To compact or not? Screenings...

[SugarCubes]

I’m just learning about sand/rock/stone, so help me out here! I just had limestone screenings spread (after removing all topsoil and putting in a gravel base) in the front half of my paddocks closest to their stalls, and so far, I’m loving it - but it has been dry. I’m concerned that it will become soft and soupy when it rains…would compacting the paddocks help with this? Or will it naturally compact on it’s own?

We used a little different material for the driveway (I think 3/4" minus) and it compacted like concrete after being rained on a few times. Just curious what these screenings will be like over time…

[Calvincrowe]

I did not compact mine (I did the entire paddock area-geotextile cloth, gravel, screenings) and as they get wet, they compact nicely over time. Are you removing all the organic matter daily? Hay, poop, etc.? That will help maintain the surface, keep it draining. Given how small an area you are dealing with, if you have a tractor, simply driving over it a few times might give you a head start, maybe spray it down first.

[SLW]

And for the flip side from the self designated Queen of Limestone Screening- You need to compact the screenings. Put a sprinkler on it and water it down at least twice allowing it to dry overnight or a day in between watering. As is, if manure and hay mix into it you will have a slush.

[SugarCubes]

[QUOTE=SLW;8429201]
And for the flip side from the self designated Queen of Limestone Screening- You need to compact the screenings. Put a sprinkler on it and water it down at least twice allowing it to dry overnight or a day in between watering. As is, if manure and hay mix into it you will have a slush.[/QUOTE]

The paddocks are attached to my stalls, so if I keep the horses in tonight after I feed, rake and wet down the screenings and let them dry overnight and do the same thing tomorrow, they should be good? Would the horses be able to go out tomorrow during the day if I wet them down tonight?

I’d considered renting a compactor, but if watering will work I’d much rather go that route!

[goodhors]

I would water twice, get the compacter to use on the screenings the next day. Compacting them just makes for a better surface. You may need to actually add some more screenings to get them up to level again.

Buy screenings by the biggest truck load possible, since you are paying mostly for the trucking to deliver, a little for the rocks. You can dump a partial load in the paddocks, spread and compact. Put the rest of the load off out of your way, then it is handy to grab stone from of when you get a low spot or hole needing filling. You might not need them right now, but eventually you will, and you have it handy without spending more money. Compare prices on various sized loads delivered, usually not much of a difference, but you end up with LOTS more stone to use with the bigger load when needed later on.

Rent the compactor, it will do a better job for you, which will last longer, stay nicer to use now.

[Mosey_2003]

Compact.

[SugarCubes]

[QUOTE=goodhors;8429347]
I would water twice, get the compacter to use on the screenings the next day. Compacting them just makes for a better surface. You may need to actually add some more screenings to get them up to level again.

Buy screenings by the biggest truck load possible, since you are paying mostly for the trucking to deliver, a little for the rocks. You can dump a partial load in the paddocks, spread and compact. Put the rest of the load off out of your way, then it is handy to grab stone from of when you get a low spot or hole needing filling. You might not need them right now, but eventually you will, and you have it handy without spending more money. Compare prices on various sized loads delivered, usually not much of a difference, but you end up with LOTS more stone to use with the bigger load when needed later on.

Rent the compactor, it will do a better job for you, which will last longer, stay nicer to use now.[/QUOTE]

They are still pretty wet, actually. It rained on them all week before we spread them in the paddocks, so I wonder if I could just rent a compactor tomorrow?

Thanks to good advice on this forum, I ordered 70 tons, which was MORE than enough, and I have a good sized pile I can use to fill in holes as time goes on. Bad thing is, the paddocks aren’t accessible by dump trucks this time of year, the ground is too soft so I won’t be able to get another delivery until spring, so I really have to work with what I have…and I don’t own a tractor or anything helpful like that, so everything I do must be done manually