Dry turnout in a Washington winter sacrifice pasture
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This winter pasture turnout is perfect, except for the mud six months a year . . .
Several acres per horse, but they spend all their time within a few feet of the fencerow, socializing.
Oddly enough, rainfall does not cause mud...
... heavy traffic with narrow footprints striking the same spot of soil repeatedly compacts soil, and creates sedimentation.
Natural footing is always the best for horses (throughout history: dirt, sand and/or pasture with natural drainage).
However, when horse populations are confined in farms or ranches, the problem of soil compaction, sedimentation, and the subsequent intermingling of the surface with the subsoil arises.
Since it is not practical to provide the "million acres per horse" that their hooves are designed for...
... The next best solution is to prevent the surface compaction and sedimentation:
 while preserving the natural footing and drainage, |
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and creating a permanent, water-permeable separation layer between the surface and the subsoil.  That is what HoofGrid achieves.
HoofGrid prevents the horses' hooves from compacting the soil. Or, when the soil is wet,
HoofGrid prevents the repeated hoofprints in the same concentrated area from...
 disturbing the soil, which devastates the grass root structure, killing the forage grasses,while creating muddy, polluted runoff or collection pits,which nutrient-rich stormwater runoff often ends up migrating into the nearest river, lake or stream. |
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Before...
 Any footing method which does not permanently prevent surface compaction,
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| and does not permanently preserve the natural infiltration of the native soil, and does not permanently protect the integrity and separation of the surface from the subsoil ... is only a stop-gap treatment.
HoofGrid is the German Original agricultural/equine footing and flooring geogrid system.
As in road building or skyscraper construction...
The most important attribute of any geogrid footing system is its ability to flex, instead of breaking.
FLEXIBILITY allows for durability, whereas a high "compressive strength" is only important for stationary objects.
(Still, HoofGrid is rated at 22.45 Tons / axle, and 15-35 tons / ft² - more than sufficient compressive strength)
After ...
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After ...
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