Especially as 1,000 lbs in concentrated disks punches down on it. The other way to look at the weed issue is from a soil ecology perspective. I thought I could get a few friends out and spread the gravel using rakes, but when I looked at the size of the piles and realized how heavy the gravel was, I decided to hire a local farmer to come spread it for me. . I was all ready to order my gravel and tractor (my two new horses arrive at the end of April) until I read that you shouldnt do this work when the soil is muddy. Currently, Im adding bran and mineral oil into the hay cubes, and also doing the once a month Sand Clear (for both horses, as a precautionary). Heres what it looked like after the two truckloads of 3/4 inch gravel was spread out: I was happy with this for a few days, and then I started fretting about the fact that there really wasnt much room for them to move around and exercise, yet stay on the gravel. Especially Arabians, with their fine coats and sensitive skin, theyre not going to do well lying down on any kind of gravel. Call 360-318-8554 to order rock or gravel delivered in Whatcom County. However, on the flip side of that argument, here's what a Farrier has to say about why she prefers crusher dust: "As a farrier, my favourite footing in this area is crusher dust. Texas Aggregate & Base Materials can fill all your base material needs from recycled concrete, rip-rap, limestone, sand or gravel. However, I cant imagine anyone giving away fleece for free around here! Spreading temporary ground cover for mud, like pine flakes, crushed limestone, or feline litter, will absorb the mud and also allow you to shovel it bent on remove the excess water. Pea gravel. I will leave the back field open for them through the winter until May/June and let them trash it with their hooves and manure. Now lay a layer of large rock or recycled concrete (3 inches wide or larger rock) on top of the Nilex barrier, about 5 inches deep. be very careful $ 30 - Crushed Concrete Base (Base layer of new driveways, binds w dirt) $ 32 - Crushed Concrete 610 (Mix of 1 rock down [] Most of the mud is next to the outside wall of my run in, so the water goes right under it and inside the run in; so in other words when its wet, they have no escape from it. I usually have my gravel delivered 2-3 days before the Bobcat/tractor guy arrives as my horses love playing on the gravel piles! These are the best options for driveway surfaces gravel, because they are small stones combined with rock dust, which makes a more solid driving surface. RIP RAP. Honestly, the best solution is concrete all the stables in the UK (same climate) use concrete for high traffic areas. Limestone Is Nutrient Rich. Having said all that, if you have an active herd like mine and youve got an area thats sheltered from rain theyre still going to move it around and carve it out over the winter. Beware of Temperature-Absorbing Materials Crushed Gravel Cost. What are the environmental impacts of using a coral reef product? parts of the Pacific Northwest and the U.K., is that there is no hard compacted soil, or shale, or rock beneath the topsoil! But, I know how stubborn we can be, and how sometimes we just need to find things out for ourselves, so Im going to keep going with giving you other peoples ideas (that wont work in a rainforest climate!) But that is the law. However, at my current property, after doing everything exactly right, with the commercial-grade barrier cloth and all the right layers, by the end of the winter there were still craters and low spots in the footing. Although this can occasionally be effective, there is a saying in the trade that "adding a bucket of gravel to a bucket of mud just gets you a bigger bucket of mud.". Beautiful! Lastly, if you want to make your manure-picking way easier (more on this below), or have a bit softer surface for your horses, then add a 2-inch deep top layer of 1/4 inch minus gravel, on top of the 3/4 inch gravel. I have hired a contractor with a huge tracked skid steer who specialises in fine grading to fill my trench back in and grade and scrape their entire paddock so that it has a nice gentle slope. I have lost so much gravel from throwing it out with the manure, I highly suspect well need to put down a load of crusher dust after scraping/grading this year. A really interesting topic, and I have a question: is gravel 4/3 & 4/1 good as an alternative to fine sand in horse rooms, or is fine sand better? The result is a durable, all-weather surface that is acceptable for animals.. Crushed Limestone Gravel - Prices, Purchase, Deliv; Crushed Granite Delivery and Prices; Testimonials. Im doing some research on how to sort out the high traffic area of stall threshold in a barn I just started managing. BUT if you can teach them where to poo that could buy you 2-3 years before having to scrape/freshen. If the hay does get on it, it isnt like sand for colic concerns that Ive ever heard of. Wouldnt have cost much extra, but would have greatly extended the life of the gravel I ordered. I want a common sandy area as well so they can enjoy a good roll with no dust. At the base its