# Making dirt less slick?



## TKButtermilk (May 20, 2010)

This might soud completely crazy, but I promise it'll maybe make sense haha. Where we live the dirt is VERY fine and hard packed. My horses stalls (outdoor) are all dirt and when it rains that mud is SLICK! I haven't had any issues but I'm worried someone's legs are going to slip out from under them when they get a little fresh or bicker. Does anyone have any ideas of something to add that would make it a little less slick without creating a massive mess? I was told that because its so flattened out that adding more dirt will actually make it less slippery, opinions?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

Sand. Sugar sand Would be best. 6" deep. It'll get mixed in a lil but be good footing and easy on the hooves and legs.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

Sounds like you might have DG? Decomposed granite? I used to live in So. Cal. too and I think I know what you mean. We just kinda dealt with it. It was a total pain but the rain only lasted a couple months. Sand would work, but you've gotta be careful with sand in the stalls causing colic. Rubber mats in the stall might be your best bet, and add the sand to your arena.


----------



## TKButtermilk (May 20, 2010)

Yeah, I'm not gonna risk the sand, that was my first thought too. Maybe if I just put mats where they eat to avoid them eating sand? I don't know :/ 
I'm glad someone undertanda! It's becoming a real problem because although it only rains a Little bit it's been really densely foggy at night and so the ground isn't drying out and is staying slick. We were thinking of rototilling the whole thing but I'm worried about making the problem worse
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Horses are able to adapt to various footings. I watch one go tho mud like a bull dozer while the other tip toes thro like a ballerina in toe shoes. My floor is clay and originally had about 10" of pit run sand. That was over 10 years ago and it could stand some more.


----------



## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

A small diameter pea gravel might be an option. Most likely won't ingest like sand but still drains nicely.


----------



## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

Yeah, I definitely feel for you. Rototilling might make it worse if it's too wet. Whenever we would drag the arena with the tractor when it was too wet, it'd be deep, thick, sticky mud and we'd end up with huge clods when it dried. That's if your rototiller can even till through it. We dug a lot of drainage ditches to drain water away from stalls, walkways and riding areas. when it was dry enough, usually earlier in the year, we'd spend a lot of time making sure stalls were even (no dips or holes) with a slight grade so it would drain well. Sometimes that did involve tilling up the whole stall, raking and leveling, and then tamping down with a dirt tamper. 
If you can afford it, I think mats would be the way to go. They have mats in all the stalls at my barn in Northern Ca. (where I now live) and it is SO so nice. We don't have DG but we have an overabundance of rain and they help a lot in the stalls.


----------



## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

Yeah, I definitely feel for you. Rototilling might make it worse if it's too wet. Whenever we would drag the arena with the tractor when it was too wet, it'd be deep, thick, sticky mud and we'd end up with huge clods when it dried. That's if your rototiller can even till through it. We dug a lot of drainage ditches to drain water away from stalls, walkways and riding areas. when it was dry enough, usually earlier in the year, we'd spend a lot of time making sure stalls were even (no dips or holes) with a slight grade so it would drain well. Sometimes that did involve tilling up the whole stall, raking and leveling, and then tamping down with a dirt tamper. 
If you can afford it, I think mats would be the way to go. They have mats in all the stalls at my barn in Northern Ca. (where I now live) and it is SO so nice. We don't have DG but we have an overabundance of rain and they help a lot in the stalls.


----------



## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

sounds like you have Heavy Clay soil. Same here, and do not till it up . It will make a horrid mess ! Adding sand does not help, as it will not pack down. 
You can put stall mats where they feed, but until you 'treat' soil using gypsum to get the soil to drain you will have the problem. I have this awful soil, and just have learned to live with it. In pee puddle spots, I have put down cheap kitty litter, but still there is a mess


----------



## TKButtermilk (May 20, 2010)

It's more of a paddock than a stall, so mats arent really an option unfortunately. It's on a grade and drains really well, it's just that the thin layer of mud that's left is EVIL. I guess it's just a gotta deal kind of situation
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Have you thought of putting some garden mulch down? You know, wood chips, tree bark? They ride horses on it in arenas, can't see why you couldn't throw a few bags of that down just to add some 'texture' to the ground.....just an idea...


