# Pea gravel and stall mats for stall?



## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

My stall has 9 stall mats in the front. The back of the stall (remaining 3 feet) is dirt/shavings. 

My mare has heaves and cannot be in a dusty environment. The problem with my current setup is as the horse moves around the shavings mix with the sand/dirt and it gets extremely dusty.

I can either put mats in the back or remove the dirt and put down pea gravel. 

Perhaps I could put shavings on top of the pea gravel. Wondering what is best for drainage? Ideally it needs to be low in dust!


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Is this an enclosed stall or more like a run in stall? Is there dirt underneath the mats now? Where do things drain now?

I'm just speculating here pending more info but I'm wondering if the best route to go would be to do pea gravel on the back and then mat over it if drainage is an issue or just mat over the dirt if it is not? 

I have dirt stalls in my barn and I have mats over them. I principally use straw for bedding with the exception of my gelding. He's heavey and I use shavings in his stall to reduce dust as much as possible (it does work well). Drainage is not such a big concern as the bedding tends to soak the vast majority of the urine.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Shavings have far more dust than straw. Turn the horse out while bedding his stall. Barns are unhealthy places for heavie horses.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I'm glad you mentioned straw. It's great bedding. I have my winter's load of straw in the loft, and I put some in the brooder with my 18 three week old chicks. Straw radiates heat. Shavings can be dangerous. It's just that we like the odor control and the smell, and that they soak up urine, but so do Equine Fresh (and other brands) super dried pine pellets, and they aren't dusty. Buy the pellets, put them where your horse pees and put straw on top.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I would avoid putting the shavings on the pea gravel. I use pea gravel in my stalls, and love it, but you do not want to have anything interfering with the draining action of the pea gravel.


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