Dealing with Mud on Horse Farms

They go hand in hand on a horse farm: spring or autumn rains and muddy fields. Try these tips to keep the problems to a minimum. Note that some of these “fixes” are best done in drier weather before the muddy situation develops.

•Where possible, locate barns and gates on high ground so that water naturally drains away from them.

•In areas of heavy traffic such as around gates, fences, and waterers, consider building up and protecting the ground by adding gravel or sand, or installing permeable mats.

•Keep manure picked up in high-traffic areas and in small paddocks. Allowing too much organic matter to stay on the ground only adds to the messy situation.

•Direct rain and runoff water away from barns and gates. Use gravel drains around barns to carry water into buffer areas where trees and shrubs can slow runoff.

•Avoid driving vehicles on saturated ground. Tearing up sod leads to more mud and more erosion.

•Horses turned out on saturated pastures can damage or destroy the turf cover. Consider keeping horses in stalls, an indoor arena, or smaller “sacrifice” paddocks when the ground is really wet.