That really depends on the specific area where it’s mined. Mine here is super hard, has a high iron content.
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I had my excavator over to talk about my plans to build/start a track around my property and he said the fabric down is a huge factor in the surface holding up over the years.
Good question about limestone versus something else.
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we use decomposed granite, it is less dusty
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And that comes out of agg pits too?
The problem with limestone is that it’s basic nature can irritate the skin, usually on the pasterns, and create open lesions which can get infected. “Limestone poisoning”.
Pretty sure that’s only hydrated lime, not the untreated stone and aglime/barnlime we use on roads and in barns. My MSDS on my material doesn’t list any burn hazards…
ETA - Just pulled it up and the only skin concern is if they’re sliding across it and doing actual mechanical damage - “Not known to be a dermal irritant or sensitizer” is the exact wording.
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Yes, it is when there is a lesion/cut/injury from something else that it can become a problem. A horse I raised and sold died/was put down from this. A small cut incurred during a race at a track where this was a known problem, due to the limestone under the track surface which got kicked up with the cushion during a race, small cut on the suspensory ligament. I don’t know how deep, I wasn’t there, heard about it after the fact. Ate right through to the ligament itself, resulting in euthanasia. The track was famous for exactly this problem, it happened quite often. Not a racetrack that I ever ran horses at.
That’s bizarre
Hi-- I’ve had mud free ‘dry lots’ here in the Portland Metro for 20 years. I’ll tell you what has worked:
Start with dry soil, if you want, excavate down a few inches, but I didn’t find it necessary.
Make sure the land slopes slightly, preferably away from the barn or structure the horses will be housed in.
Have gutters on said structure, with drains that lead away from the dry lot.
Using geotextile material (ie road cloth) cover the entire surface. I did not fasten it down.
I used 1/4 minus gravel, about 5”, and kind of packed it down with my tractor. Pea gravel rolls and travels downhill.
I don’t have diggers so all I’ve had to do is add gravel every 2-3 years. I pick all organics daily, morning and night. No poop, no hay, nothing.
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@Calvincrowe was the minus 1/4 gravel abrasive? I’ve heard that pea gravel is good for hooves, but one of my horses has thin soles that abrade really easily.
I was going to put an eight-inch board at the bottom of the paddock, all the way around, to keep the pea gravel in.
If what you call pea gravel is the same as what we do, it would be harder on their soles. I hate walking on the stuff in shoes. 1/4 gravel (I’m thinking would be the equivalent of our stonedust), would be more abrasive to the walls of the hoof, unless your horse has pancake hooves, the sole isn’t normally a problem.
This is something I struggle with. I have 3/8 minus and there’s always organic material I can’t get out. I have found that a periodic sweep with a leaf blower helps some.
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Sorry for the delay in answering your question. I’ve had a variety of horses on the 1/4 minus/screenings size footing for 20 years with one abscess in all that time. TBs, shoes, no shoes, warmbloods, a Paint…they’ve all done great. My farrier is a fan of what I’ve created. I had some pea (round stones) gravel and disliked it. It stuck to every single poop, rolled under my feet constantly making me slip and slide around, and it washed out the downhill side of my turnouts. I far prefer the packed angular small gravel I’ve used. I do have a sand area for lying and rolling, which I refresh every other year as it blows/washes away.
As for cleaning the organics, you cannot get it all. I’ve come to terms with that. But I do try to rake up hay and small poop bits with an old fashioned bamboo rake, which I’ve found to be the best kind. I’ve blown the surface a time or two as well (but the strong winds we have here also do a great job!). You’ll end up with a bit of muck on top after a few years, but a fresh load of gravel to replace the missing material will give it a glow up. I’ve also run my harrow around my paddocks to refresh the mix, which the horses enjoy trotting around in, reliving their arena glory days (I board retired gentlemen).
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Around here it’s all over the place. Any version of it with “dust” packs down like concrete but drains, even bigger pieces like 2 to 4 inches with dust will pack and drain. Other stones will remain shifty.
I would absolutely scrape the lot, you have to in order to get rid of that mud, because its not entirely mud, its decomposed manure and hay. Scrape it down to the hard pan. Here in the northeast, we put crushed bluestone down. There may be something we put down first, sand, or something, but it makes a hard surface that can be raked and picked up. The key is to keep the lot clean of manure and picked up. Also keep it clean of hay. When the hay decomposes, it becomes mud. These paddocks with mud are not picked up. I can’t imagine putting horses in there, honestly. scrape it out and put down a crushed stone (NOT marle) which compacts well and doesn’t roll under the hoofs. Then keep it clean, daily.
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I’ve never seen anything like that nor anyone I know with a drylot. Can you share more about this?
In fact, my horses feet and skin look amazing because they don’t have mud.
Also the limestone isn’t so abrasive as to wear down their feet. They get trimmed every 6 weeks and need it.
I would add, a limestone screenings surface is like a nice park path. And I’m on the Horse Track System group on Facebook and planning a track around my property to encourage movement. There are people around the world putting in surfaces like we’re talking here and their horses are thriving.
OK right. Ag Lime is not what we’re talking about at all. Can see why anyone would have a concern if you thought it was. We wouldn’t use that on a surface against skin or hooves.
Ag lime IS what we’re talking about, and it’s perfectly safe - it’s just plain old ground limestone. What’s caustic is hydrated lime, usually meant for gardens etc. That was my point, that I can’t imagine whatever is on that track is actually regular old ag lime aka barn lime, because it really shouldn’t burn like that.
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It was literally 30 seconds so not worthwhile.
