Creating a mud-proof water tub area

[JB]

Once this RIDICULOUS mud is under control (July, at this rate!) I really need to have something done to the area the water tub is. Over the years it’s “sunken” due to traffic, compaction, some run-off, etc, and, of course, expanded.

My head immediately goes to a nice square/rectangle border of railroad ties, filled with 6" or so of sandrock or bluestone.

How far off am I from a safety perspective? Can that square be raised so there’s a step up, as long as there’s enough room from the tub? Or is that begging for a tendon injury from a misstep? If it needs to be flush, what’s to prevent mudfill from also creating a tendon injury from a toe stepping on the wood border (whatever that should be), and heels sinking into mud?

In other words - tell me how to do this so everyone is happy

[Simkie]

At our last place, the auto waterer was on a concrete pad that was 5-6 inches above grade. Horses stepped up with their front feet to drink. No problems doing that!

By with what you’re describing, I’d scrape off the muck, drop a whole load of screenings (with geotex under, if you really want) and call it good. But scraping the muck is probably the most important part!

[anon81364900]

I really don’t think a step creates injury risk (my horses regularly navigate a 3-4" concrete step in their barnyard without ever a misstep. Heck, Brio knows if I’ve inadvertently left the gate to my tackroom open and walks up the two stairs to go in there (because she knows sometimes there’s catfood left over from the morning feed). And I just shoo her out and she goes down those two stairs without blinking.

They know every inch of their regular places, can see just fine in the dark, and it’s not like they’re galloping right next to the trough. You could increase nighttime visibility by adding a strip of bright white stone around the base of your pad, or painting the RR ties white.

[JB]

There really is no scraping that can be done, it’s all red clay all the way to China whatever is done will have to be done when things are dry enough, and there’s already a “bowl” depression. I just need some way to contain it laterally

Good to hear that a regularly used spot isn’t necessarily a risk. I guess the keys are making it small enough they aren’t all the way on it, or large enough they’re alllll the way on it, which is what I’d be looking at.

[3PonyFarm]

I put used concrete blocks down, laid so the holes are facing up. Filled with gravel about 6” above block. I did this for my gates and around trough. So far so good!

[wsmoak]

I have these grids bookmarked for a future project…

Horse Paddock Mud Control Grid

[JB]

Yes, I’m looking at those/similar grids for another area which is on a 2-way slope and is just deplorable now with all the rain we’ve had, and where I need for things to be pretty stable because of that slope. I need to try to do a cost comparison between less footing and using a grid, or more footing and not. and I would assume the grids need to have something rigid in place to keep them from migrating as well.

[wsmoak]

@JB

I would assume the grids need to have something rigid in place to keep them from migrating as well.

Those particular ones do not seem to need either a prepared base or any kind of edging or staking.

There is a video on this page where they’re stabilizing a muddy trail: https://www.cashmans.com/product/stable-ground-mud-solution/

I think they snap together and once you have enough of them, they whole thing can’t move. I would, however, like to see that trail installation after a year or two!

[baybrio]

Off this topic but…
HungarianHippo1 - My most beloved mare was named Brio. I still have her only offspring.

What is it with horses and CAT food. I have a 42 year old mare who is crazy for it. I’m thinking of mixing her pain meds with it when she is being picky. I’m only half kidding.

[Leather]

Not sure if you’re just looking at “floating” type grid or if you’d be interested in grid that you fill with gravel, but I used these on a slope within my paddock and they’ve worked well. They have anchor stakes to hold them in place on slopes, plus when the gravel packs down it helps lock it into place even more. I liked that they connect by sliding them together horizontally rather than vertically since I figured that would help keep them from popping apart on the slope.

https://www.amazon.com/Standartpark-EasyPave-Permeable-Driveways-Parking/dp/B07FM2PYKN

You’re not supposed to need any base layer due to the “lily pad” design on the bottom, but the video does note that in extreme mud conditions you should put down 1-2" of gravel for the base. I already had re-worked my paddocks with geotextile and gravel so mud wasn’t a concern but I wanted gravel stabilization on the sloping area so can’t really speak to how well it does without a base layer. But I think it would work pretty well as long as you didn’t try to put it down in a quagmire situation with no prep.

For the rest of my paddock we had scraped down to the solid clay layer, put down heavy duty geotextile (heavy non-woven, often called boulder cloth) and then about 6" of crushed gravel. We then wet it down and ran a vibrating compactor over it a few times - this was the key part. Best think we ever did!

[Simkie]

@Leather

For the rest of my paddock we had scraped down to the solid clay layer, put down heavy duty geotextile (heavy non-woven, often called boulder cloth) and then about 6" of crushed gravel. We then wet it down and ran a vibrating compactor over it a few times - this was the key part. Best think we ever did!

This sounds like heaven!

[candyappy]

We put down gravel screenings in my lean -to dry lot area several years ago and that included where the water trough is. Not only is the mud a thing of the past, the area dries out really fast after several inches of rain. It may be a little wet on top but there is no mud. It packs down to a solid footing. No gravel pieces, no rocks.

As long as your area has a mild slope( mine does)so it drains a load of screenings would be my choice.

Before we did that I was losing my shoes in the mud…

[Leather]

@Simkie

@Leather

For the rest of my paddock we had scraped down to the solid clay layer, put down heavy duty geotextile (heavy non-woven, often called boulder cloth) and then about 6" of crushed gravel. We then wet it down and ran a vibrating compactor over it a few times - this was the key part. Best think we ever did!

This sounds like heaven!

I cannot overstate how amazing this has been - totally life changing. I used to come in from doing chores in tears sometimes because it was such a muddy slippery mess for both me and the horses. We were all miserable.

[JB]

@Leather

I used to come in from doing chores in tears sometimes because it was such a muddy slippery mess for both me and the horses. We were all miserable.

This was me and them this year. They’d gotten to the point they’d stand 100’ away because they didn’t want to come sliding through the slop

Lots of good options to consider, thanks!

[carman_liz]

Agtec Geocell Ground Grid Paver – 2 Inch (8.4ft x 27.4ft)

Cheaper and it works!

[Postandrails]

@wsmoak

I have these grids bookmarked for a future project…

Paramount Materials

Horse Paddock Mud Control Grid

Horse Paddock Mud Control Grid The Horse Paddock Mud Control Grid is designed to eliminate mud in horse paddock areas while providing a stable surface. These ultra-reinforced grids are unique in that they do not require a substructure (compacted…

I’ve seen a video showing that these can get fairly slippery in icy conditions, so they may not work in every situation. There are also plenty of videos showing how great they are in the right situations though.

[Christa_P]

I there a slope or out of the way place you could drain the water to with a drain tile. I’m thinking of a large gravel pad around the trough with a drain tile to get the water away from the area otherwise your just creating a bathtub effect with the gravel in a hole. It will help, but removing the water will be more effective.