Horses and muddy field

[Andy Burns]

[The Medway Handyman]

True. Still wouldn't want to lift one up though :-)

[John Rumm]

Type 1 is usually limestone. What really matters is the mix of particle sizes that allows it to knit together as you compress it.

One of the cheapest ways of buying it round here is from the skip companies. If you need a skip for anything, they will usually deliver type 1 in your skip for about £35/tonne.

[Me Here]

Catch the local tree surgeon for wood chip from their chipper. I have successfully "dried" areas larger than that with the stuff. It's bio degradable, they don't eat it, it's usually very cheap or free and very easy to spread. Have done an area of 200m x 5m that was extremely slippery and rutted, gave a lovely soft underfoot feel, and a soft landing for anyone that fell or tripped. Horses seemed to feel more solid footed rather than slipping around on mud and into holes full of water too.

[Muddy Horse]

Thanks for the replies. I haven't been able to locate a source of MOT type 1 limestone in North Devon yet. Is the type of stone important, or would pretty much any "MOT type 1" be sufficient in this case? eg. This unspecified stone from Wickes:

[Andy Dingley]

Plastic grid tiles, which you infill with soil, gravel or grow turf through. They're mostly sold for car hardstanding, to look better than bare gravel, carry weight better than grass and drain through better than tarmac. =A320 /m^2 or so, Screwfix have them, or you can shop around at real merchants for tougher ones.

[The Natural Philosopher]

The thing about lime is it crushes and its permeable.

Just look for limestone sub base type material.

>

[Kevin Poole]

Many have suggested MoT1, but a cheaper alternative to "proper" MoT1 is crushed brick/concrete to a similar grading. Many of the reclamation places sell it, and round here it's about £6 / tonne plus delivery.

I've used it under a concrete slab for a garage base, and it compacted well. MoT1 looks tidier, but if it gets wet before it's covered, the white paste gets everywhere.

[Kate Morgan]

Plastic grid tiles, which you infill with soil, gravel or grow turf through. They're mostly sold for car hardstanding, to look better than bare gravel, carry weight better than grass and drain through better than tarmac. £20 /m^2 or so, Screwfix have them, or you can shop around at real merchants for tougher ones.

I had this problem once, I had no money to spend on anything to help, so when I mucked out I spread the dirty and wet straw on the muddy areas and eventually it dried and made a good surface.

kate

[JimK]

IME any "white paste" (small fines mixed with rain) will very quickly disperse to leave a non-pasty surface.

I agree crushed concrete or maybe crushed brick (but not too soft a brick) would be a cheaper substitute - just be aware that there can be all sorts of crap in crushed demoliution waste - (metal bar, glass, nails, wood) ask lots of questions and have a good look before buying and whilst spreading.

Cheers JimK