Emergency, can be short term gateway mud

Don’t know what happened there, I hit post and it posted empty I think.

I have a very manky issue right now that needs an urgent quick fix.
Two horses, one on box rest the other desperately needs to be turned out. Also have two ponies but apparently they don’t really count as proper friends to go out with.

So, I’m incredibly fortunate to have a, in theory perfect set up for this situation and I have to say is working amazingly now they are all used to things.
I have a little yard with three boxes. Right next to it is a small surfaced turnout area. We have cut windows out of the back of the stables so they can see the little field behind and have cut a hole/gate in the turnout pen fence.
This means the horse on box rest can see the others and the one that won’t turn out alone can wander in and out as she pleases through he gap. It also means old pony can do the same and doesn’t have to stand in all day either. Perfect. Except that the new entrance is on very soft ground and has become very quickly deep and churned up. Not helped by the speed she comes in and out!
It’s weird as the field everywhere else and in the proper gateways are on hard ground and never really get proper deep mud.
So I need to cover this area with something. I know it’s not going to last and don’t really care but the box rester is in for another month so this is how they are going to have to live for the foreseeable.
Don’t want stone or scalping because of old ponies bare feet. Wood chip will just sink. it’s too late for mats. Mr P did suggest a lorry bog board but they are so loud and clattery I’m not sure it would be safe, the ground is also not level enough as it is so it wouldn’t feel safe for them to walk on (to them)
Someone suggested hay, lots of waste hay 🤷🏻‍♀️ I have a round bale that they don’t like so I could unroll it over the area.

Any better or other suggestions?
 
You could try the bale but it sounds like you have water coming from somewhere and it could end up a worse bog

Mudcontrol mats, sorry,with sand over if slippy

See if they have any old carpets at the tip?
 
I’m being thick. Mr P just pointed out we removed a chunk of hedge from the are so all the roots, which were a lot and deep were of course filled in with soil so It is probably always going to be softer and deeper.
 
tda said:
You could try the bale but it sounds like you have water coming from somewhere and it could end up a worse bog

Mudcontrol mats, sorry,with sand over if slippy

See if they have any old carpets at the tip?
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Would mats not move around too much as it’s already wet? I thought they had to be laid before it turned bad?
 
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poiuytrewq said:
Would mats not move around too much as it’s already wet? I thought they had to be laid before it turned bad?
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Ideally yes, but if you can flatten it a bit first, when the mats are linked together they might wobble at first but hopefully settle down with use

I mean the solid recycled plastic square mud control mats, not the rubber ones
 
I will have a look. I think I will absolutely do it properly next year now knowing the set up works for this situation.
I’m not sure I could afford them right now to be honest. I have some vet bills heading my way which need priority.
However I presume if I’m planning them anyway in the future I could remove from the mud and redo properly when it dries up?
 
You can put Mudcontrol mats down on squishy mud, it's it's really bad stick some old hay down on the mud to help flatten it out a bit then put the MC mats on in top, I've done this many times. Make sure it's the proper Mud Control ones though, not grass mats, they are pretty useless although I do actually have some in very low traffic areas.
 
I think next year or when it’s dry enough I’d get a fork lift and bucket or digger in there and make a proper path way. Pinned wood sides perhaps, membrane and hard core maybe. Or mats and something over top.
I really can’t get anything in there to dig it out right now and have hurt my shoulder. Not badly but am hesitant to make it worse at this time of year as I have no help if I can’t muck out etc.
Appreciate the tip @ElleSkywalker re. mud control mats rather than grass as I’d even now been googling grass mats!
 
MC ones are expensive, however they will send out any quantity so you can just order what you need, also they hold their value, in fact some of mine that I sold when I moved I sold for more than I paid for them 😁 there are some MC FB groups if you want to snoop and also sometimes there are second hand ones for sale 😊
 
Jelka mats will work in this situation. They’ve been a god send to me.
I’ve put straight onto mud with no prep and in a very wet part of the field.

Don’t put hay down, it’ll just get wet and boggy.
 
Sheep fleece lasagne if you can find someone with some fleeces they haven't burnt or dumped yet?

Ideally layer fleeces and thin whippy branches - apparently works well, and I have a couple of fleeces waiting to try it, but I've not got round to it.
 
we have road plannings and they are amazing. jay only has front shoes and has never ever had any issues with them. he has a large plinth to stand of (i suspect you might see it from space) but works a treat, no more standing in the mud
 
Could you sacrifice a small section of hedge to make a second entrance/ exit ? (As it’s too late to fix the ground for this season. )
This new exit could get the full preventive mud mat treatment. Which will recover better. You could block it up again before next winter, and in the meantime you could tackle the longer term issue by digging out and graveling the original exit .
 
Can’t take any more hedge no. It’s not a hedge as such but several hazel trees and something else but the length of fence I’m left with that backs into the field
Just wouldn’t work.
I’m going to measure for mud control mats. It’s not a huge area and in fact isn’t that wet, well suppose no where is right now but Its just deep and thick black nastiness.
It’s only a small area.
I could do with the vet bill so I know where I am really.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Can’t take any more hedge no. It’s not a hedge as such but several hazel trees and something else but the length of fence I’m left with that backs into the field
Just wouldn’t work.
I’m going to measure for mud control mats. It’s not a huge area and in fact isn’t that wet, well suppose no where is right now but Its just deep and thick black nastiness.
It’s only a small area.
I could do with the vet bill so I know where I am really.
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I used mud control mats in the gateway from my barn to my lamb paddock. That always got very deep. I had previously used sheep fleece, disappeared very quickly and grass mats just sank. Just a few mud control mats have completely sorted it. We also use them where we feed the ponies. Ponies don't use them but they provide a much needed walkway for us. Tried grass mats and they sank and rotted. Wish they had been available years ago. Light to handle as well, only 7kgs so manageable for us oldies.
 
I think I'll go with that plan. Now the fence has a hole in it we will need to sort out a permenant gate of some sort on It- Currently I'm trying an old gate over the gap at night with baler twine to keep my other pony in!
So may as well attempt to do it properly. Its not suck your boots off mud but I worry about shoes and legs, that said the more the mare is getting used to it the less she seems to come in at such high speed. It would also help avoid the mud being carried into the pen which I'm keen to avoid but is starting to happen.
Wouldn't it be lovely to just be given unlimited quantities! They look amazing.
 
That looks great! I'd kill for a set up like that!
Is that this time of year?

We have plannings, well the farm does so I could potentially use them but both ponies do get sore feet from time to time and I just worry that they may be a bit too rough, I suppose it depends how well broken up or crushed they are.
 
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