# Stall Grids



## ObiWan (Jul 7, 2017)

I recommend using a mat called Stall Savers. First, put down a few inches of fine gravel for drainage. 1/2" drains better than the screenings / crusher run due to larger gaps. On top of that, lay your Stall Saver. It's a water-permeable, one-piece, 3/8"-thick cloth (for lack of a better word). The top surface has a plasticy texture. On top of that, you put your bedding.

When the horse pees, it runs through the mat and into the ground before it can all get absorbed by your bedding. That means you use less bedding and it doesn't smell as bad. The horse can't dig through it, so the floor stays level.

I've just started using it, and it's been great so far. It came highly recommended by friends and online. A mat for a 10x12' stall costs $175 online at http://StallSavers.com. You can read about my install in these posts on another forum:
MyTractorForum.com - The Friendliest Tractor Forum and Best Place for Tractor Information - View Single Post - Obi-Wan's new barn
MyTractorForum.com - The Friendliest Tractor Forum and Best Place for Tractor Information - View Single Post - Obi-Wan's new barn


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## daisie1 (Aug 9, 2017)

Has anyone else had experience with this? Looking for another solution. Is it affixed to the wall?


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## ObiWan (Jul 7, 2017)

daisie1 said:


> Has anyone else had experience with this? Looking for another solution. Is it affixed to the wall?


Yes, it's attached to the wall. You spread it flat and turn the edges up at the wall, then sandwich the edges against the wall using 1x4's. (They sell a plastic trim kit, but it's worthless.) Because of this, the mat doesn't move & the gravel under it doesn't get dug up.

I've been using it now for a couple months, and still love it. We've had no trouble with the manure fork damaging it. We hardly use any bedding, because liquids run right through it.

If you google "Stall Saver," you'll find nothing but great reviews.


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## daisie1 (Aug 9, 2017)

Are you using limestone under it?


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## ObiWan (Jul 7, 2017)

daisie1 said:


> Are you using limestone under it?


Yes. You can see all the details at the links I posted earlier.


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## Bright Stride Equine (Oct 20, 2016)

This sounds great! Wondering if it has any "give" similar to a rubber mat?


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## avjudge (Feb 1, 2011)

Bright Stride Equine said:


> This sounds great! Wondering if it has any "give" similar to a rubber mat?


My understanding is that Stall Savers is a heavy-duty geotextile, basically a thicker, stronger version of the stuff you buy to put down under mulch to keep weeds down. So it shouldn't have any give in it, it acts more as a membrane to separate the bedding from a substrate while letting liquids drain through.

I've seen some short discussions of it around the web, and everyone who has it seems to love it. I haven't read any negative comments. Note that I haven't used it myself, just passing on what I've read. (I'm considering it for my stalls.)

Anne


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## ObiWan (Jul 7, 2017)

Bright Stride Equine said:


> This sounds great! Wondering if it has any "give" similar to a rubber mat?


It's about 3/8" thick when new, and as avjudge said, it's a textile material, so it compacts somewhat over time. It's certainly not as squishy as a 3/4" rubber mat. It is, however, softer than bare gravel, in much the same way that a bamboo floor in your house is softer than bare concrete. You definitely want to keep a layer of bedding over it to help cushion the surface.

After four months of use, I'm still happy with it, but I'm not as amazed as I expected to be. Water does drain through it, but it does so somewhat slowly. If the horse pees or a bucket gets knocked over, he bedding will still soak up a fair bit of the liquid before it drains through the material to the gavel below. Consequently, I've been using up a little more bedding than I'd hoped I would. That might be because I started out using sawdust for bedding, which seems to absorb liquid faster than the wood chips that I've since switched to.

I still recommend it. In fact, I just ordered my second Stall Saver to finish up our second stall before we bring another horse home soon.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

I would think the quicker your underlayment drains the quicker your stall saver would drain and bedding probably soaks up more rapidly than any stall fabric allows drainage since there is something under it. As long as it is draining through though then it is better than having the floor dug out over time. I wonder if laid over a grid with no fill or backfilled with gravel there would be drainage at a quicker pace.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Testing ignore


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