Ag Lime vs Hydrated Lime

[MaryThoreson]

We've been getting a lot of rain lately - normal for this time of year here - but my outdoor runs are getting muddy and smelly. I know my grandmother used lime in her runs but I don't know which kind. I bought the ag lime (calcite) and a friend said not to use that, to use the hydrated lime. But when I googled it, it says the hydrated lime will burn them. So, I'm not sure what to do, but I need to do something right away. My plan is to lay down the lime and then cover it with fresh straw.

 

[alwaystj9]

A friend uses Sweet PDZ and straw

 

[kerbotx]

Ag lime is for the run, hydrated lime is for painting in a whitewash. Another option is pine pellets for horse stalls - several YouTube videos on it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Lime does nothing to dry up mud.

What you need is plenty of dry organic material to absorb the water. Chunky wood chips, the sort you get from a tree trimming service, are usually considered the gold standard for this purpose, but anything will help.

Also, check the drainage pattern of your land to make sure that ground water isn't running into your runs -- dig diversion ditches if necessary. Likewise make sure that gutters are carrying rain away from the runs and not emptying into them.

 

[MaryThoreson]

THank you.