By Alexa Linton, Equine Sports Therapist

Mud season can be a real challenge for horse owners. Managing water and footing is essential to prevent the area from turning into a soupy mess. This past spring, we moved onto our own five-acre property and are preparing for our first fall and winter with our herd of four on a track system. It takes creative solutions to keep horses high, dry, and out of the muck, at least most of the time. No matter where you live in Canada, these ideas will help you manage the muddy seasons in your area.

Horses should have a high, dry area to stand, eat, and rest comfortably with dry hooves. Feed hay in a hay net, feeder, or on a surfaced area free of mud. Photo: iStock/Urbancow

Related: Build Your Equine Team This Winter 

Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty. The amount of mud on your property depends on the time of year; the amount of rain or snow; where you live; the number of horses you have; the amount and type of land you are working with (forested, pasture, bog); the microclimates and terrain changes on the land (hills, low spots); and the health and make-up of the soil (clay vs gravel). There are countless unique ecosystems depending on where you live, and if we want to preserve or support the land our horses live on, there are some important considerations. It can be easy to allow horses to harm land with overgrazing and too much hoof compression, which reduce biodiversity and topsoil. On the other hand, building up footing too much can compromise ecosystems, diversity, and topsoil, as well as reduce the opportunities for horses to benefit from movement, varied terrain, and enrichment. The ideas in this article will allow you to work with your existing soil and terrain to preserve topsoil, bolster biodiversity and species interrelationships (beneficial plant, animal, and insect species), and create a space for you and your horses that is full of life while still supporting the health of your herd.

I have a not-so-secret weapon against mud — mud control grids. I discovered them when my two large mares were boarded for two-and-a-half years on a property previously inhabited by a herd of large draft horses (think: heavy horses, big hooves). The property was overgrazed and never rested. The ground had a gravelly base and was well-draining, but the meadow and pasture areas endured a lot of compression.

My mares lived there on a one-acre track system, which had a main shelter with several of their hay nets. Dealing with the mud at this high-traffic zone was very challenging — grading and gravel weren’t enough. I decided to try the hanit Mud Control Grids by Hahn Plastics, which are 19.5 inches by 19.5 inches and link together. These durable, easy-to-assemble grids kept my horses high and dry, and made a noticeable improvement in their hoof health and overall happiness.

Above/below: The author used hanit Mud Control Grids by Hahn Plastics to deal with challenging of mud in high traffic areas such as pathways and the feeding area at a shelter. When she moved to a new property she pulled up the grids and brought them with her to use in the new location. Photos courtesy of Hanit

To install, we cleared any additional topsoil, graded the area to slope away from the shelter for better drainage, added a thin layer of gravel (usually crusher sand or three-eighths inch cart path), then laid the grids and filled the holes with the same gravel to stabilize them and allow drainage. For this project I used 54 grids to create a feeding platform for two horses. I did not notice any slipperiness and have subsequently used them in high-traffic areas, laying two parallel to create a high, dry pathway through muddy patches.

Related: Why Air Quality in Horse Barns Matters—And How to Improve It

When we moved to our new property, we packed up the grids and brought them with us to lay out this fall, when we have a sense of where they are most needed. They have been a great investment — and include a 20-year warranty.

If you’ve followed my articles, you know I love track systems, a form of horse keeping that works great for small acreages. On a track system, one key element is a high and dry space, a spot with good drainage where you invest in base rock and footing (or in my case, gravel footing and mud control grids) that gives your horses an area to escape the mud and dry out their hooves. Often this is where your shelter is located and where they have access to forage, giving them a spot to eat, rest, and allow their hooves to dry out. Many people with track systems choose to keep the hay and main shelter separate in the high and dry area to increase movement and decrease resource guarding. If separate, there should still be a roof or protection over the hay areas and well-draining footing or mud grids around the hay stations.

Shelters should be built on higher ground with the grade sloping away from the shelter to improve drainage. Photo: iStock/Steverts

The high and dry space means that you can increase biodiversity and terrain in other spaces on your track system, even if you decide to surface your whole track area with gravel footing. 