currently just packed dirt. Please feel free to share your experience and experiments in the Comments section below. The 3/4 inch gravel gets stuck in your manure fork and you end up throwing away a little bit of your money every day when you clean the paddock: 3. Use something like this Nilex non-woven geotextile with a load capacity that can withstand rock, gravel and horses hooves. Ideally, spend some time watching where/how water flows in your paddock area. Or should I risk making even more mud and do it now? Its just not healthy for the horses or us for that matter. Call for more details. For a 6-foot- (1.8- meter-) wide trail, this amounts to about 1 cubic yard (0.76 cubic meter) of loose material per 6 . I have been debating over whether i need Geo-textile or not, as some areas are fairly hard but some seem to have some clay Nearly all the faces of the fragments are fractured. And thanks so much for letting all of us know. I have just purchased a house with 2 acres. SO pleased for you!! Lime is derived from limestone and is used in agriculture and gardening to balance the acidity level of soil. Adding sand won't work and will likely worsen your sticky situation. Natural Decomposed Granite This is a great alternative to mulch that can be placed around plants, shrubs, and trees. Thx, Kimberly, Hi Kimberly see points #4,5,6 in the first section: Create a Dry Paddock in even the Rainiest Climate. The biggest issue is the immense amount of dust generated in the stalls. Not only does this make them very hard to brush clean, but the particles are super fine dust that occasionally irritate the horses eyes and are certainly not healthy for you or your horse to be inhaling. Rip rap is an aggregate that will perform in the harshest outdoor conditions. I think your climate is a lot drier though and you get snow/ice most of the winter, right? Hey Rick, so pleased it was helpful! So 6 = .5 feet, or 3 = .25 feet. You can use this scraped-off earth to create a nice hill for them to climb/play on in their pasture, which will also create an area of high ground to stand or lie on during winter. Still deciding on what to put on the top. Keep us posted! But as I pointed out above, examine the crusher before you order it, to make sure it is just crushed rock fines and doesnt contain any clay particles. Also check out this post by an Oregon farm as it has a lot of good tips for what works and what doesnt. With an older or sedate herd, maybe youd only have to top up once ever 2-3 years. Well, I laid the paddock footing in August. I also have access to granite based stone dust and of course limestone and just about any other rock, sand or clay material. Crushed stone trails provide a user-friendly, all-season surface for all types and ages of visitors, including strollers, wheelchairs, and road bikes. And yes, I can also concur with your friends experience. So if you scrape down during a wet season, the rain will just turn the formerly compacted soil into more mud. , Post a before and after pic when youre done Joanna (with your sheep in it!) My clients have a rubber mat outside and they feed off of that. Which made me think nursery pallets > easier and cover more space and probably a lot cheaper. Buying gravel in small quantities costs more than $100 per ton. Kimberly, Oooh thats fantastic Kimberly! 20 Results Brand: Merola Tile Indoor/Outdoor: Outdoor Clear All Sort by: Top Sellers Get It Fast In Stock at Store Today Cumberland & nearby stores Next-Day Delivery Please choose a rating 1.0k $406 /sq. When should you scrape down to subgrade soil? Like Hoffmans? Another thought: Do you offer your horses free choice minerals? If you were to follow Dr. Swinkers advice, you could use pea gravel 0r 3/4-inch minus gravel on the bottom and crusher dust on top (crusher is really just tiny gravel with gravel particle dust), or limestone gravel and crusher dust, or limestone gravel and sand. And of course, to prep for concrete you have to do layers of gravel, then the concrete, but it would likely be less gravel/limestone than if you were putting mats right on top of the gravel. But then youre hooped, because you just wont be willing to scrape away $2,000 worth of gravel and start again with the Geotextile! Or for sure you will be re-doing every year. Boredom = monkeys . . Crushed Stone #411. Et voila! The perforated pipes may then drain far enough away from your yard to be safe. and I love the photos!!!! Ive heard gravel and have been avoiding it, but I am now considering it from your article/blog. See how to fix a muddy yard including the different causes of soggy grass, tips to prevent mud from building up, and effective solutions to fix water built-up. 6. You have to pick up manure everyday but so worth it. GABION ROCK - 4" X 8" CRUSHED LIMESTONE. it should be good. Scraped out dirt, put in drain, geotextile, big rocks, then 57s, then screenings. GAH this is the bane of my existence! I read it for research in preparation to write a blog post about a horse farm that uses 1/4 minus for their horse arena and event venue. This work can be done with a shovel, but it is laborious work. Its the best info Ive found. Some terms that indicate compacting gravel are: crushed rock, crushed limestone, crushed stone, crusher run, fines, stone dust, aggregate, road base, paver base and decomposed granite (mixed with sand or stone dust). Have you ever read about this? Or email them to me and Ill upload them: service@listentoyourhorse.com And do you have any pics of the barn you never had to dig out? Any advice? 