# Stall floor question



## PilatesGal (Sep 7, 2012)

I am not all that knowledgable, but I can tell you how it's done where we currently board our horses. She has concrete floors as well, and has the entire stall covered with 5/8 rubber mats. She then puts about 6 inches of shavings down over the whole thing. I'm going to follow this thread to see what people say ... when we move (in 3 weeks - yikes!) we've got concrete floors as well, and the rubber mats. I was planning on doing shavings (it's all I've seen) but will be curious to hear if there is something better.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

3/4 inch with a thick layer of shavings is fine, that is what everyone I know uses.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

those are decent stall mats. and yes you want some shavings or straw over the rubber mat.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I use the 3/4" thick mats from TSC. They are very durable and don't slip a lot, YAY! I've used others that were horrible for slipping. I'd vote for shavings if you can buy them in bulk or pellets if you can't. Reason I say shavings in bulk is because I can buy a year's worth of shavings in bulk for what 1 pallet of the bagged shavings will cost me. If you can't buy the shavings in bulk or if you have no place to store them, then I prefer pellets. Put down several more bags than they recommend and pick every day. They last a LOT longer than shavings before you need to strip and rebed, so they're more cost effective. 

STRAW SUCKS, IMO! I use it when I'm foaling but as soon as the baby is a month or so old, I go back to just shavings. Straw isn't very absorbent and it can weigh a TON when it's wet as well as being stinky. I just put down my last bale of straw for the new foal today, and when that's done he'll be a month old and I'll be back to just shavings. YAY!


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## mistysms (Jul 15, 2012)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I use the 3/4" thick mats from TSC. They are very durable and don't slip a lot, YAY! I've used others that were horrible for slipping. I'd vote for shavings if you can buy them in bulk or pellets if you can't. Reason I say shavings in bulk is because I can buy a year's worth of shavings in bulk for what 1 pallet of the bagged shavings will cost me. If you can't buy the shavings in bulk or if you have no place to store them, then I prefer pellets. Put down several more bags than they recommend and pick every day. They last a LOT longer than shavings before you need to strip and rebed, so they're more cost effective.
> 
> STRAW SUCKS, IMO! I use it when I'm foaling but as soon as the baby is a month or so old, I go back to just shavings.  Straw isn't very absorbent and it can weigh a TON when it's wet as well as being stinky. I just put down my last bale of straw for the new foal today, and when that's done he'll be a month old and I'll be back to just shavings. YAY!


I think i'm going to use pellets because i don't have any where to store the shavings in less i buy them in bags. (still don't no where i'm going to store hay yet) I did hear to put down a lot of bags the first time. I have a funny question tho...She she pees in her stall will her pee just get soaked up by the pellets or will it sometimes go under the stall mats?


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

mistysms said:


> I think i'm going to use pellets because i don't have any where to store the shavings in less i buy them in bags. (still don't no where i'm going to store hay yet) I did hear to put down a lot of bags the first time. I have a funny question tho...She she pees in her stall will her pee just get soaked up by the pellets or will it sometimes go under the stall mats?


Yes to both questions. If you don't make sure you either clear out the pee spots every day or stir around the saw dust (what the pellets turn into) to soak up any standing pee, it can get under the mats. If you put down say, 8 -10 bags of pellets in a 12 X 12 stall, and you pick the poo and wet spots at least daily, and add a new bag of pellets every week or 10 days, then you shouldn't have to strip the stall to the mats except once a month or so. If you're not scrupulous about picking, then the pee can get under the mats and you'll have to pull mats when you strip the stall. Otherwise, you might only have to pull mats once or twice a year, if things start to smell bad. If she has a favorite pee spot, you can also put a layer of pellets down before you put down the dampened pellets, that way you have dry pellets to soak up urine and break into more saw dust to keep her from soaking down a favorite spot. Some mares are fairly neat and others are just......er...pigs. I have one that I swear pees, poos and then walks in circles to stir it all around. Then I've got a couple who poo in the same spot everytime and then pee on top of the poo. If you don't pick them out every day they turn into concrete but it's easy, just one spot 2 or 3 forkfulls and you're done. The one who stirs, I have to sift her stall every day. Every bit of bedding in the stall.


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## mistysms (Jul 15, 2012)

I do plan on cleaning the stall every morning when I let her out so hopefully It won't go under the mats


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## LuckyRVT (Nov 4, 2011)

What do you think about putting dirt in between the concrete and rubber mats? good idea for extra cushion or not? Im also new at this and have no idea what to do with my concrete floors! thanks for posting this!


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