Soil compaction

We talk a lot about soil nutrition but compaction is an important part of the soil health puzzle - let's take a look at what it is, how it happens, and what to do about it. 

Compaction is essentially squashed soil. During the wet winter months, our horses’ hooves damage the soil surface, making ruts, squashing out the air, and changing soils from a resilient crumb-like structure to a solid mass. This makes it very difficult for air, water, and roots to pass through and creates a vicious cycle where fields become wetter and muddier year on year with drainage increasingly impeded. 

As land dries out, the squelchy mud of winter quickly hardens, leaving it set in the structure that was created. These compacted soils are very hard and unforgiving on our horses’ joints during the summer months. 

In an ideal world, we would remove horses from the fields in wet conditions to protect the soil from damage. Alternative winter turnout solutions such as a surfaced turnout paddock, hardcore tracks or yard areas are becoming increasingly popular, although they can be expensive to install. An alternative is to graze at low stocking rates on well-established grass which protects the soil. 

However when muddy conditions inevitably occur, you will need to consider how to correct this. The traditional approach of rolling fields to remove ruts, while sometimes necessary for safety, can actually worsen compaction, as you are essentially squashing the soil further. Harrowing provides a less damaging alternative where rutting is not too severe, and specific equipment such as sward aerators can be used periodically to remediate compaction and improve air flow through the soil.