2 inches equals .167 feet But trying to clean gaps in rubber mats that are shifting as the ground shifts, becomes a BIG hassle. I was interested to see if it would work, as a woman had written in (who also lives in this Pacific Northwest climate) to tell me that its never worked for her horses. I have friends who have used almost the same formula but without the compacting and have to pick the rocks regularly (at least weekly, if not more often). Jini Patel Thompson is a natural health writer and Lazer Tapping instructor. I live in England and have winter paddocks. Thank you for your response. The best type of gravel for the top layer of a gravel driveway includes crushed shale, limestone, granite and concrete. BUT the paddock area in front of the shelters is going to get a lot of traffic, and will quickly turn into a mud pit. They rot down naturally and every year to 2 years they are scraped off and easily spread on fields or neighbour puts on flower beds or I put on stone farm tracks to prevent water erosion but not too thick. Add more gravel from time to time. I would not use it. If you are ordering crusher dust, its best if you can get a look at it, to make sure it is just rock fines and doesnt have clay (or a lot of sand particles) in it. Ive also not had one issue of gravel puncturing or injuring their soles when horses hooves have a place to dry out regularly, and they have a variety of surfaces to choose from, in my experience, their hooves and soles harden up and just take care of themselves. Should I let my horses have one season of muddy feet and wait till summer to do the work? Hi Suzy! This concentrates it where the horses will actually be standing/walking. The thing that packs down the hardest especially if you water/soak it and use a 1000 lb compactor is Crusher dust. It was great to read such an informative article. I prefer the smaller tractors since they can maneuver better around posts and corners so there is less hand-finishing work for me to do. I would definitely wait until August and do it then. One word of caution: Ive been using it for 6 years, no problems, but recently, recently, almost lost one of my horses to colic. They went deep to get it too! And I would think youd want to use sharper-edged gravel (not smooth) so it can bite into the limestone and hold I discovered this by adding a load of smooth gravel on top of my crusher dust (1/4 gravel) to see what would happen, and it just slid around and was useless. Thanks! "It's a very modern look, but I tried to soften it with the gravel and plantings, like the ferns in the gravel," says Klausing. Im mulling the idea of doing a video/blog post just about gravel terminology and what its called in different areas. I know nothing about it, so Im just asking you questions to stimulate your thoughts/research. Horse was very lame. My least favourite footing is hogfuel and Id probably have them stand in mud over hogfuel because when hogfuel is new, it is very acidic and it etches out the sole of the foot, leaving the foot more vulnerable (Ive seen hooves so bad on it that a hoofpick can poke through the sole easily. 3/4" Crushed Limestone Rock, 57 Stone. Regarding freezing, when it gets below zero, it all freezes. Introduction Video: Customer Reviews: Product Videos: Categories. 2. I also found it really helpful to install a French Drain in my current paddock to help funnel the water off/away from the paddock and this made a huge difference in the effectiveness of my paddock surface. When I showed it to my friend Mitchell, he said the two problems with what I did were (a) I did not use industrial-grade geotextile, and (b) I did not put enough rock and gravel on top of the cloth. Hi Pat, if you just laid the gravel, but no geotextile cloth underneath, youll get one good winter out of it, possibly two. 1.5 tons can cover one cubic yard. But by April, the area around the slow feeders was wet and mucky. Fortunately, some remedies are transitory, while others are long-term. Because a farrier with lots of experience with it says its too acidic for the horses hooves. So you cannot leave any of this organic matter sitting on your gravel, or else it will quickly break down into a mucky layer that defeats the whole purpose. Answer 2B and 2A are identical except that the 2A contains a small amount of Limestone dust (10) mixed in with the stone, which allows it to compact more effectively. Crushed stone is the world's most basic mineral commodity. I have been considering french drains as well. I write for a quarry and sand-and-gravel operation. 