Let’s Talk MUD on the Horse Farm

Do you struggle with managing mud on your horse farm?
Some farms are more susceptible to muddy conditions than others. Mud is a result of prolonged wet soil conditions which is often dependent on soil type and topography. After a rainstorm or spring snowmelt clay soils drain more slowly than sandy soils and are therefore more prone to muddy conditions. In addition muddy conditions are more likely to occur in areas of low elevation because runoff water tends to accumulate in these areas.
Mud is not only unsightly it can create an unsafe environment for your horse. Horses that do not have solid footing are more likely to injure themselves due to a slip or fall. Muddy conditions also harbour bacteria and fungus that may cause your horse to develop health problems. The good news is there are steps you can take as a horse owner to reduce the amount of mud on your farm

How to Reduce Mud on Your Farm
Restriction
It is always easier to avoid creating a muddy condition than it is to fix it. The first and most important step to managing mud on your property is to restrict horse access from the wettest parts of the farm. This might mean reconfiguring paddock shapes to avoid a wet area abandonment of a paddock altogether or installing fencing to keep horses out of the ponds wetlands or streams which run through a pasture. Horses tend to gather around wet areas.
The trampling of streamside vegetation causes bare soil and eventually mud. This results in increased amount of nutrients and sediment being lost to the aquatic ecosystem which is harmful and may cause fish kills.
Pasture Management Create a Sacrifice Area
The best way to ensure that your pastures remain mud free is to give them the rest they require. Pastures require rest when their plants are dormant i e. in the winter and during the growing season when they have been heavily grazed. During the winter horses should be restricted to a sacrifice area. Sacrifice areas can be a small paddock corral or pen that serves as the horses outdoor living space during the winter months. Often horse owners turn their horses out to pasture too quickly in the spring. This damages the pasture plants and delays their growth. Keep your horses in the sacrifice area until the pasture plants have six inches of new growth. This will ensure top quality pasture for the