Figuring Out Footings for Horse Paddocks
Part 3 of a 3 part series
by Alayne Blickle, Horses for Clean Water
We have learned, in the first two parts of this series, that some sort of footing material is useful in paddocks and other high traffic areas to help with reducing mud and erosion. Last month we covered hogfuel and gravel products that can be used for footing. In this last article in the series we’ll cover what size products to get and how deep to layer them, as well as some possible sources for these materials.
What Size Pieces?
Gravel sized between 3/8 and 5/8-inch works very well for horses to stand on and you can still pick up manure. The pieces of gravel fall through the tines of the manure fork easily. Gravel larger than 5/8-inch will be uncomfortable for horses to stand on. In addition, larger gravel makes it very difficult to pick out the manure. I’ve had baby horses, show horses, barefoot horses as well as senior equines all housed on gravel paddocks. If you don’t like the fines (which can get tracked from the paddock into the stall) and you’d prefer better drainage, try 5/8 or 3/8-inch washed. This product is a bit more expensive because there is another step in the process to create it. However, the advantage is that the fines have been removed, which improves drainage. The advantage of the fines is that they tend to “lock” the gravel in place and keep it from migrating as much.
Combinations, Layers & Geotextile Fabric
A workable combination of footings, the one I like for most of my paddocks, is to have gravel (5/8” minus) in the highest traffic areas in front of the stalls and around the watering points. Then I use hogfuel for the remainder of the paddock. I would not recommend having different layers of various products on top of each other as the layers tend to get mixed together. If you do want to layer, either with various materials or different sizes of gravel, I recommend using geotextile fabric to separate the layers. Geotextile fabric, often called road cloth or filter fabric, holds the materials separate but still allows for good drainage through the small pores in the fabric. The fabric will keep layers from co-mingling and allows for improved drainage. Also, if you have very organic soil, you may want to consider first laying down a base of geotextile fabric to prevent muddy soil from working it’s way up through the footing. If you do chose to use geotextile fabric with gravel products on top use only washed gravel products; fines tend to clog the pores of the filter fabric which inhibits drainage. If you are going to invest in geotextile fabric I suggest getting some good engineering help or design. Geotextile fabric is an expensive investment and you want to be sure it’s installed correctly. Check with your local conservation district, cooperative extension office or someone experienced in this type of construction project for your area.
How Deep?
A good rule of thumb is to put down twice as much footing as you have mud in the winter. So, if you have 3 inches of mud, you will want your footing at least 6 inches deep. If you are using geotextile fabric, use a larger gravel product as the base (i.e. 1 & 1/4” minus) at about 4 to 6 inches deep, then cover with the fabric and at least 3 inches of the footing of your choice (either washed gravel or hogfuel) on top.
Other Materials?
There are lots of possible footing materials, some more interesting than others. Other possibilities for footing include bottom ash, pit run, and several types of man-made materials (recycled tires, shredded tennis shoes, etc). Some considerations in choosing a footing include: will it be a suitable, safe surface for my horse to run, stand and lie on? Can I easily pick manure from the footing material? Will the footing material contaminate my compost pile in any way? Will it be dusty in the dry months? What is the cost and availability? Is it in any way toxic to horses, humans or other animals?
Sources?
For sources for these products mentioned in this series check in your phone book under shavings suppliers or gravel yards or quarries. Nurseries and landscape suppliers are another potential supplier of hogfuel and chipped wood products. Also check wood recyclers. Call and talk with these businesses to find out if they work with horse farms and what products they typically sell for footing. Make arrangements to visit these places and look at their products BEFORE you order. They may even be willing to give you a small baggie of their product so that you can shop and compare.
Good horsekeeping to you -- and here’s to a mudless winter for you and your horses!
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Alayne Renee Blickle, a life-long equestrian and the creator/director of Horses for Clean Water, is an environmental educator working with horse and livestock owners. Contact Alayne by email at ARBlickle@aol.com or visit the HCW website at www.horsesforcleanwater.com.
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Join HCW this fall at the following FREE Events:
KING COUNTY:
Cougars, Coyotes & Bears, Oh My! Tuesday, November 18th, 6:30-9:30pm, Learn from experts about living with predators in the rural areas. Carco Theater in Renton, WA. FREE! King Conservation District, 206-764-3410, ext. 125 or Roseanne.Campagna@kingcd.org.
Free Classes for Livestock Owners Thursday evenings, November 6th to 20th. Learn techniques that will help turn your farm into a more useable place for you, your animals and the environment -- less mud, better pastures & great ways to manage manure! Redmond, WA. King Conservation District, 206-764-3410, ext. 120.
WHATCOM COUNTY:
Horse Farm Management Classes - Wednesdays, November 5th to 12th. Learn techniques to reduce mud, manage manure, make pastures more productive & more! Ferndale, WA FREE! Whatcom Conservation District, 360-354-2035 x 3.
JEFFERSON COUNTY:
Horse Farm Management Workshop - Saturday, November 8th. Learn techniques to reduce mud, manage manure, and make pastures more productive. Jefferson County, WA. FREE!! Jefferson County Conservation District, 360-385-4105 or roselyn-taylor@wa.nacdnet.org.
SAN JUAN ISLANDS:
Horse Farm Management Workshops - Saturday & Sunday, November 15th & 16th. Pasture, Manure & Mud Management Workshops. San Juan Islands, WA FREE!! San Juan Islands Conservation District, 360-378-6621 or heatherh@rockisland.com.
