Heavy Traffic Mud Grids vs PastureDRY™ mud eliminator
We brag when we are lucky enough to own one easy keeper in our barn. When we have two, we are overjoyed. Wouldn’t it be great to have easy-keep(ing) mud-less pastures and areas that provide a healthier environment for our animals to stand or eat freely without developing sand coli or painful Dermatophilosis, Myiasis, Thrush, Mud Fever, Rain Rot, White Line, scratches, or pus-filled frogs?
Mud and wet conditions create unhealthy skin conditions. In Summer, horses and animals experience FLY MYIASIS. Flies seek open sores and cracked skin to lay their eggs and mature. The maggots hatch and then crawl to healthy tissues, including the ears, mucosal nostrils, and mouths of humans and animals.
First, I research everything, comb through comprehensive scholarly studies or health and agricultural government sites; that’s my job; I like detail. My second criterion is that I want effective products that benefit my animals, are reasonably priced, and work.
Had I figured out that muddy conditions significantly increased the cost and amount of feed, I would have started sooner! Animal studies explain that animals standing in mud expend extra energy constantly shifting to gain firm ground, lose weight, and need more calories—the cost of wasted, uneaten good hay in yucky, wet, murky water and mud. Horses and most animals find muddied hay unappetizing.
Mud affects horses’ skin and health. A horse covered in MUD may experience Thermoneutral zones, either LCT (Low Critical Temperature) or UCT (Upper Body Critical Temperature), depending on its age, body condition, health, whether its coat is clipped, the ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind, precipitation, or the task we are asking it to complete in a particular type of weather.
Skin caked with mud cannot breathe. Matted coats cannot fluff to create air pockets that insulate in cold weather, allow sweat to evaporate, or cause overheating, which can quickly become a health issue. Trapped moisture can breed bacteria and clog pores, causing skin issues. Horses will need human intervention with either mud-related LCT or UCT.
PASTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (PMP)
Ideally, we want an environment free of mud, which means healthy frogs and intact hooves, fewer breeding and biting insects, and less chance of our horses slipping, bumping another horse or sliding running through our gates or us breaking an arm or leg while feeding or watering them, or losing a good boot to mud. We need to find budget-friendly methods to make our pastures, barn & gate entrances, and feeding areas with Pasture Management Practices.
MUD GRIDS
Creating a mud-free zone with grids or rubber mats is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive. Some of us work three jobs: our family, our horses, our barns, and our property’s upkeep test us daily. We often work outside of our homes to pay our property taxes, maintain equipment, and provide medical care for our horses and family.
Back in 2017
In a 2017 article, a university in KY specifically suggested high-traffic heavy pads (grids) integrated with 6 to 8 oz. non-woven Geo textile fabric, #4 limestone, blue stone, and other aggregates as a cure-all for MUD.
At the time of publishing the KY 2017 article stated the cost was
80 cents a square foot.
This was ALL INCLUSIVE: fabric, multiple aggregates, labor, grading, heavy-traffic pads, and equipment.
Using a KY University’s published article costs-
Item: Cost per square foot $0.80 cents`
- A 20’ x 20’ at .80 cents would cost $320
- A 20’ x 30’ at .80 cents would have cost $480
- A 40’ x 40’ at .80 cents would have cost $1,280
When the mud grid idea grew, so did the price. I liken the increase in the price of formerly commonly used and marketed items that later became equine products. Someone slaps a horse picture on them and triples the price. I apologize for the sarcasm.
To make my point, look at mag. In 1997, mag was $1 a bag, and it lasted 12 months! Clients tell me it’s 6 months now, and it ranges from $16 to $22 a bag; at times, it’s scarce.
A new 2024 quote for Grid-MATS ONLY
- One 20 X 20 at $9.55 a sq. ft MATS equals $ 3,800
- One 30 x 20 at $9.55 a sq. ft. MATS equals $ 5,730
- One 40 x 40 at $9.95 a sq. ft. MATS equals $15,280
A 2025 quote for a complete heavy-traffic mat system with: 2-3 TYPES OF AGGREGATES, ROLLS OF non-woven FABRIC, Excavation GRADING Equipment, and LABOR.
ONE 20’ x 20’ area costs $5,560.
So, in answer to the Blog’s Title:
YES, Heavy-Traffic grid mats are expensive.
PastureDRY costs $329.99 and treats (10)—20’ x 20’ areas.
Walk with me on this.