2015-2023 Listen To Your Gut Enterprises Inc. ALL images and text. Our farrier does not love the pea gravel. This year added more 57s, more screenings. I only had the farrier out once this entire year and even then one of the horses didnt need anything the rest of the time they either self-trimmed or I helped them out with a touch-up here and there. Vet found him full of crusher run. Ideal for situations where you need it to pack together, crushed stone is the product you want for walkways & driveways, or anywhere you need a good, hard base. Im on year 4 of doing that and it just keeps disappearing into our rain-soaked soil. Limestone helps to keep down the smell of urine and feces due to its natural lime properties. With my crew, I need to add a layer of fresh 1/4 minus every Fall. She said most of the time you can find sheep herdsmen to give you the fleece for free. 1. Be aware that there are different types of crusher dust and the type that sets up very firm is what I prefer. Im going to pick his oh-so-experienced brain and see if he knows anything we dont already know or has some tips or tweaks that make a world of difference. With 2400 square feet of gravel, my horses were able to self-trim enough that they only needed the farrier to come out and trim every 5-6 months. And I will move them to the field next to it. Im open to hear any new tips you may have to for my situation. ), In the section about using two layers of footing/drainage, Dr. Swinker mentioned using a coarse road base and a finer layer on top. I tried that one year and it was the worst gravel ever because it slides around so much it also mixes with all the manure particles and you cant ever get the manure off the smooth gravel. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Meditation Claim Your Reality in this Crazy World, When your Horse says No Perhaps the Process IS the Point, How to Manifest the Land of Your Dreams Part 4. I have been on two rental properties and each time didnt think it was worth doing the geotextile, but even if you only stay 2 years, its worth it. Youre very welcome Catherine! I have a small boarding facility, so I have 12 runs to deal with and budget is a concern, but I also know having to do it twice costs more because of mistakes lol. You can also subscribe without commenting. Have to be careful, Ive seen a smaller piece (at another barn) of chip get wedged up hard in between the bar and frog. How To Ask the Universe For What You Want And Get It, Dolphin CHOOSES Dental Work with No Anaesthetic. Typically, a gravel driveway will cost about $1.25 to $1.80 per square foot, taking into consideration that the driveway is . Larry. Now Im going to moving my other mare over so wanted to check whats the best footing as I live on Vancouver Island, the place with the most rainfall on the planet. I only bring this up because who would ever think that doing the right thing for your horses would be against the law. Im definitely going to send your article to my boss and see what she thinks. Crushed Limestone Is Ideal for Livestock Stalls Powdered dolomite lime is excellent for all types of plant agriculture, and solid hydrating limestone is great for building. Currently the stall area floor is stall pellets that are wood based mixed with shavings all from the local Tractor Supply. Btw, nope, he doesnt know anything thats not already in this article. I am sure alpaca or lama might work too? The Bahama product is a coral based limestone type rock it is not harvested as live coral it is basically rock mined like any other rock product and is then shipped and widely used for landscape purposes such as driveways and underneath pavers. I am in the UK. Installing a crushed limestone driveway can set homeowners back by about $1.25 to $2 per square foot of driveway space. Using pea gravel as a base for your hot tub has some distinct advantages.. Place 4 inches of medium-grade construction gravel on top of the landscape cloth, . It can also be called quarter minus, or flume sand. Add about 4 inches per level and compact each layer. All your information is invaluable, thank you very much. And I had to do that every year, for 4 years, until I finally got my friend Mitchell to come in and do it right. I asked a phd in geology who has worked a full career in geology. It would also seem to be easy to clean. No the woodchips are not from the bark which is very tannic. You should dig the hole 4 feet deep and just as wide. Dont be tempted then to just throw more gravel down, thinking its got a good base now. I think the three layer option seems to be the best. Wish I had better news for you! One yard of #57 limestone gravel weighs approximately 1.4tons. My 2 boys dont poop in their 24 x 36 paddock area so I cant comment on how much base I lose to a manure fork. For example, the price for one yard is around $40 at Mains Landscape Supply. The pea gravel has to be changed over to new, clean material every few years, I think. By the time the following May/June rolls around, the sacrifice field will be rejuvenated and Ill flip them again. In order to safely use limestone for landscaping, remember these points, and your garden will thrive: 1. What do you think about compacting the existing soil, laying down the fabric, and installing the Merchant solution over top? Should I do the