# Lets talk; Stall Layers?/Stall mats?



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I wouldn't use dirt over mats, that sounds like it would make a big mess. However, some people use wood pellets, then shavings on top. The wood pellets are very absorbent and will soak up any urine before it gets down below the mats. It sort of clumps like cat litter, so you can easily scoop it out. I've heard of people doing this. 

My stalls are concrete, stall mats, then a thick (4" or more) layer of wood pellets. You need to wet them down at first, but they will eventually fall apart. No need to strip the stalls out completely, just remove areas that are soiled. I'm a huge fan of the wood pellets. I know some people put shavings on top of them, but I don't see the need. I remove the soiled areas, fluff them up with a manure fork, and add about half a bag every few days to freshen it. 

I should add that my stalls have dutch doors that open out onto a paddock. These doors are open 24/7 in good weather, so the horses don't spend that much time in their stalls. In the cold, winter months, I keep them in at night only, for about 9 hours. They like to lie down so they don't spend all that time standing either. I have not seen any ill effects on their legs with the extra thick bedding on top of the mats and there is no urine smell at all. It might be different if the horses are kept in a lot. No standing moisture either - it all gets absorbed by the pellets. Here's what my stall looks like:


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Before you remove anything you need to be positive sure your stall walls are sunk below those bricks and not attached, sitting on top of them...
You could end up with a opening in the bottom that could very easily prove deadly if a horse casts itself.
Personally, I would leave the set and settled base alone....
Strip the stalls clean and add a leveling material, even if concrete to level, then add either mats and or shavings or what you choose for a "topper"...
Removing the bricks without serious beforehand checking may be a complete gut & rebuild.
Be very careful!
:runninghorse2:....


----------



## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Can you post pictures?
Is there any way to get rid of the bricks, take stalls apart, and redo?
What worked really well for our stalls,was to sink heave support beams where the stall fronts meat the walls into the barn floor, then to pour a concrete footing for the stall front to sit on, and then we built the stall floors up with a mixture of crushed gravel and clay. After packing everything down, we put rubber matts on top
My stalls are not run ins, so open to the barn isle, and horses do not wander in and out on their own, but have shelters outside for that
We use shavings for bedding


----------



## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

I agree with everything posted above. I would not put dirt on top of the rubber mats - that would just cause a huge mess. 

If you cannot remove the bricks, I would maybe look into putting a clay base on top of the bricks and leveling. Then placing the mats on top of that. Then your shavings/bedding. 

Without pictures on how the walls, etc tie into the brick base it is really hard to know what the setup is.


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

Thankyou for the info!  and no i wont be removing the bricks. If i were id have to take up the entire stall hall since the entire floor is bricks including the hall outside the stalls! Thanks for the heads up though!!


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

Acadianartist said:


> I wouldn't use dirt over mats, that sounds like it would make a big mess. However, some people use wood pellets, then shavings on top. The wood pellets are very absorbent and will soak up any urine before it gets down below the mats. It sort of clumps like cat litter, so you can easily scoop it out. I've heard of people doing this.
> 
> My stalls are concrete, stall mats, then a thick (4" or more) layer of wood pellets. You need to wet them down at first, but they will eventually fall apart. No need to strip the stalls out completely, just remove areas that are soiled. I'm a huge fan of the wood pellets. I know some people put shavings on top of them, but I don't see the need. I remove the soiled areas, fluff them up with a manure fork, and add about half a bag every few days to freshen it.
> 
> I should add that my stalls have dutch doors that open out onto a paddock. These doors are open 24/7 in good weather, so the horses don't spend that much time in their stalls. In the cold, winter months, I keep them in at night only, for about 9 hours. They like to lie down so they don't spend all that time standing either. I have not seen any ill effects on their legs with the extra thick bedding on top of the mats and there is no urine smell at all. It might be different if the horses are kept in a lot. No standing moisture either - it all gets absorbed by the pellets. Here's what my stall looks like:


I think ill look into wood pellets then! never hurts to try and looks like a pretty good stall filler! Thanks for all the great info, pic, and for covering all my questions!


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

cbar said:


> I agree with everything posted above. I would not put dirt on top of the rubber mats - that would just cause a huge mess.
> 
> If you cannot remove the bricks, I would maybe look into putting a clay base on top of the bricks and leveling. Then placing the mats on top of that. Then your shavings/bedding.
> 
> Without pictures on how the walls, etc tie into the brick base it is really hard to know what the setup is.


Ill try and post some pics asap to show what im talking about for those giving their thoughts and opinions


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

Jane Taylor said:


> Spring is here and of course its time to re do all the stalls. I recently started working at a new stable. And the stalls are a mess. I personally have never had to get into the technical, layering materials, part of stalls. Its always just been simply maintain the manure and bedding! So I need some help and opinions on redoing/formatting some stalls.
> Now as of right now the stalls are simply layered- Bricks-mats- minimal woodchips (the stalls were pretty much built over bricks from the extended hall, rather than the bricks being removed where stalls were being placed)
> The stalls are crazy uneven and need to all be leveled. So im simply gonna remove everything from each stall and start bare from the brick/floor.
> Heres where the issues and confusion come in. I dont like how the horses are pretty much just standing on minimally cushioned brick. It has to be just as hard on their legs with one inch of mat cushion. As if it were just the brick, right?
> ...


