A few months ago the farrier told me that if I put in a paddock with crushed stone or sand, it would keep the donkeys out of the mud during the wet seasons in Maine. Since donkeys are designed to live in arid climates, their hooves suffer with all the moisture here. I told my neighbor about it, and she told me she knew a contractor who could help me out. He was supposed to be here in early June, but due to the very wet spring, many contractors are running way behind. My neighbor called him for me again recently, and today he arrived, with a big dump truck and an excavator. I had locked the goats up in their cozy, and the donkeys were in the back yard. I opened the gate to the pasture and the big truck and trailer came right in.
The goats were very curious.
It was kind of fun to watch the men and equipment dig and move dirt while I worked.
After all the dirt was moved and smoothed, a dump truck full of sand was delivered.
18 yards of sand, arranged so it will drain well in bad weather.
The animals were cranky from their change of schedule, so the moment the men and equipment left, I let everyone back into the pasture. They immediately headed for the smooth sand.
They tripped about happily leaving hoof prints everywhere.
Later this afternoon we had a good rain, that will be a start to get it all packed down.
Now we need fence and a gate, and hopefully the donkeys hooves will be grateful for the new, dry, footing.
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