To Bridge or No? Pasture connection.

[longlanefarm]

My 20 acre horse farm is set on rolling hills. The barn sits about 3/4 up on a hill facing south, in front of the barn is pasture #1, approx. 3 acres? At the bottom of pasture #1 is a small creek/sometimes dry bed. When you cross the “creek,” you start up another hill which will eventually be fenced in to be pastures #2 and #3. I haven’t measured the creek but at the part I’m looking to cross, I would guess it’s approximately 2-4 feet? I may be way off on the measurement but it’s small/narrow and pretty shallow. As I said, depends on weather as to water or waterless.

DH thinks it would be a great idea to build some type of bridge for the horses to use to connect the pastures. I likely would have it gated off so it would only be used when we’re turning them out to pastures #2/#3. Wondering what you would do? Leave it open/bridgeless? Build a neat bridge? What are the EPA issues with having the horses crossing this small tributary creek? If bridge is your vote, what type? How big/wide? Materials?

Thanks for any feedback!

[Janet]

Check with your county extension office. Depending on whether you are in an important watershed, there may even be money to help you build the bridge.

[furlong47]

4 feet is not really shallow. That’s chest high or more on a person. I would probably want a bridge there, not just for the horses but for other access to the pastures. Will you need to be able to get things over there at some point like a tractor/mower or vehicle and is there another way to do that? If not the bridge is almost mandatory. Definitely wide and strong enough to take a pickup across, plus I would have solid sides a few feet high to avoid any horses falling off or getting a leg stuck in any type of railings.

[Mango20]

I’m pretty sure she meant it is 4 feet wide, not 4 feet deep.

Fencing it off and having a bridge would be the environmentally conscious thing to do. Your area may or may not have regulations about that. It would also be a handy new obstacle to train your horses on. I have a spring and a similar intermittent stream in my pasture, but no more than 2-3 feet wide, and between 0-4 inches deep. I haven’t done anything with it because on the other side there are only about 30 feet of woods and the horses seldom cross it. When they do cross, they just step across.

[longlanefarm]

@furlong47 @Mango20 Yes, max 4 feet wide, not deep. Maybe 6 inches deep?

Edited to add: Also, there is access from a different side of the pasture for tractor/truck. Won’t be using the bridge for those means. Only for horse/person crossing to other pasture.

[fordtraktor]

A small culvert would help you have good footing year round for the crossing. I would absolutely do that. It isn’t difficult.

[Gamma]

You might also have regulations about manure runoff into the watershed… just fyi.

If resources are unlimited, a culvert with a natural surface on top would be my choice. There aren’t a lot of small bridge surfaces that I like for horses.

[Bluey]

Shave the edges a bit on both sides would make a crossing.
You could even add some gravel or other material there to firm both sides, if it gets too muddy.

Ask your local Farm Service Agency for the Soil Conservation officer.
They know what all kinds of regulations you may fall under and what all is permitted there.
They may even cost share whatever you do there, pay for part of it, if you go with their recommendations, especially if those fit under some of their current programs.

When we kept our horses in the canyon pastures, they were very handy to get around most every place, even deep crossings.

[Guilherme]

Bridges and culverts are OK but not really essential to either sound equine health or sound environmental policy.

If not regulated (and Extension or Soil Conservation can tell you if they are) then creation of a stable crossing with some grading and gavel is the way to go. It’s a pretty much no-maintenance system and you can also use that as a crossing point for equipment. No danger of the horse falling off the bridge or getting banged up on the edge of a culvert, either.

A culvert that is not kept clear will plug up with debris and in heavy rains cause the stream to divert around the culvert and cause erosion which can be dangerous to both equines and water quality.

I have four year round and two seasonal creeks with a total of more than 2 miles of banks. I’ve removed all the culverts but one and did not replace the one bridge that got washed out. I’ve got a pretty good natural gravel base on my fords and I’ve never had any reason to regret the removals. The one culvert I have is a TVA mandate and it has caused no end of difficulties, including some really impressive erosion.

Follow the KISS Principle and set up simple, rock crossings. You’ll be glad you did and so will the horses!

