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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 555
 
Location: Texas | I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what to put in horse stalls besides shavings or mats. I don't keep my horses inside but they come in for shelter or to eat. thanks. Looking possibly at some dirt but that will be hard on my back as it would have to be shoveled an hauled into each stall. I was also wondering about buting down straw? If the horses would eat it or not? |
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 The One
Posts: 7998
  
Location: South Georgia | Why cant you use shavings? |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Hey buddy.  I have cement floors in my barn with thin rubber mats over top. The thick ones are too hard for me to handle. Then I put straw over that. The straw is cheaper around here. I can buy huge round bales from the neighbors and pitch it off as needed and if I feel ambitous I put up some straw idiot blocks and put it in the hayloft. The horses don't eat it either. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1092
Location: OK | I use sawdust. It cleans easier. I get it free from sawmills. I have to load it and unload it, but free is good! lol It's definitely lighter than dirt and drains good. Comfortable. clean. Only thing is, if it's really dry, I mist it to be sure it never gets dusty. Only use pine. Never cedar or black walnut. Oak is ok IMO. Black walnut is toxic to a lot of animals. It can kill a horse if he eats any of it and it can make them sick just standing in it. Cedar will make some horses stock up. I have had it mixed in lightly tho, and it was fine.
Some people use the pellets you water down. I just hate to spend $ on something for them to poop on if I don't have to.
Some people use sand, but like you said, heavy...
IDIOT BLOCKS, BAHAHAHAHA!!! THEY ARE THAT...
Edited by jojammer 2014-01-23 12:11 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 1218
Location: Great NW | Mats keep your eating area clean so they do not pick up sand and dirt as they feed. A good base under the matts helps with drainage and will help your bedding last longer. I use pellets in my stalls and 2 bags will last me over a month if they just come in to eat. In the long run they do save you money. Straw will blow and I personally hate to clean it plus some will eat it and you still have to have a good base under it. Hire a couple of HS boys to put the dirt in. I contacted the local HS Football coach and asked him if he knew of any boys that might want to make a little money or contact the school Councelor's office - they might post it for you. Ask around your church. Heck you might not have to even pay them - Our HS Required 40 hours of community service in order to graduate :). |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | The nicest and cleanest barn I have ever been in had something called stall skins!? They did not use any type of bedding on them, the floors were simply the stall skins on cement. They were sealed somehow so urine did not get in the skins or under. The barn was dust free because of this. It was a mutli million dollar barn though so I can only imagine the cost. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I agree with the sawdust or the pellets that turn to dust. So much easier to clean and less waste. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 555
Location: Texas | Thanks everyone for your suggestions. My biggest thing I'm trying to avoid is dust. When the wind blows it blows into my stalls which picks up the shavings and they go every where. The shavings turn into dust. So technically I'm wanting to stop the dust issue...I know the solid stall mats are very heavy. Has anyone used the mats with holes in them? Would that work?
Yes, I have heard about stall skins and they are expensive. Would love to have them. But $$$$ is an issue. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | saaranch - 2014-01-23 2:28 PM Thanks everyone for your suggestions. My biggest thing I'm trying to avoid is dust. When the wind blows it blows into my stalls which picks up the shavings and they go every where. The shavings turn into dust. So technically I'm wanting to stop the dust issue...I know the solid stall mats are very heavy. Has anyone used the mats with holes in them? Would that work?
Yes, I have heard about stall skins and they are expensive. Would love to have them. But $$$$ is an issue.
Shavings will get dusty. I would imagine you'd have to wet them down. My barn is totally enclosed so no wind gets in there but I still like my straw. That's all we've ever used since I was a little girl. My dad put up a bunch of straw bales after he combined the wheat and we'd use it for the horses and cattle. The cows are stupid enough to eat it but of course it doesn't hurt them. Never had a horse get sick on it. The mats I use are 4 x 8 or around that size and thinner. I've gotten them at Tractor Supply. THey are fairly inexpensive and light enough Emily and I can drag them out of the stalls to wash things down and put them back easy enough by ourselves. They work well on dirt too. I'm cheap. I got to know the manager of the County Landfill and told him if he ever got in pickup bed rubber mats to let me know. Whenever he calls I go pick them up and throw them in the stalls. FREE! LOL |
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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
Location: Nowhere Special | If you really want to do it right and not have to deal with it anymore then I agree with Speed Junkie. Spend the money and have someone put down a good base, tamp it down and put mats on top. I also use the Tractor supply mats they are heavy but I put them all in the barn by myself (and I'm little) I also did a center drain and really put a lot of prep work into the base. Going on 5 years and they have not shifted nor do they need to be moved or cleaned under.. Stall cleaning is a breeze, no dust, and my shavings last for months on end if they are only in to eat. But a stall with no shavings is really easy to clean as well and it won't get nasty |
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 Ms. Poutability
Posts: 2362
Location: In my own world | I have mats but want these. http://www.stable-grid.com/ |
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