Just finished having two 50x50 drylots put in behind my barn using 1" clean topped with 4" of screenings. We got a lot of the rain over the weekend, and the screenings are pretty soft right now. In your experience, how long did it take for your footing to firm up? I’m sure the rain helped, and I plan to use my steel roller on the paddocks today to help it compact. In the past we’ve rented a vibratory roller, but given the expense and hassle, decided to let mother nature handle it this time. How long can I expect to wait until they’re ready to turn horses out on it?
i don’t know with four inches overall. i do know that i had a mare dislocate her stifle when i put about that same depth of screenings over soft earth. She recovered, thankfully.
What kind of screenings?
My lime screenings did a quicksand impression with any moisture until a solid snow. Totally didn’t expect that, but they did eventually firm up really nicely.
The blue stonedust screenings here in CT don’t seem to go through that break in–they settle just fine with normal horse traffic.
Simkie,
These are limestone screenings too…they are mushy, but firm at the moment. We do have snow coming next weekend, hopefully that will do the trick!