Related: Winter Prep for the Horse Barn

If you’re starting with a clean slate on a property, be sure to map out your layout, ideally with a trusted professional, before breaking ground. This will save time, money, and headaches in the long run. A good rule of thumb is to observe a piece of land for one full year before making big permanent changes. This allows you to get a sense of where your horses tend to travel most often, especially if they live in a herd, as they will create their own tracks naturally. These tracks are often the best use of footing and resources, leaving portions of the space more natural.

When planning a track system, design your layout with the help of a professional who understands your land’s terrain and ecosystems, and can recommend proper footing and effective drainage solutions. Photo: Shutterstock/Kemke Ketelaar

Work with a well-recommended professional to build your footing properly with a good grade for adequate drainage. As you quickly discover, sitting water combined with organic material and hoof pressure generally means mud. Dig down to the base (under the topsoil), add sub-base as needed, drainage piping or geocell fabric if required, and a good layer of well-packing and well-draining gravel on top (not pea gravel, which doesn’t pack). Do this in the dry season rather than scrambling in the wetter months. As for that lovely topsoil you removed — make a little mountain for your herd, use it in the garden, add terrain to your horse spaces, or create water catchment around your property.

Related: Shelter Solutions for Horses in All Weather Conditions

If you can’t invest much in mud management, do what you can. As someone who has boarded her horses or leased land for many years, I have had to decide each year how much I am able or willing to invest in support/footing/mud grids for mud management. Observe where the high-traffic zones are and focus your efforts there. Use your tractor, or hire a skilled tractor operator, to: 

• Grade your terrain with drainage in mind (away from shelter, reduce “valleys” and standing water, add small drainage ditches), and;
• Compress your gravel footing well to prevent churning. 

I’ve even seen people using things like sheep fleece or carpet in muddy zones, and I’ve used rubber mats as a last resort. 

I don’t recommend using hog fuel — it might stay intact for a year or two, but eventually it makes more mud, mud can lead to thrush, and it does not stand up to hoof compression. Hoof compression can turn land into a soppy mess, especially if your soil is a clay base. Reducing hoof compression in all but your surfaced areas lets you focus on creating healthy pasture, increasing biodiversity, all while maintaining far happier feet on happier horses.

If possible, observe your property for a year before making permanent changes, to learn the paths your horses prefer to travel and areas prone to mud or standing water. Photo: Shutterstock/Panch 

Going barefoot for all or part of the year can also reduce the impact of hooves and the “churning” that can be caused by steel shoes. Whatever your decisions about barefoot or shod, if your horses are living on any muddy terrain, be sure to pick their feet often and have a container of Artimud at the ready. This is my favourite treatment for thrush or for use as a preventative. The clay base stays in the hoof for several days and protects the frog and sulci. Using shavings or bedding in the shelter/stall to help hooves dry is also helpful.

Mud isn’t inherently a bad thing. If your horses can dry their feet once or twice a day, it can be good for them to move through a little mud, as it’s a change in footing and increases proprioception. Humans can get weird about mud and I’ve seen barns where there is literally none to be found. This seems to be because some people really like clean horses. As my horses tend to be rather feral most of the time, I know that a good shedding brush can usually sort out most of the dirt on a horse that’s rolled in the mud. I encourage you to embrace the mess — your horse loves being muddy and it gives you a good warm-up when cleaning them up!

If you’ve got horses, you’ve got to prepare for mud. Take the time to find trusted and well-recommended professionals to ensure you are working with the terrain and ecosystems of your unique space, optimizing drainage, and adding the right footing for the job. And remember, with a well thought-out high and dry space it is entirely possible to have your horses living together all year long, all while supporting the land you are on.

Resources for Track Systems:

• Rethinking Horse Paddocks: A Natural Setup Changes Everything 
• Build a Horse Track System Course is an entire online course created by Alexa Linton. 
• Horse Track Systems: A 'How To' Guide to a Healthier Horse in Body and Mind, book by Amy Dell.

Related: Controlling Mud on Your Horse Property

Related: How to Prevent and Treat Mud Fever

More by Alexa Linton

Main Photo: Shutterstock/Barisa