GeoTextile, Gravel and Dry Lot Design

[BarnField]

I have a 100’ x 120’ dirt (clay) and grass paddock that I want to turn into a dry lot (NO MUD) for 2 horses.

Right now, it turns into a mud pit when I put 1 or 2 horses out there in winter or spring.

In the past, I have dumped gravel near the gate and hear the run-in and that works beautifully for a short time, but then of course the gravel disappears into the mud as their feet turn it up.

I’d like to lay geotextile fabric across the whole 100x120 and then cover with gravel, but I have obstacles… about 5 mature trees I’d like to keep for shade and a handful of old stumps that I am loathe to mess with.

Has anyone successfully laid geotextile in just a partial section of a paddock?

Then I could just lay the geotex in a way to avoid the trees and stumps?

How do you keep the geotextile from coming up at the edges where it ends?

I see these metal stakes advertised for holding down the fabric before covering with gravel, but really … the idea of metal stakes anywhere in a paddock is going to keep me awake at night with potential vet bills $$.

[froglander]

What about some of the plastic grid options? You could probably fit those around your trees?

[DHCarrotfeeder]

I would cut the geotex cleanly around the trees. You’re not going to see the gravel disappearing there anyhow.

[Calvincrowe]

I had one tree in my paddock, which is roughly 60x70 or so. We laid our cloth in summer on a slightly naturally sloping area of hard packed dirt. We simple cut around the tree and added our gravel (6" of “screenings” or irregular gravel 3/4inch and smaller…mostly much smaller…like big, gritty “sand”) right over it. We butted it up against an area that is dirt, and our cloth has stayed down with very little issue–not stakes needed. We did bury it in gravel and dirt on the edges though. It’s been there for 10 years now and other than adding a bit of gravel every 3 years or so, it’s been great. You’ll get a layer of organics built up after time with them bringing mud and whatnot up from the non-gravel sections.

[BarnField]

yes, i had considered that might be better, but the geotex fabric wins on costs over the grids, unfortunately

[BarnField]

[QUOTE=froglander;8552987]
What about some of the plastic grid options? You could probably fit those around your trees?[/QUOTE]

hmm, thought about that, too, they see pretty rugged, but the geotex fabric wins on cost, unfortunately

[Calvincrowe]

There’s no way I could afford the plastic grid…when a whole roll of cloth runs around $400 for 12x350 feet! I hear you on that, BarnField!! Though it is pretty darn nice. Have a friend who used in for her digger’s paddock and she loves it.

[JoZ]

Hope you don’t mind if I piggyback here since I’m considering the same thing. I don’t have the tree obstacles, but I only want to do part of my paddocks. This winter it was really easy to see where the problem areas are. I want to get one roll of the fabric and use it on all the areas that got muddy. I was wondering about perhaps holding the edges down with railroad ties or 4 x 4s. Sort of making the horses a patio. Has anyone done anything like that? I have the same issues as the OP in terms of attaching the cloth to the wood with any kind of nail! So maybe it wouldn’t work.

[foggybok]

[QUOTE=JoZ;8553859]
Hope you don’t mind if I piggyback here since I’m considering the same thing. I don’t have the tree obstacles, but I only want to do part of my paddocks. This winter it was really easy to see where the problem areas are. I want to get one roll of the fabric and use it on all the areas that got muddy. I was wondering about perhaps holding the edges down with railroad ties or 4 x 4s. Sort of making the horses a patio. Has anyone done anything like that? I have the same issues as the OP in terms of attaching the cloth to the wood with any kind of nail! So maybe it wouldn’t work.[/QUOTE]

The edges were not a problem for me. I buried the cloth well with the gravel so the edges are covered (but the edges are low traffic areas, so it’s OK). I did put logs down on the edge at the once place they enter the sacrifice area, and then the gravel gets held in by the logs, which also hold down the edge of the material.

There is one tree in the middle, I just made a opening in the geotextile there, no problem. Has held up in mudville with no maintenance for the last 8 years.

[bathsheba8542]

Like others, I have used geotex and gravel around a tree in a dry lot; no problems with the material staying put, and the tree surviving.