same thing, or should I do something different like sand or pea gravel? There is much truth to this quip, as adding something to a muddy road often has . Since I am not a millionaire, and Im weighing in on what direction to go, the gravel layers actually seems pretty affordable with less maintenance. Thanks for your time. Unless you are willing to have the top layer scraped off (and evened out again), and new crusher dust (1/4 minus) laid down every year ($$) its just never going to work well in a rainy climate. Thanks so much for your help! just in case you want to waste your money like I did. wearing surface. But, if its drier and they do lie down in there, then yes, a really small, smooth pea gravel or sand would be WAY more comfy for them. I recently joined a horse track group and there was a post on fleece lasagna and how well it works in boggy areas , gateways and lane ways! Mitchell uses the Nilex 4551 Non-woven Geotextile when he builds horse trails in provincial parks. The other stuff is too loose and just moves out of the way like pea gravel. Heres what the 1/4 inch minus crusher dust looks like on the paddock: And heres what the 3/4 inch gravel looks like on the paddock: I figured this would be a really good test to see which gravel held up best under the horses hooves during the rainy season, because I had them side-by-side for direct comparison! As I have 2 horses I intend to build a small turnout paddock for the winter months. However, under the lein-to part of the barn it has the 1" crushed limestone as well. And include the UK terminology because thats even harder to figure out Post a link here if/when you do! Some horses freak out and run around, others are curious and want to look inside the bucket and cab, but either way, once they start working the horses move out of the way. During my research, I also called BC Parks & Rec who commission the horse trails in the provincial parks here and asked them what they did, as their trails seem to stay in pretty good shape all winter long, with lots of traffic on them. Scrape off the dirty layer (from dirt and small bits of manure) and re-surface/grade. The other important thing with gravel, is that it requires regular grading/maintenance. Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the form of the mineral calcite. RECYCLED ASPHALT. Too much depth doesnt matter so much indoors and I had a barn I never had to dig out. So yes, it will work in this climate (I tried it) but it will only work for one winter. First layer of rock should be 40mm crushed rock, with no fines in it. I am totally disillusioned with any gravelled solution now. and has a variety of uses including as back fill and ground cover in landscaping. And unfortunately, I have to report that my experience has been similar. Middle: 3/4 minus gravel by Tony Boone, COO Crushed stone trail located above normal floodway by a stream Arrowhead Trails, Inc. has built over 500 miles of natural surface trails since 1995. So much good information (all based on experience with horses, which is good). Live and learn! Heres all the reasons why I should have done it that way. But again, after researching, I think thats an issue of the existing surface, how much is used, and what the resulting footing is like. I didnt use a membrane and probably would in the future. Heres what 3/4 inch minus looks like and it costs me $700 including delivery: The truck arrived and dumped both loads of gravel near the shelters. But thanks for sharing as Im sure others on here may love the tip . You could not just have a few inches deep like a shavings. Ground always shifts. Do not just go buy geo-textile cloth from your local nursery or hardware store (tried that, doesnt work!). I have found your article here really helpful! Lets start with these pictures of my first set-up, where I self-boarded my horses on a friends property, and my adventures in paddock footing began. And what you used. My dilemma has been what product to put underneath. Place crushed gravel on top of that, running the . Might be a case of dont ask apologize later if you have to Some of those bylaws are aimed at developers though and they may not bother with small usage it varies though, some are more rabid dog about it. Great info Donna thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! Thanks for the response. What is your thoughts of the grids and french drains? Upload attachment(Allowed file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, maximum file size: 8MB. I would still do the Nilex barrier cloth as the bottom layer though, and clear down to hardpan. Thank you so much for your extended read! Well first of all, paths dont need any less treatment than your barn yard if you want them to say mud-free. Since I have not prepped the paddock surface and the gravel will be dumped straight on the grass, I decide to order 39 tons of 3/4 inch minus gravel from Fraser Valley Aggregates. https://www.listentoyourhorse.com/equine-permaculture-in-rainy-climates-system-for-sustainable-pastures/, great info, i really appreciate you sharing with others as it takes time to post such info with pictures, too.