RAMM Mud Management Systems for My Horses
My paddock gateways are now mud-free.
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, I have several horse paddocks - enclosed spaces where my Friesians, Fell pony, and donkeys are turned out to exercise and graze. The gateways to these paddocks can sometimes get muddy. Muddy high-traffic areas are not suitable for horses - they can cause poor footing, which can lead to leg injuries, strain, and stress to their joints, muscles, and ligaments. To help, we installed special mud management systems from RAMM Horse Fencing & Stalls, a 30-year old family-owned business located in Swanton, Ohio. The flexible, high density, three-inch deep polyethylene mats help to contain gravel and improve drainage where it is needed most. It's an easy way to make my paddocks safer for my dear equines.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Pete secures twine at the entrance to one of my paddocks, so he can dig out a neat, straight space for the mud management mat.
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- I wanted the mat to be placed on the inside of the paddock, right at the gate where it tends to get muddy.
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- Pete rakes the area clean of any old sod and debris. Doing this levels the area and removes any pre-existing ruts which could hinder proper drainage.
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- The space is now ready for the mud management system installation.
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- Pete dug the area about four inches deep.
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- We’re using the innovative environmentally-safe mud control panels from RAMM – a company that also makes the hay feeders we use here at the farm.
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- Pete and Fernando open the mat and stake it to the ground so it could stretch out under the sun. Allowing time for the panel to soak in the heat helps to maintain its form for installation.
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- After an hour or so, Pete and Fernando remove the stakes and move the mat into place.
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- They lay it over a weed cloth that was put down and secured to the ground with sod staples.
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- Here, Pete secures the panel with wooden stakes once again until the gravel is in place. This mat is 85 square feet when fully opened. The cells are each three-inches deep.
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- Next, Pete starts to fill the cells with a 60-40 mix of crushed gravel and stone dust. Because the interconnecting cells have a double-welded seam and are not made of hard plastic, they conform to the area easily.
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- Here is a closer look at the angular gravel and stone dust. This mix is available at any local sand and stone supplier.
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- Fernando works from the other side to fill all the cells.
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- It doesn’t take long to fill the mat plus a two inch layer of fill above it.
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- The gravel and stone dust are spread evenly over the mat. It can also be mounded up slightly in the center to allow for better drainage. Pete and Fernando make sure none of the mat is exposed.
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- By early afternoon, my stable manager Helen Peparo and Bond, come over to take a look at the new paddock entrance and path.
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- What do you think, Bond? I think he approves.
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- Fernando wets the gravel, so it packs down into the cells as much as possible. This is a crucial part of the process to ensure there is enough of the stone mix fill.
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- Pete uses a stone tamper to pack the fill tightly.
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- It looks so much better – and the water is already draining away from the surface. If preferred, a layer of top soil can also be placed on the gravel.
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- Minutes later, it looks completely dry and mud-free
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- And here’s my Fell pony, Banchunch, about to get turned out with his Friesian friends. Banchunch is inspecting the entrance to his paddock.
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- But he doesn’t make much of the new gravel entrance – a good thing when it comes to horses. He goes straight to the nearby grass. This is actually a good sign – the new surface does not phase him one bit.
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- In fact, it doesn’t phase any of them. Banchuch, Rinze, and Bond simply keep on going – the grass seems more appealing. I am glad these mud management mats will help keep the mud away and my horses hoofs safe and dry.
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