As the former wife of a custom home builder, I was somewhat skeptical when I first read about the heavy traffic grid systems for cattle in 2017. Common sense would prevail that an area blocked by impenetrable, non-woven fabric would not drain and become susceptible to overflow.
Let’s use a household round bucket as an example: Buckets do not drain, similarly to how the KY article portrays non-woven fabric. Place 4 inches of big gravel at the bottom of the bucket, then add 3 inches of smaller gravel on top of the big gravel. Place a round colander as if it were the grid mat. Pour water to the brim. Does it drain, dissipate, or stand stagnant?
Statement: Well-fed horses produce 50 pounds of manure & 3 gallons of urine per day. Add Nature-snow & rain. Will our bucket drain? NO!
Customers will likely become disenchanted with their expensive grid systems’ flaws as their gravel pits overflow with rain, snow, and accumulate twigs, tractor tire mud, hoof mud, Fall leaves, urine, and manure. Where will the sludge water drain? Trapped manure and urine will reek of ammonia, particularly in warmer weather, and attract known disease vectors, such as biting blood-seeking horse flies and pesky gnats.
The mat system reminded me of French Drains, which homeowners request landscapers install in waterlogged areas of their yards. The large pipes typically become plugged despite being cloth-wrapped when they fill up with dirt, clay, and debris, and fail in 1-2 years due to the design concept, poor application, or the volume of liquids they are asked to dissipate.
DAILY MAINTENANCE of GRID MATS: Grid promoters suggest removing straw, manure, or any type of bedding material or feed material daily. This debris will fill the nooks and crannies of the aggregates.
In addition, newer instructions for the heavy traffic grid mat system include a new engineered design for prepping the base of the grid bed: “creating a 5% drainage slope” toward a well-vegetated discarding area to prevent illegal drainage to underground freshets, nearby wells, and streams that lead to waterways or your freshwater ponds. Oh, my!
Grid promoters indicate you may need to add materials every several years.
Newest Heavy Traffic GRID SYSTEM ADDENDUM: grid promoters now suggest maintaining a grass filter strip along any downslopes or heavy-use areas to trap sediment and pre-empt illegal pollutant runoff.
Importantly, please consult your local county environmental agency to ensure you drain it into an area that can withstand all the liquid, based on snow or rain precipitation and urine accretion from the number of horses or animals utilizing the area.
WHY BECAUSE IT’S THE LAW
The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the United States’ water and regulates the quality standards of surface waters. The act was significantly reorganized & expanded in 1972 as the “Clean Water Act.”
Under the CWA, the EPA has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards—the EPA National Elimination of Pollutant Discharge. EPA has also developed national water quality standards, criteria, and recommendations for pollutants in surface waters.
Animal Waste from Animal Operations. CAFOs that are not controlling their animal wastes and illegally discharging pollutants to water bodies are a serious threat to water quality and human health.
Wetlands – Discharges of Dredge and Fill Material. EPA ensures that dredged or fill material is not discharged into wetlands and other waters of the United States except as authorized by a permit issued by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. EPA investigates and inspects those discharging dredge and fill material into wetlands and other waters of the United States without a permit and pursues appropriate enforcement to ensure compliance.
The CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters unless a permit was obtained:
- Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches.
- Industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if discharges go directly to surface waters.
EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS for Heavy Traffic mud grids
Order, receive, stage, and handle OR pay a contractor or subcontractor’s
*It is best to have adults present to sign for the materials or rental equipment.
Receive & stage:
Pallet(s) of heavy rubber mats
Pallet(s) of non-woven fabric (minimum three rolls)
*Ensure you schedule your installation experience soon after the fabric arrives. Non-woven fabrics are ultraviolet-sensitive, resulting in faster degradation from UV breakdown, surface degradation, and reduced tensile strength with high UV exposure.
Rent equipment or hire a contractor with:
- a FORKLIFT
- a FRONT-END LOADER
- an EXCAVATOR
- a HEAVY-DUTY LEVELOR
- a HEAVY-DUTY COMPACTION MACHINE
Preparing the site for heavy grid mats:
Measure & mark the area for excavation with utility flags or other
Remove 8-12″ inches of your topsoil, trees, old stumps, or tree roots with an excavator. (To reach hard clay, your barrier, which is why it won’t drain)
Comb the area to level & use a level to ensure
Meticulously install Class SE, 1-4 (your choice) of non-woven fabric, overlapping each section by 12 *Sprinkle several handfuls of 2-inch gravel to hold the fabric in place as you layer and overlap it.
