He was stunned by the county thinking gravel is non permeable and says they are dead wrong. Great info. Plan on spending anywhere between $32 and $55 per cubic yard of clean crushed rock and $15 to $37 per cubic yard of minus crushed rock. I was all ready to order my gravel and tractor (my two new horses arrive at the end of April) until I read that you shouldnt do this work when the soil is muddy. Grades of limestone aggregate include: 2- to 3-inch Limestone - primarily a construction grade of Limestone. Okay, now that you know what to do Im going to tell you about all the options available and what other people say. 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. To create driveways. I am sure alpaca or lama might work too? So make sure your two layers, over your Nilex Geotextile, are at least 10 inches deep. Perhaps just 3/4 minus gravel laid 4 inches deep and 2 inches of crusher dust (1/4 minus) on top would be sufficient?? Just hold on Sue, Ive got a guy coming out this week who contracts with the city here to create all their parks with horse trails, drain peat bogs, etc. Ideally, gravel should be 3/8" but 3/4" would also work. Thanks for the response. The other stuff is too loose and just moves out of the way like pea gravel. Modern Gravel Above: In a Brooklyn backyard, garden designer Brook Klausing edged limestone pavers with crushed limestone dust mixed with gravel. It consists of a coarse aggregate base and a finer cover layer. One of the most common uses of crushed limestone is in laying driveways. One thing that I did and would highly recommend is after having the 3 minus delivered we rented a 1000 lb plate compactor and compacted the arena surface for a full week, many, many, many times. Contact Us, How to Fix a Muddy Yard (Prevent Water Build-Up Tips). Same issue of course. OR perhaps you live in a region that just gets occasional downpours or flooding, so you dont think youll need the geotextile layer, or the same layers of rock/gravel. Then I will hire a bunch of teenagers to remove all the manure from this sacrifice field thereby removing all bots, eggs, parasites etc. The best way to fix a muddy driveway is with TRUEGRID permeable pavers. There is much truth to this quip, as adding something to a muddy road often has . Just before we close, lets talk a bit more about geotextile cloth, which many paddock experts recommend using. If the supplier charges by the yard, then the costs can be about $27 . If you do this, be certain to fill up the ground back in with soil and sow turf seeds so the grass grows back as well as the ground doesn't lose absorbent planet. yd. Paul. I know another one of our readers in Washington had the county pay for her gravel! Now lay a layer of large rock or recycled concrete (3 inches wide or larger rock) on top of the Nilex barrier, about 5 inches deep. Base Products: 226,835,102 Total Tons Sold TCS # 166 1 1/2 Base View Spec Sheet. Or email them to me and Ill upload them: service@listentoyourhorse.com And do you have any pics of the barn you never had to dig out? Based on United States Geological Survey (2006), Wikipedia has produced the following useful insights giving data regarding crushed limestone.. 1.44 billion tons of crushed stones were used in the construction industry. BUT, what am I going to put on their paddock surface to create a paddock footing with adequate drainage? 1.5 tons are enough for one cubic yard. Good sleep is an important part of a happy, healthy horse. Upload attachment(Allowed file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, maximum file size: 8MB. The result is a durable, all-weather surface that is acceptable for animals.. It seems there is nothing harder for wear-and-tear on gravel than horses hooves! it should be good. At the base its currently just packed dirt. Hi Pat, if you just laid the gravel, but no geotextile cloth underneath, youll get one good winter out of it, possibly two. But outdoors slightly more tricky over time as wet climate works on absorbancy of chip too besides the urine. This seriously impacts my decision-making process. Work these rocks into. If you are ordering crusher dust, its best if you can get a look at it, to make sure it is just rock fines and doesnt have clay (or a lot of sand particles) in it. And yes, I can also concur with your friends experience. It can also be called quarter minus, or flume sand. Kimberly, Oooh thats fantastic Kimberly! BUT if you can teach them where to poo that could buy you 2-3 years before having to scrape/freshen. Then I added 4 inches of 3/4 inch minus gravel, and then 2 inches of crusher dust. Crushed stone, a mixture of stone dust and stone of various sizes, packs together nicely. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Your email address will not be published. Angular Crushed Rock, very stable and suitable for paddocks. I want a one time solution with not a massive upkeep. Hi Jini, its been almost a year since I did my paddock, I used your recommended amounts/measurements, minus the Nilex barrier cloth, and its been great. You can then layer it with geocell to prevent pooling and unstable ground. Great info Donna thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! 2. Alicia. Would love to know what works for your climate/conditions , Hi Jini, I too live in eastern Colorado and would love to try the paddock recipe youve provided for this area. Hey Paul, if your fine gravel locks together (i.e. Outside is not so good; it gets slippery when wet and is even worse when it freezes so this year I have put some gravel/sand mix on top of the chalk in some areas and so far that is performing better. Awesome feedback! how essential is the geotextile if you have scraped down a few feet? Every bit of feedback is useful , Hi! You can also subscribe without commenting. Use something like this Nilex non-woven geotextile with a load capacity that can withstand rock, gravel and horses hooves. Heres a full list of inch to feet conversions so you can figure out the depth of gravel you want for your calculation in step #1 above: 1 inch equals .083 feet This is really labor intensive and I totally did not anticipate the amount of leaf raking I was going to have to do! Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; best perks for running killer dbd. Limestone helps keep the soil pH higher. One of the most important considerations for many people is the cost of the material, but there is good news with crushed gravel because it's one of the more affordable driveway options available. Since I have not prepped the paddock surface and the gravel will be dumped straight on the grass, I decide to order 39 tons of 3/4 inch minus gravel from Fraser Valley Aggregates. Seriously, DO it. Bridges of Kentucky > Blog > Uncategorized > crushed limestone for muddy yard. Some terms that indicate compacting gravel are: crushed rock, crushed limestone, crushed stone, crusher run, fines, stone dust, aggregate, road base, paver base and decomposed granite (mixed with sand or stone dust). Like you mentioned, it has blunted edges and wont compact as well as a 1/4 minus quarried rock. If you need to install a drain or culvert heres my handy step-by-step guide to install a French drain. If the hay does get on it, it isnt like sand for colic concerns that Ive ever heard of. I also dont worry about having my horses loose when the machinery is here. The only other option I can think of, is to save your money on the material underneath and put that towards having custom-cut mats that fill the stall, wall-to-wall in one piece. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 5. that would be cool . This has been SO HELPFUL!!!!! I have hired a contractor with a huge tracked skid steer who specialises in fine grading to fill my trench back in and grade and scrape their entire paddock so that it has a nice gentle slope. 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? If it has to cope with as much water as your paddock, then go ahead and do it the same as they likely wont be trying to lie down on it anyway. . And I had to do that every year, for 4 years, until I finally got my friend Mitchell to come in and do it right. However, you dont want to use sand if your horses are going to be eating on the surface (can cause colic if ingested). By the time the following May/June rolls around, the sacrifice field will be rejuvenated and Ill flip them again. When should you scrape down to subgrade soil? In order to safely use limestone for landscaping, remember these points, and your garden will thrive: 1. Pea gravel. Nevertheless, if its working well for you, then its always good to have options . Because ALL ground sinks and displaces unevenly as weather and moisture changes. Like Hoffmans? Rain on your crusher dust quickly takes care of this problem though. Let the adventure begin. Nilex is a worldwide company, but if you cant get that material, then just show your supplier the spec sheet and get them to match it. Only a few dont fall through. Granite Base. As the hogfuel ages and the acid leaches out, it turns sloppy and is a fantastic host for bacteria so again, another problem to deal with.. Thanks so much for sharing your methods and experience. So instead of implementing what I know would be a great solution, instead, Im trying to figure out the most cost-effective way of making sure my horses dont get thrush and can maintain healthy hooves through this years wet, rainy Winter and Spring. 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/. Where I will leave them for the entire summer and winter, let them trash it, etc. Gravel for paths is sold by type and size. One herd owner I know used a mixture of various sized gravel, sand, and crusher dust. The other way to look at the weed issue is from a soil ecology perspective. It can also be called quarter minus, or flume sand. The discussion seems to be wide ranging and I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank-you! Thanks Margaret glad it was useful/helpful! I really appreciate the knowledge you shared. More importantly, you should know that the kitty litter will need to remain in the yard for at least a day or two before it is completely soaked in and then it needs to be removed. Ive heard from a number of people whove tried both that limestone packs down better. We put down road base then put pea gravel on top. Before we get into the materials we use for a hot tub base we need to first. State Approved Road Base View Ad. If theyre coming end of April, youre well over the worst of it. Sorry I havent seen or experimented with stall footing. No the woodchips are not from the bark which is very tannic. Great article. Google+; The farmer who spread the gravel for me suggested I try a load of crusher dust from Upper Fraser Valley Trucking next time he thought it would be a better surface, even spread directly on grass. 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. wearing surface. Heres all the reasons why I should have done it that way. 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. An easy way to tell the difference is that crushed drain rock is usually variegated (the grains will have multiple colors) while a quarried rock will mostly consist of the same color hue. Mix the Soil-Cement. Top soil has been removed and 2-3 stone laid down with willow or other non-poisonous wood chips laid on top to depth of 6-12. I have lost so much gravel from throwing it out with the manure, I highly suspect well need to put down a load of crusher dust after scraping/grading this year. As youve shown, it doesnt hold up well, but its not expensive to replenish here ($250 per 16k lbs.). See more related content in our article about, Pros and Cons of Prefinished Hardwood Flooring. by. That said, there have been some crusher dusts surfaces that while I feel they are an improvement over hogfuel or mud, are still not the best. Smaller stones, averaging under 1/2 in., are best for paths because they offer more comfort underfoot and pack together better. I am curious as to what you went with if you could let us know. However, I cant imagine anyone giving away fleece for free around here! Rubber Mats It has been suggested that a horse must consume 60% of its body weight in green Russian knapweed plant material before toxicity symptoms appear.