Temporary gateway mat

[Po Knee]

Does anyone have any ideas for a temporary solution for providing a dry footing for shoeing in this horrible wet winter please?

I do not have stabling or hard standing, so I'm looking to put something down as a temporary measure to help out the farrier. The area I usually use is just outside
my gateway, so not actually a part of my field. I was wondering whether something like an old piece of carpet or a large rug would do the trick?

Has anyone tried anything like this please?

 

[rabatsa]

Some Mud Control slabs will make you a bit of hard standing and they can be moved around to suit as they are not permanent.

 

[Redders]

I use rubber grass mats, the ones with holes in. Works well, but works better when put down before it gets soft. 4 gives a good size area for one horse. If you leave them there they get better the longer they are there

 

[Highmileagecob]

If the ground is already muddy, you can stamp straw into the mud first to absorb water. Old hessian backed carpet laid upside down makes a decent base for mats.

 

[Po Knee]

Thanks everyone.

Some useful information there. Whilst mud control mats are the holy grail, I need something cheaper right now, so I will investigate the options mentioned.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Have a look on line for driveway mats. Interlinking rubber mats that can be purchased in small quantities, Level the area, lay the mats, fill the honeycombs with coarse sand or hoggin.

 

[Suechoccy]

If ground isn't already soft/boggy/poached then a large piece of old carpet on top of ground, and then put roadplanings or woodchip on top of it (to weigh it down).

If ground is already soft/boggy/poached and you lay carpet on top (like I did last winter!) then the first hoof pushes the carpet down into the mud to create a hoof-sized crater with the carpet all sticking up around the outside like a bun's paper case!

 

[Po Knee]

Have a look on line for driveway mats. Interlinking rubber mats that can be purchased in small quantities, Level the area, lay the mats, fill the honeycombs with coarse sand or hoggin.

Good shout! I'll check these out. Thank you

 

[Po Knee]

If ground isn't already soft/boggy/poached then a large piece of old carpet on top of ground, and then put roadplanings or woodchip on top of it (to weigh it down).

If ground is already soft/boggy/poached and you lay carpet on top (like I did last winter!) then the first hoof pushes the carpet down into the mud to create a hoof-sized crater with the carpet all sticking up around the outside like a bun's paper case!

Hmm! Maybe carpet would not work for my situation....

Very useful info though. I'm sorry you had to find out the hard way, but thank you for dissuading me from making the same mistake!

 

[Highmileagecob]

If you can bear to wait until the mud dries up, it may be better to level the area and lay a dozen flags. At least it will shed water and you can sweep them clean.

 

[Fjord]

Just a note about moveable mats, if the are outside your field, if you can move them, so can someone else.