The weeks between winter and spring can be very hard on horse owners. They're filled with lots of mud! Snow melts and the ground unfreezes leaving behind a swampy mess. You're probably wondering how most deal with these unfortunate conditions.

Coping with Mud

A recent survey was asked on the Facebook group, Horse Barns: Plans, Designs & Ideas. The question was 'What do you do about mud?'. Over 625 answers were given!

  • 337 - Nothing, just turn out and ignore it
  • 104 - Graveled dry lot
  • 87 - Gravel, mulch, or mats in high-traffic areas
  • 42 - Mud Control Grids or something similar
  • 22 - Other
  • 18 - Stall keep them until it dries out
  • 15 - Turn out into an arena

The most selected option was simply nothing. These farm owners either ignore the mud or are lucky that their soil drains well. Those that participated are from around the United States (some even international). Likely, some areas experience more rain and mud than others. Additionally, the size of the field and number of horses could even influence their decision.

A good strategy to cope with the mucky conditions is a dry lot topped with some sort of gravel or footing. This option along with Mud Control Grids can be costly though. If you're looking for a more affordable approach, target the high-traffic areas by putting down footing there.

Ultimately, it seems the vast majority are still turning out their horses. It appeared only a few were kept inside their stalls.

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