GATEWAY
Overview
A worthwhile and cost effective method of improving soil drainage and reducing water logging and compaction creating a drier and healthier environment for your Horse/Pony
Gateway is a soil conditioner designed to improve drainage, reduce waterlogging, and create a healthier environment for horses and ponies. It is particularly effective for compacted soils that struggle with water retention and drainage.
Water must be able to move freely in the soil - both down in times of high rainfall and back via capillary action in times of drought. Water logged or drought prone soil is most likely to be suffering from compaction. A well-structured soil will hold water and oxygen in the correct amounts allowing grass to breath.
This also encourages production of the vast array of beneficial micro-organisms that will go a long way towards addressing the compaction issue, encouraging worms in to aerate. Many of the best soils have critical water management problems. Applying Gateway will help excess water to move through the soil allowing in the air with the subsequent benefits of improved biological activity and humus building.
Gateway is a worthwhile and cost effective method of improving soil drainage and reducing soil shear strength.
Key benefits of Gateway
Improved drainage breaks soil compaction, allowing water to move freely through the soil, which helps prevent waterlogging and reduces standing water and mud.
Enhanced soil health is also achieved by stimulating root development, encouraging beneficial microorganisms, and increasing humus levels. Additionally, this improved drainage reduces the risk of mud fever, a skin infection caused by excessive moisture.
Dangers to grass management
Compaction
Compacted soils have reduced pore spaces- therefore less room for water, air and beneficial micro- organisms causing anaerobic conditions. This creates the wrong environment for beneficial soil micro-organisms. Soil pathogens then take over to attack the roots of the plant.
Gateway produces a stronger and healthier grass that is less susceptible to disease in a soil that drains more freely, allowing quicker access after wet weather.
Water retention
Causes similar problems to the above but the soil need not be
compacted for this to happen. Imbalances of levels of Calcium to
Magnesium can cause this problem.
Gateway contains a unique soil conditioning agent which allows water to move easily through the soil, improving water infiltration
and increasing aeration.
The ionic nature of soils
Particularly clays and the polarised molecular structure of water results in strongly bonded water in the soil system.
It is the strength of this soil-water adhesion which leads to soil compaction thus resulting in poor water infiltration, low overall water capacity, reduced soil aeration and high shear strength.
Compacted soil reduces air space which will inhibit beneficial micro-organisms. The soil will tend to go hard when dry and hold excess water at other times.
An application of Gateway will penetrate to depths of three to four feet and by doing so will improve porosity by up to 30%.
One of the most readily observed results of a treatment of Gateway is improved water infiltration rates.
By reducing the adhesion which produces compaction of soil into rigid structures, particularly into a hard pan layer, the Soil Conditioner readies the soil for much deeper and faster influx of water.
The increased penetration of water results in reduced run-off and standing water in previously wet areas. Soils that have the correct balance and ratio of nutrients, together with an active humus content, are said to be fertile.
Fertility is not an accident and does not in itself guarantee high yields. The highest yields will always come from crops that have been subjected to the least amount of stress and most stress comes from either too much or too little water which will result in too much or too little oxygen in the soil.
How does it work?
It works by breaking down soil compaction, which reduces the adhesion between soil particles and allows for better water infiltration.
This process also improves soil structure by increasing pore space, which enhances air and water movement. Additionally, it stimulates root growth by encouraging more profound and extensive root systems, leading to improved nutrient uptake.
Furthermore, it enhances biological activity by creating a more favorable environment for beneficial microorganisms.
Prevention of mud fever
Mud fever is a "secondary condition" caused by another issue, like skin weakened by constant wetting, that creates bacterial or fungal infection.
These primary causes can include bacterial infection due to wet folds in the skin, fungus, mites, minor skin injuries and can also be autoimmune related (where the horse's immune system is attacking itself). If it's autoimmune related (which is rare), redness, inflammation, sores, and itching weaken the skin and allow bacteria to invade, leading to mud fever.
Your horse's skin normally has bacteria on the surface that does not cause problems unless the skin's surface is damaged or the immune system is compromised and can't deal with infection.
Constant wetness (such as standing in mud) causes the skin to become soft and swollen, which weakens natural defences.
Standing in wet conditions can also produce slippery footings or Thrush.
GATEWAY helps to eliminate standing water which in turn stops it from turning to mud by addressing compaction allowing the water to drain away.
Application
For the initial application, in early autumn, apply 2 litres per acre diluted in 20 litres of water. For severely compacted soils, use 5 litres per acre mixed in 50 litres of water. Re-applications for severely compacted soils should be done every three weeks until the problem is under control.
Afterward, apply 2 litres per acre in March or April and again in early autumn. Gateway is a safe and effective solution for improving the condition of wet paddocks.
By addressing compaction and improving drainage, it helps create a healthier environment for horses and ponies, reducing the risk of mud fever and other health problems.
Contains naturally occurring plant extracts with added biological stimulants.
Including Fulvic and Humic Acids and Natural Composted Percolates. Also contains many Vitamins and Plant Growth Stimulants with a range of proteins and carbohydrates all designed to feed the soil. GATEWAY also contains a clever formulation of anionic Glycol’s with Block Polymers and Succinates to improve water infiltration and act as a soil emollient (softens the soil and improves biological activity).