DISCLAIMER; When i said clean out the stalls completely i didnt mean remove the bricks! the bricks are staying. Like i said they have to since the stalls are literally built on top of them, extending from the hall infront of the stalls. The bricks we walk on down the hall are what the horses are standing on in their stalls too. Just covered by matts and chips. Thats why im looking into new layering materials for over the bricks. When i clean out the stalls ill just be taking out all the mats, chips, manure, And scrubbing everything down completely, including the brick flooring. 

Sorry for the confusion!


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

cbar said:


> I agree with everything posted above. I would not put dirt on top of the rubber mats - that would just cause a huge mess.
> 
> If you cannot remove the bricks, I would maybe look into putting a clay base on top of the bricks and leveling. Then placing the mats on top of that. Then your shavings/bedding.
> 
> Without pictures on how the walls, etc tie into the brick base it is really hard to know what the setup is.


Could i use clay to level out/raise a wet/moist stall? Their is one stall at the end of the stable that doesnt have bricks under it like the rest and is always flooded around the edges. Even though after removing everything the ground will be wet/damp in the stall and doesnt dry out. Could I put clay over to level and raise it anyway or should you have a dry base to start?


----------



## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

You can use hard packed clay to level the stall.....you'd want it to dry completely before bedding it down. It will eventually sink again. Or you could also level it with clay and install floor boards, then matting. 

Our clay stalls usually needed to be re-filled every once in awhile.


----------



## jumpequestrian (Apr 13, 2017)

*Bedding*

I also wouldn't use dirt, it an make a big muddy mess. I heard you mention that the bedding wasn't absorbing the urine properly, the bedding I use it really fine, light, and fluffy shaving they do a fantastic job. Also if you want to switch bedding make sure not to use straw it has tendency to make horses colic.


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Our barn has a flooring of crushed stone and what looks to be clay soil. The aisle area has a mix cobbles/pavers and rubber mats. The stables just have rubber mats. Where the floor was uneven we levelled it out using the gritty type of sand used in septic systems. The mats are fitted in so tight against the walls that we rarely need to lift them to re-level
My horses are stabled either at night in the winter or part of the day in the summer and when they're being worked etc. 
I use the flaky shavings - not the sort that look like a bag of sawdust. I clean the stables out every day (no deep litter) They're plenty absorbent enough, I never have pools of urine lying on the mats. 
I tried pellets and didn't like them at all, they worked out expensive and having to wet them before use was a pain and not something you can do in freezing weather
I use a product called Stall Dry that I sprinkle on areas where I've removed wet shavings and in the warmer weather I spray the floors with a good stable disinfectant
Good ventilation is also key to not having a smelly barn, windows, doors at either end and fans in the summmer


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

jumpequestrian said:


> I also wouldn't use dirt, it an make a big muddy mess. I heard you mention that the bedding wasn't absorbing the urine properly, the bedding I use it really fine, light, and fluffy shaving they do a fantastic job. Also if you want to switch bedding make sure not to use straw it has tendency to make horses colic.


Yes i personally hate straw for everyday standard bedding! Thankyou for the info


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

jaydee said:


> Our barn has a flooring of crushed stone and what looks to be clay soil. The aisle area has a mix cobbles/pavers and rubber mats. The stables just have rubber mats. Where the floor was uneven we levelled it out using the gritty type of sand used in septic systems. The mats are fitted in so tight against the walls that we rarely need to lift them to re-level
> My horses are stabled either at night in the winter or part of the day in the summer and when they're being worked etc.
> I use the flaky shavings - not the sort that look like a bag of sawdust. I clean the stables out every day (no deep litter) They're plenty absorbent enough, I never have pools of urine lying on the mats.
> I tried pellets and didn't like them at all, they worked out expensive and having to wet them before use was a pain and not something you can do in freezing weather
> ...


Thanks for the info. Thankfully all the horses stalls have windows that can be opened and the barn was built with doors on either side for GREAT ventillation overall. Just getting some urine smell from so much of it soaking up right under the mats... Really like the sound of your method and i think ill look more into it. And yes I was kinda worried about that with the wood pellets.


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

cbar said:


> You can use hard packed clay to level the stall.....you'd want it to dry completely before bedding it down. It will eventually sink again. Or you could also level it with clay and install floor boards, then matting.
> 
> Our clay stalls usually needed to be re-filled every once in awhile.


Awesome! Thanks so much for the info


----------



## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

What about stall skins? Just a thought, they can be an alternative to rubber mats.


----------



## Jane Taylor (Apr 12, 2017)

horseluvr2524 said:


> What about stall skins? Just a thought, they can be an alternative to rubber mats.


Whats the difference? Just not sure I would prefer them!


----------



## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

Jane Taylor said:


> Whats the difference? Just not sure I would prefer them!


Here is the website:

https://stallskins.com/

I believe the main purpose of them is to allow moisture to drain through and keep the dry on top. Uses less bedding. I think most people put sand underneath the stall skins. I know that there does have to be some kind of absorbent layer underneath them.

ETA: never used them, just mentioned them because they are a less known alternative to rubber mats.


----------

