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Ann Kerr

Ann Kerr

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Sep 2, 2025
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just joined, as I love a forum for horse and land management advice, I was browsing for advice on how to stop our gateway becoming a slippery mud bath this winter (we are on clay) and someone suggested planings, and I found lots of useful info on this forum already, so thank you. We have a 22 year old 16 hand (not very fit but healthy)warmblood show jumping type living with us for the foreseeable future on loan.....I want to prevent the mud bath so neither he nor I slip over at feeding time! or more likely while I'm wheelbarrowing poo.... consensus seams to be to remove topsoil, probably lay a land drain, put down a membrane and roll in some planings and see how we go.....I'm hoping its cheaper than mud mats but that's my other option.
 
Welcome! Are you in the UK? (we still have a few forumites in America I think, although most are across the UK)
 
Hi,

As someone who hates a muddy field and hates seeing horses stood in mud. I would suggest you tape of your gateway permanently. That sounds bizarre but I can honestly say it has worked for many years for me.

My yard and drive is scalpings. Some people say that the scalpings will get stuck in the horses shoes. I had two cobs one barefoot, the other had fronts, I never had issues myself.

You could dig down and just add the scalpings.
Or dig down, add some crushed stone with limestone dust, drive over to compact or hire a walker plate, then add the scalpings on top.
We did some yard renovations one winter, yard became a bog. We applied the scalping direct to the mud. But you need to add quite a thick layer. It was fine as we had them to hand.
I have also applied scalpings direct to the field gateway in two lines just to make a secure footing and so I could drive in and out. But I stress this gateway is permanently fenced off so no animals can stand at the gate. It's lasted 7 years since I did it.
 
I see what you are suggesting but think it will just push the problem of poaching further back into the field, as the horse will then stand at the taped off area and poach it there instead of the gate.... my husband is thinking since I wrote this post that he will just buy mud mats he thinks it might be less work for him. If he is going to pay for them then fine, I think it will be more expensive than road planings. Forgot to say our horse is also barefoot..... but he wont be for long and will also have fronts fitted soon.
 
I know exactly what your saying about it moving into the field but managed right you are keeping yourself safe and easy for putting hay out. It wont work if you are overstocked. The trick is to fence back from the gateway now whilst ground conditions are good and you have daylight. I use a double fence. Then as you get into the winter you can move the tape towards the gateway. But your immediate gateway is always good and safe for leading through. Also sub divide the field so you have two paddocks to be able to rotate.
 
I have got two fields, and yes that is normally the plan to save one and rotate, but the cheeky bugger jumps over the gate when its shut! :rolleyes:1756913993607.jpeg
 
Hi welcome to NR 👋

I used planings in a muddy gate years ago and it worked really well, honestly I just put it down on top and used it, did put a good thick layer though as it was only a small gateway. To do it properly it is best to add a soak away off to the side if you can so all the water has somewhere to go.
 
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Plannings/scalpings are what they take off the road when they are resurfacing it. Its the tarmac. They take of the top 3-5inchs. It comes off in little pieces or sometimes chunks.
 
Ground asphalt here. We also use crushed run which is stone base plus the fines. TY.

The ground asphalt melts if you put it down in the heat of summer and solidifies nicely. Doesn't drain and has to be crowned. The crushed run packs with rain but still drains.
 
we have tried all sorts of stuff and no matter what you do gateways get muddy. I currently use Mud Control Mats and the WF Racing Mats which seem to work better as less slippy. All the ground beyond continues to get muddy so it works after a fashion but never really solves the problem, We have 2 concrete yards as a last resort. We have put in drains put down membranes etc but they didn't work. The mats provide an area where they can stand and eat hay and be on a cleanish surface. The only thing that really worked is when we had a tiny field and we put half of it into a sand arena so they had lovely turn out all the time.
 
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Here are some areas we have done, The green area in front of the field shelter has mud control mats there and in the shelter, also the last image has them under the grass. They help but don't completely solve. The WF racing mats are bigger and easier to lay.
 
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