How Do You Deal With Muddy Gateways?

ginakatie

ginakatie

New Member
Jul 13, 2009
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Harrogate, N.Yorks.
My horses are going to be living out this year and even in summer rain can churn the field up. Just wondering if anyone could recommend anything to preserve the extra muddy areas ie. gateway and field shelter entrance.

I've seen those plastic grass protectors but they are quite expensive and I could imagine they might just sink?! I know a farmer who just dumps a load of woodchips in his gateways with the cows but am worried my mare would eat them?

Eventually I want to get a hardstanding area but until then...any tips?
 
I was going to get some of those rubber mates that let the grass grow through but then I found the answer.

I tape round the gate off in a sort of holding area pen. I make it fairly large.

This way not only do they not stand next to the gate but I can then also alter where my gate into the field from the holding pen is so then when the original site looks to be getting a bit worn then I move the pening to the next post along. Also it makes removing one horse from the herd easier and allows you to work on the horse in the field if needbe without having to take it out of the field altogether.

Also I move my water buckets about too. Even if I have auto water troughs I still privide an alternative water source in addition to halve the wear round the trough.

If I feed them in the field I don't walk up to the gate. I walk to a different section of the fence each time and then they don't pace up and down the fenceline and don;t chrun up by the holding pen waiting for me to feed them there.
 
Lauzy said:
I am trying the 'holding pen' idea this winter. Hopefully it will work.:)
Click to expand...

It does! Just make sure you do it a reasonable size (better for it to be too large than too small) and that you swap where the opening is on a regular basis.

Beauty of that too it that the horses cant graze the grass there either so it gives the land more protection ;)
 
Unfortunately not many of us have enough control to make permanant changes to our fields so hardcore is out of the question. :(

Doing my holding area in conjunction with other changes I have never needed to put down a surface.
 
I am of no help as I just usually sink, but on a lighter note, i catch my hossys and just before the mud, let them go and the go to the gate by themselves and tether the leadrope again at the gate and lead them out, It didnt take long to teach them how do do this:)
 
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