G.

[Bluey]

The trouble we would have here with bridges or culvers is that would be where skunks and rattlers would make it their home or hiding spot, adding a possible problem for the horses pastured there.

[enjoytheride]

You could lay a culvert and make it into a land bridge with dirt and grass over the top. You could also just let them cross the water on their own, they will not drown! Check with the county before you make changes.

[moving_to_dc]

I agree with Guilherme. Keep it simple.

Growing up, we had a similar creek that we had to cross in the Adirondack Mtns of NY. Most of the year, it was an easy crossing, but EVERY spring, during break-up, that creek swelled to 30’ wide and 10’ deep in the gully sections. Anything we would have built would have been washed away… In the worst years, it was several 100’ wide.

[PrincessPonies]

I was once working at a barn with a similar issue and I truely wish we’d had a bridge. For us it went right down the middle of the field. Turn out was fine and at some point in the day everyone would get across. However when it was time to come in it was a production. Somehow these horses who’d already crossed once seemed incapable of getting back. It was a huge problem for us. Since it sounds like you will mostly be leading horses across, not just letting them decide, I highly recommend a bridge. Get in contact with people who know they area and what they are doing so it gets done properly.

[Equibrit]

It largely depends on the regulations in your area. Where I live you are not allowed to break the banks of a creek, This rules out a ford and makes a bridge much more expensive. You need to check with your local authorities.

[Ambitious_Kate]

@enjoytheride

You could lay a culvert and make it into a land bridge with dirt and grass over the top. You could also just let them cross the water on their own, they will not drown! Check with the county before you make changes.

The main problem I have with this is the muddy mess they will make of the crossing in no time flat. I would either want the crossing to be armored with stone/rock/gravel, a bridge (fenced off so they have to use it to cross) or a culvert with a natural grass/pasture on top of it.

[Guilherme]

@Ambitious Kate

The main problem I have with this is the muddy mess they will make of the crossing in no time flat. I would either want the crossing to be armored with stone/rock/gravel, a bridge (fenced off so they have to use it to cross) or a culvert with a natural grass/pasture on top of it.

This is something to consider. I’m fortunate to have a good, natural gravel base in the stream bed. I slightly “rounded” the stream bank and I’m not seeing any erosion at the crossing. Horses are easier on this than cattle, as they can and will “wallow” in streams in hot weather. Horses will stop, drink, and move on. As long as all you’re dealing with is horses this is not really much of an issue.

G.

[longlanefarm]

I will have to check with my local ordinances first. Great tips! Thanks. This creek will be fenced/gated off unless they’re crossing to change pastures or come back to the barn. All overseen by a human. I’d prefer to keep it as natural as possible as I’m thinking a bridge can get expensive quickly.

[enjoytheride]

@Ambitious Kate

The main problem I have with this is the muddy mess they will make of the crossing in no time flat. I would either want the crossing to be armored with stone/rock/gravel, a bridge (fenced off so they have to use it to cross) or a culvert with a natural grass/pasture on top of it.

Locally many of our creeks have limestone beds and edges and hold up quite well to repeated horse traffic so it could be an option depending on the terrain. However, I also know of someone who purchased a horse and put it in a pasture that was fenced on one side with a lake which for years had been a solid barrier. Her horse swam out.

[fourfillies]

Could I get some details on how to grade and gravel to create a crossing? I am looking to solve the same issue with what looks to be a stream created by a seasonal spring/uphill snow melt and perhaps summer storms. Not blessed with a limestone bed. I’m not clear how gravel wouldn’t wash out? For better or worse in our county given it’s not an official wetland I won’t need permiting.

[Guilherme]

@fourfillies

Could I get some details on how to grade and gravel to create a crossing? I am looking to solve the same issue with what looks to be a stream created by a seasonal spring/uphill snow melt and perhaps summer storms. Not blessed with a limestone bed. I’m not clear how gravel wouldn’t wash out? For better or worse in our county given it’s not an official wetland I won’t need permiting.

Contact your Extension Agent or local Soil Conservation office. They will make site visits and give you specifics for your location.

G.