[Mosey_2003]

When you’re ready to buy your rock, you can use this calculator to decide how much you want.
http://www.triconmaterials.com/calculator.php

[BarnField]

[QUOTE=Mosey_2003;8554121]
When you’re ready to buy your rock, you can use this calculator to decide how much you want.
http://www.triconmaterials.com/calculator.php[/QUOTE]

thanks Mosey! that’s very cool!

[BarnField]

[QUOTE=Calvincrowe;8553802]
There’s no way I could afford the plastic grid…when a whole roll of cloth runs around $400 for 12x350 feet! I hear you on that, BarnField!! Though it is pretty darn nice. Have a friend who used in for her digger’s paddock and she loves it.[/QUOTE]

Calvincrowe, I haven’t sourced the fabric yet, let me know if you have a recommendation, but I did find this roll on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Mutual-Polyethylene-Geotextile-Fabric-Length/dp/B00C1S9EJC/ref=pd_sbs_328_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=617CDYqKvML&dpSrc=sims&preST=AC_UL160_SR160%2C160&refRID=1B1M7XV8JG0ZVH9JD5R9

Also, I need to speak with my local Soil & Water conservation district, as I am pretty sure they distribute it to farm owners.

[Calvincrowe]

I found mine at a local erosion control company and bought it right off their loading dock! Fun backing my big pickup truck up between semis.:lol: Be sure to get the permeable version. Do call your conservation district to see if they will assist you in selection and purchase. They’ll know what kind you should use.

My paddock is about 3/4 geo/gravel and 1/4 dirt. We really do want to do the gate area and the rest of the area this summer, just have been lazy about doing it. My overhang area (12x48) is a “patio” with RR ties holding in the packed dirt/gravel mix which puts it a couple inches above the paddock.

You must be religious about picking up poo, hay and other organics off the gravel, otherwise your gravel will turn into gravelly muck.

[Mosey_2003]

I would imagine it would be cheapest to source it locally if possible, shipping on it is probably high.

[ShotenStar]

I have a sacrifice paddock with a slope. I did a gravel / geotex / stonedust layering on the top half and left the lower part of the slope alone. Some of the stonedust has drifted down there in heavy rains. I periodically get in there with the tractor and rake it back up the slope. The only places where I have problems with the fabric coming up are where I screwed up and dug too deep with the tractor, plus a few place along the fencelines / edges, where the mares found some fabric to play with and pulled it up. Both issues are easily corrected with a shovel and a few minutes work.

star

[susanne]

Have you had any road/driveway work, septic or other excavation done recently? Any excavators as friends? Our excavator got the geotextile for our driveway for much less than I would have paid.

A few years earlier, when I did a small area at the front of one corral (approx a 10x100 strip), I used heavy duty landscape fabric with 5/8 minus gravel over the top and it worked great.

[showidaho]

Something to consider once you have installed your geotextile layer and top footing: It will only stay nice if it is maintained meticulously, so if your trees are dropping matter on your footing you’ll need clean it just as you would clean up after your horses.

[BarnField]

[QUOTE=showidaho;8556133]
Something to consider once you have installed your geotextile layer and top footing: It will only stay nice if it is maintained meticulously, so if your trees are dropping matter on your footing you’ll need clean it just as you would clean up after your horses.[/QUOTE]

thank you - good point! the cleanup will be annoying but worth it

[foggybok]

[QUOTE=BarnField;8554158]
Calvincrowe, I haven’t sourced the fabric yet, let me know if you have a recommendation, but I did find this roll on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Mutual-Polyethylene-Geotextile-Fabric-Length/dp/B00C1S9EJC/ref=pd_sbs_328_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=617CDYqKvML&dpSrc=sims&preST=AC_UL160_SR160%2C160&refRID=1B1M7XV8JG0ZVH9JD5R9

Also, I need to speak with my local Soil & Water conservation district, as I am pretty sure they distribute it to farm owners.[/QUOTE]

definitely talk to conservation district. Our sometimes has grants to help you pay for sacrifice areas, and even when they don’t have grants, they can get you good prices on the materials