Mud control mat question

[AutumnDays]

I have finally got up my poly tunnel shelter and mud control mat yard! The mud mats also go through the shelter, which is open at both ends. Should I put something on top of them? I have had wood chip brought in for layering up some other bits of field (tractor damage), and have put some barrow loads in there, but I'm wondering if it's actually worth it? Has anyone else done this or similar?

 

[Surbie]

Are your horses shod? If so they can find them a bit slippy until they figure out what they are walking on - I've seen a couple lose their footing on them when trying to brake or turn at speed. Wood chip will go manky quite fast outside if it's a high traffic area. Personally I would go for sharp sand rather than chippings.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

The company recommend sand. We put sand on ours when they were first laid. Now we put shavings the shelter but we have very sandy soil, which gets carried in there on their hooves. Horses do not wear shoes.

 

[TPO]

Yes, definitely use a topper. Mine are barefoot and the slabs can be slippy.

I use sharp sand and sometimes whatever falls off the barrow on thr way to muckheap!

It needs topped up every so often but I wouldn't recommend leaving them bare

 

[pistolpete]

Deffo sand on top helps act as a kind of mortar too to keep them together.

 

[JenJ]

Sand. They can be slippery underfoot whether shod or not.

 

[AutumnDays]

Thanks everyone. Horses are not shod. I did have a bit of sand, and some old bedding which has filled up the holes a bit. Wood chip was only used as it was free! I'll have to look at getting more sand after winter now then, as a heck of a mess was made by that delivery yesterday, no way would I be able to get it where I need it now. I may hand hoick some more of the wood in there for now as there is plenty of it and it's fine stuff

 

[SEL]

Once they've been down a while mud comes up through the holes and grass grows through them. I've got 2 shod and they cope just fine. They know they are slippery so tiptoe over them.

 

[AutumnDays]

Once they've been down a while mud comes up through the holes and grass grows through them. I've got 2 shod and they cope just fine. They know they are slippery so tiptoe over them.

I'm surprised at how quick the grass is coming through them already! I haven't seen anybody slip yet, they are pretty steady going over them. I just wonder if they'd like to lie down on them in the shelter as it's their dry area

 

[TPO]

Grass is through on some of my tracks but that doesn't help IME. Grass gets dew, and it rains, making the plastic slabs just as slippy.

Admittedly my horses can be idiots but having heard about and seen some things I wouldn't go without a topper.

 

[Sanversera]

I'd top with sand on all the mats and then put shavings down in the shelter to encourage them to rest and lie down.

 

[Birker2020]

These are the ones at our yard, they cover a huge distance. Sorry for poor quality on the second and third photos - its a still from a speeded it up video!

Last year they sunk a little so the y.o has scraped the soil, covered with sand, laid the mats and put some sand in the holes in the mats in order to stabilise them.

They are subject to 25 horses travelling up them two or three times a day.
This year the track has been extended about 20ft, well into the field as last year they ended too abruptly in a bit of a quagmire.

The YO and her husband and their staff worked their socks off laying them and they look brilliant. I'm really pleased with them.

 

[Hollychops]

I put sharp sand on mine which all fell through the gaps but did help bed it all down. I then put spent bedding (wood pellets and miscanthus) on it and last winter we put the wood chippings from a couple of felled trees on it. Both worked really well. both of my ponies are unshod but when Albert decided to use them as a spring board to leg it down the field it gave me heart palpatations as they were very slippy

We have to lift them all this weekend to relay them as we have had some work done. I am not looking forward to that but it will get done and topped with wood chippings again. We have 2 ton to go on top

 

[Birker2020]

I put sharp sand on mine which all fell through the gaps but did help bed it all down. I then put spent bedding (wood pellets and miscanthus) on it and last winter we put the wood chippings from a couple of felled trees on it. Both worked really well. both of my ponies are unshod but when Albert decided to use them as a spring board to leg it down the field it gave me heart palpatations as they were very slippy

We have to lift them all this weekend to relay them as we have had some work done. I am not looking forward to that but it will get done and topped with wood chippings again. We have 2 ton to go on top

Ooh its a back breaking job isn't it?

 

[AutumnDays]

I'd top with sand on all the mats and then put shavings down in the shelter to encourage them to rest and lie down.

I put sharp sand on mine which all fell through the gaps but did help bed it all down. I then put spent bedding (wood pellets and miscanthus) on it and last winter we put the wood chippings from a couple of felled trees on it. Both worked really well. both of my ponies are unshod but when Albert decided to use them as a spring board to leg it down the field it gave me heart palpatations as they were very slippy

We have to lift them all this weekend to relay them as we have had some work done. I am not looking forward to that but it will get done and topped with wood chippings again. We have 2 ton to go on top

I've just laid mine on top of wood chip from felled trees and a bit of left over building sand, I was hoping to spread some more of the wood on top as I have 15 ton of the stuff! They don't really use the shelter a lot, and the yard bit is only so I have somewhere out of mud to tie up etc, so it's not a heavy traffic area. Nice to hear some one has used the same stuff and it works!

 

[AutumnDays]

Sorry @Sanversera I don't know why it's added your reply in there too!

 

[Surbie]

I have to move mine soon as my horse has moved fields. It'll be the fifth time I've moved them - thankfully they are light and lever up easily.