State-Journal.com - Agriculture News: Horse owners look for answers to muddy issue

Anyone driving along the county's country roads can tell that horses are popular. We even have a 4-H Horse Club now.
The latest statistics reveal we have about 400 horses in the county but I suspect that that is on the low side. Farms and small acreages with horses are quite evident this time of year since everything is greening up except where horses hang out. While any livestock tend to trample and ruin pastures in certain areas and conditions, horses tend to "loaf" in favorite spots. A drought followed by a wet winter equals a muddy spring.
Many of the questions I get about horses is "what can I do about the mud?!"
The answer, actually, is the same for most every hoofed animal: rotation and heavy use pads. By having at least three if not more paddocks that are big enough to sustain the number of head (stocking density) involved, the areas can be rotated, allowing them several weeks in between for re-growth.
This also greatly reduces the weed pressure since the grass gets to rest and maybe can better compete with the weeds which are seldom eaten. Remember that the grass you see growing above ground is roughly identical to the amount root growth below ground. If your grass is constantly nubbed off tight then the roots are going to be shallow and weak too.
Mud is unsightly and creates dangerous footing for animals and people. Raw manure and mud provide a breeding ground for flies. Accumulated mud and manure cause thrush, rain scald, and other diseases. Dried manure produces molds and causes respiratory problems in horses and cattle. With our undulating terrain and karst topography we also have ground water and stream quality issues with mud.
But rotation may not work through the winter after the grass has played out and the horses tend to congregate in certain areas. That is when you may want to "sacrifice" a paddock and hope that you can fix it come spring and summer.
Locate a new "sacrifice area" on high ground and at least 100 feet away from wells and open water. Maintain a 25-foot grass buffer around the sacrifice area to filter polluted runoff. Widen the buffer if the sacrifice area slopes or is located near wetlands, streams, or ditches.
Another alternative is to create a heavy use pad. An all-weather surface can be constructed of filter fabric (geotextile fabric), rock, and fine surface cover for 1/3 the cost of concrete. According to AEN-79, rock over bare soil in Kentucky requires approximately 12 inches of depth for stability, but using rock over geotextile fabrics can reduce rock depth by half.
Repeated maintenance usually required for rock pads is also reduced because the fabric keeps the rock in place. Water goes down but mud never comes up. Use a layer of geotextile fabric next to the soil, a 4- to 6-inch layer of 1.5-inch or smaller crushed rock in the middle, and a 2- to 3-inch layer of 5/8-inch or smaller crushed rock on top to provide a firm surface. In areas with less animal traffic, consider using up to 18 inches wood chips for footing. A 4-6 percent slope will help it drain. This is also a good practice for gateways and barn entrances.
For more details and information on water quality and mud management visit http://www.bae.uky.e...lt.htm. For general horse information, visit UK's Equine page at http://www.uky.edu/A...e.html. Your local conservation District and USDA/NRCS office can help with the filter fabric and heavy use areas for livestock. The number is 695-5203 extension 3.
Dairy sale is Sunday
The Louisville Jersey Parrish's Derby Showcase will offer 20-plus animals and several straws of semen at the Farm Bureau and Lakeview Park Livestock Show Pavilions beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4. Food will be available. Contact Jackie Branham for details at 227-7113 or 545-0890.