Place 6 inches of #2-sized stone (2-1/2 inch in size) on top of the non-woven material. Level the stone.
Then compact stone #2 stone with an industrial type of heavy-duty roller that vibrates & levels
Install 4 inches of Blue Stone & level it.
Compact Blue Stone with an industrial type of heavy-duty roller that vibrates & levels
Using a forklift, lift the heavy mats, drag them into place, and then puzzle them to fit your bed.
Rent an appropriate-sizeddumpster for the project to contain all the debris, such as boxes, cellophane wrap from pallets, or human-made luncheon material and water bottles.
As the ex-wife of a contractor, I would suggest renting an outhouse.
Lastly, arrange for someone to buy or pick up leftover pallets or take them to be recycled.
PastureDRY™ – mud eliminator vs. MUDGRID mats
PastureDRY™ is a liquid spray-on, concentrated proprietary formula of agricultural minerals and elements that improves soil & creates percolation, allowing water to drain and your topsoil to dry.
For example, one gallon of PastureDRY™ treats 4,000 square feet to a depth of 8-9 inches, and it costs $329.99 with FedEx Free Shipping.
Examples: (4) 25 x 40 paddocks or (1) 40 x 100 or (2) 40 x 50 paddocks
*PastureDRY™ can treat from 8-9 inches or the depth of an Olympic pool.
Soil Preparation for PastureDRY™: ZERO
GOOD EARTH
Soil becomes waterlogged when a water barrier, such as Clay, Hardpan, or Caliche, stops water from draining and turns it into standing water and/or perilous mud. Typically, a water barrier is 8-9 inches deep but may vary per property.
Lifeless, waterlogged soils erode and become easily compacted, creating poor root health or crusting over poor soil. They are unhealthy and dangerous for human and animal health.
Good, healthy soil comprises clay, sand, and silt granules organically glued together by decaying plant materials, earthworm excretions, sticky soil microbes, soil minerals, and microorganisms like fungi and bacteria. When you pick up a handful of good soil, it’s moist but not wet, and it initially stays together for a few seconds, then surrenders a few crumbles that smell like good earth.
PORE SPACE
Without pore space, soils are prone to crusting, root diseases, run-off, erosion, compaction, standing water, and creating MUD.
PastureDRY createsa healthy pore space for rain infiltration. Pore space is vital to soil; good soil retains some moisture to sustain crops during drought.
With good drainage, the plant’s roots can generate organic “glues” and soil microbes, fungi, and bacteria that improve aggregate strength. Before long, this diverse soil attracts busy earth-moving worms, creating more nooks and crannies for drainage and excreting vermicast, the best soil medium ever.
A Good Read Cornell University Cooperative Extension’s Agronomy Fact Sheet #95 by Sarah Hetrick, Quirine Ketterings, Karl Czymmek et.al.,a short 2016 scholastic article.
California
PastureDRY™ is formulated from a proprietary blend of agricultural minerals. It is ecologically friendly and environmentally safe. The formula was approved in California in 1971. The product was initially used to correct the soil’s pH, remove old chemicals and salts that inhibited plant growth, grow organic and healthier plants, hold moisture, restore soil productivity, and eliminate standing water that suffocates plants and trees’ root systems.
PastureDRY™ has been successfully used to create soil percolation of standing water in places where horses congregate, on dirt roads in front of barns, gates, feeding areas, deer stand paths, paddocks, run-ins, horse trails, polo fields, mailbox areas, sports fields, racetracks, pastures for horses or crops are grown.
For more information, visit PastureDry’s website www.pasturedry.com
Equipment needed for PastureDRY
NONE, ZERO, NADA
NO HEAVY EQUIPMENT NEEDED
NO PILES OF AGGREGATES NEEDED
NO PALLETS
NO non-woven FABRIC
Household type items for PastureDRY™ MUD control.
A chopstick or driveway snow stick to measure your barrier’s depth
A hand-held quart garden-type spray with an ounce dial on top
A watering hose with access to water
Feel free to ask John any questions BEFORE applying by calling 330-388-3197
*We want you to be happy with our products and to ensure you receive all their qualities and benefits.
Directions:
Measure the depth of your mud with a stick in several locations, average it out & adjust the sprayer’s dial accordingly. (The average water barrier depth is 9-10 inches)
*It is helpful first to watch John on our website spraying an arena with Arenaclear™; it’s the same process and pace.