----------



## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Just found that today:
DRY STALL - How Much to Use?

Im gonna try, and I suggest whoever does it first, reports here;-)

Read on another forum it really works


----------



## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Muppetgirl said:


> Have you thought of putting some garden mulch down? You know, wood chips, tree bark? They ride horses on it in arenas, can't see why you couldn't throw a few bags of that down just to add some 'texture' to the ground.....just an idea...


Used it before, in a paddock. Works fine....for a while. Unless you get the cured stuff, which lasts longer, and in different sizes, and pay close attention what type of wood is in it, it helps only temporarily and can be even dangerous. No problem in an arena, but with horses free I'd be super careful (black walnut, poisonous plants)


----------



## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

deserthorsewoman said:


> Used it before, in a paddock. Works fine....for a while. Unless you get the cured stuff, which lasts longer, and in different sizes, and pay close attention what type of wood is in it, it helps only temporarily and can be even dangerous. No problem in an arena, but with horses free I'd be super careful (black walnut, poisonous plants)


Oh yes, good points.....yes the treated stuff would be better....and yes, be sure to get a wood type that's not poisonous!!!!


----------



## TKButtermilk (May 20, 2010)

deserthorsewoman said:


> Just found that today:
> DRY STALL - How Much to Use?
> 
> Im gonna try, and I suggest whoever does it first, reports here;-)
> ...


I've used it before for pee spots and in stalls, but idk how well it would stand up to actual rain. It's basically like kitty litter, so when overly saturated it just gets mushy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Okay, so there goes that idea, right out of the window........im in central Ca, we had 3 days of rain and half of my paddock turned into a mudhole. Especially in front of the run-in and along the fence where the haynets hang. Thankfully we've had sun and wind, and it's drying fairly quickly, but we also have the fog, who throws us back again. Before the next rain, a raingutter will be installed along the entry to the run-in, that's for sure(whoever built it conveniently forgot it), so that will take care of part of the problem. I am considering pea gravel for the part in front of the run-in, around the water and the haynets.


----------



## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

Yeah, I've used drystall as well, it's great for indoor stalls in the pee spots, but it would take a LOT to cover a paddock, and if I remember correctly it wasn't cheap. 
As far as mulch, I think you're on to something muppetgirl. At the public indoor arena I ride at they have rubber mulch mixed in with the dirt. That may help. I have no idea how expensive it is, and I would want to make double-sure it's non toxic and wouldn't cause colic or something if they ate it. Might be worth investigating though. It would last longer than woodchips.


----------



## TKButtermilk (May 20, 2010)

We actually HAVE a bunch of mulch from when we got out trees trimmed and we are all organic so there are no pesticides or anything on them. I'll have to go through a list of poisonous trees and see if we have anything, or maybe I'll post a list on here of what we have and see if anyone spots anything bad haha. It's all mixed together so if anything is dangerous it'd nix the whole plan. We had thought of doing it before just to get rid of the mulch pile haha. I think I'll try it in part of the paddock and see how it goes 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Check carefully for anything poisonous. Horses have a tendency to gnaw on twigs and bark anyway, and more so if they don't regularly have it.


----------



## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

Well, there ya go! Potential solution right under your nose!


----------



## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

I knew I was great in another life! :lol:
(it's been a looooong day:shock


----------



## TKButtermilk (May 20, 2010)

Just an update, we did end up getting a load of DG and it is SO much better. It really didn't take much to put a nice layer down. We haven't had any intense rain so far, but it has rained some and the paddock is mostly dry within a day whereas before it would take 1-2 weeks or more for it to stop being a slick muck.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Jim Andy (Jan 21, 2013)

The problem with clay is there is no organic matter in to let water in it packs so tight that water just runs off. How about putting some organic matter in the soil say maybe sawdust and as it brakes down add more this should start to loosen the soil up after some time. Just me thoughts take as you like.


----------