Fill the quart sprayer with PastureDRY™ liquid concentrate.
Double-check the sprayer’s dial setting for the correct dilution formula for the depth of your mud’s barrier.
Attach the hose to the garden sprayer and turn on the water.
A general rule of thumb is “one and 1/2 ounces” of PD per gal. for a gator or truck water tank to reach the typical 9-10 inch depth.
NOTE(s): PastureDRY™ needs enough water, mild rain, or melting snow to reach the water barrier, i.e., clay, caliche, or hardpan, that is blocking your water from draining. *PastureDRY™ works quicker during warm temperatures, just like people.
How long does PastureDRY™ last? Years or almost forever.*
Maintenance: Occasionally, using your sprayer, spray a little PastureDRY™ on accumulated manure, hay, leaves, or mud tracked from other areas.
*Note: Do not add shavings, wood pellets, wood chips, or straw to the treated areas; this is the recipe for adobe brick, and it will create a NEW water barrier.
OTHER USES: PastureDRY™
Anywhere there is mud or standing water, it can be formulated using the correct amount of product and water to reach any depth. For example, it can be used to pre-excavate a swimming pool in a Hardpan area like Las Vegas or Scottsdale. It will dig like butter—no need for a jackhammer.
If you have difficulty getting through your pasture’s mud to feed or water your horse, think PastureDRY.
If you cannot reach your deer stands due to mud, think PastureDRY. Treat it in late summer and let the rainwater in.
Testimonials:
A standout from JPI Corporation, out of Irving, TX. During a year of heavy rains, JPI was building a multi-family 500-unit luxury apartment complex in CALIFORNIA and could not pass its percolation test to pour concrete pads. Our product was already approved in CA & we shipped it quickly. They were behind schedule and losing $7,000 per day. A few days after applying our product, they had 18 inches of percolation,passed their tests with flying colors, and construction commenced.
Carlsbad, CA- Hardpan: A gentleman and his family moved to Carlsbad, CA, from Springfield, Illinois, and wished to put in a pool for their children and enjoy the new climate. He called several pool companies to come out and give him a price.
Two pool companies returned with bids of $9,000 and $7000 to dig the prospective area with jackhammers. That’s how hard it was. Instead, the owner bought fifteen gallons of PastureDRY, applied it, and added copious amounts of water. A week later, the construction company came to assess the area and found it dug like butter with a shovel. The owner did not need to pay the extra $9000 for special equipment and manpower for Hardpan excavation just for the pool.
About US.
We have been in the equine & animal care industry for over 24 years.John, our company’s brawn & math brains, took on Stall DRY Deodorizer™, Barn Fresh™, and Red Lake Diatomaceous Earth™, an anti-caking agent feed additivefor large operation poultry, egg layers, dairy & hog farms, with John at the helm as the National Marketing and Distribution President, there was a quick expansion. People were eager for ammonia control, and he needed more manpower. John hired me as Vice President of Marketing and Sales Training Director.
I know some of you love Sweet PDZ™, and that is great. If the horses, animals, and their humans are experiencing less ammonia, I am happy.
When John started with Stall DRY in 1997, he had one distributor in WA. As a team, we set up 18 Stall DRY distributors who sold it to your local feed stores throughout the United States, including in HI. Next, we set up chain stores: Orscheln’s, Mills Fleet & Farm, nationwide Tractor Supply stores, and more.
John established feed mills and distributors nationwide with StallDRY, Red Lake Diatomaceous Earth & Barn Fresh. We both traveled with our distributor’s salesforce to their clients’ ammonia-laden dairy barns, horse barns, grower poultry houses, and egg layer houses. This was challenging for me, as ammonia is another COPD/Asthma trigger.
After approaching equine facilities often on dusty roads, visiting dust-laden barns and arenas, we started producing Arenaclear Dust Control. Controlling fugitive dust from outdoor and indoor arenas was essential for horses’ and humans’ health. Convenient yet unhealthy horses are typically stalled within 20 feet of their arenas 24/7.
Neither was dredging in mud past my hocks. (That’s supposed to be funny and draw a good picture.) Mud feels disconcertingly like quicksand. Your horses or you can break a leg or arm; it’s a safety hazard. Mud breeds biting, blood-sucking horse flies, mosquitoes, and gnats that carry viruses and diseases. Mud is a cesspool of bacteria.
We want horses, animals, and people to be safer and healthier.
I hope you enjoy the article.
Feel free to ask questions.