# Concrete vs Dirt stall floors



## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods

Dirt floors, as you can dig a drainage pit and add add a layer of gravel and matt over that. WAAY better for drainage, softer than concrete.



BarrelWannabe said:


> What do you prefer, dirt floors or concrete with matting?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Rancher6

For the above reasons, dirt. 

I like a dirt/sand mix, maybe with some clay mixed in (but not too much) to pack it. That will absorb urine and can be dug out, removed and replaced with clean fill. We use a product called Sweet PDZ in either granular or powder form that quickly deoderizes and absorbs the remaining urine/amonia.

I use clean wood shavings for bedding but straw in the foaling stall.


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## kindredspirit

dirt, by far.


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## Foxhunter

Interesting - I would HATE dirt floors.

In the UK it is the normal thing to have concrete floors and have no leg problems because they are 'hard'. Then again we are inclined to bed a great deal deeper than in the USA. 

The reason I would dislike dirt floors is because you cannot sterilise them, they wear into all sorts of dips so become unlevelled. It needs clearing out periodically and replacing. 
Concrete stays where it is, bedding absorbs any urine, it can be power washed out, swept daily and has no ammonia from the urine hanging around.


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## Kato

I work in a barn where we have both. I much prefer the concrete floors with thick rubber mats. The concrete stalls we do put deeper bedding in but overall they stay much cleaner and smell less. Therefor the stalls with concrete floors are kept for the seniors and very young horses. On a regular basis or after a horse has been sick we can disenfect the whole stall without making a huge muddy mess. 

The dirt floors do absorb liquid and have to be maintained a lot more. They will settle & compact as to not be level and I do not feel they can ever be properly sanitized. Which tends to give me a case of the ickies if one gets perticularily wet and muddy for some reason.....i swear it is the only time I am ever "weird" about germs

P.S. I love the look of of the european barns


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## goodhrs

Only dirt. If we bought a place with concrete we would break it up and take it out.


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## Skyseternalangel

I've had both.. honestly prefer the concrete with a mat and then lots of bedding.


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## Hidalgo13

I don't know, I can't imagine what it would be like having dirt as the base in a stall. At my barn it;s also concrete with rubber mats, and then a lovely thick bed of shavings. The horses seem very comfortable and lie down.


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## Captain Evil

We built our barn ourselves, and I wanted dirt floors, but my husband wanted concrete and won. I love it! We have thick stall mats and use lots of shavings and it is so easy to clean, and never smells. I remember digging out dirt stalls, and the stench... I love concrete. My horse can go out day or night though, so that also helps relieve leg strain.


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## muumi

I can't imagine dirt floors... They sound pretty weird to me.
We have always had concrete, and its clean and comfortable. We bed thick, but I can't imagine bedding less on dirt anyway?
I guess I've never seen dirt, so I only see one side, but it seems to need a lot of maintenance?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag

I rode at a stable with concrete but with planks over top. There was a frame beneath the planks creating about a 3" cleanance off the cement. This allowed urine to drain through and into a small gutter running along the outside of each stall. Horses were bedded in straw. No sores but man did that barn stink of ammonia not matter how well we cleaned it. My horses are on sand on clay. They have packed it to a hard enough surface that it's not hard to clean. I sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the pee spots. No smell of ammonia in there.


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## possumhollow

Our stall floors are dirt. To keep it smelling barn like and not a pit toilet, we dig out the top six or so inches every couple of years and put down fresh river bottom dirt. The dirt from the stalls then goes into raised bed gardens and planted the following season.


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## Cruiser

I have dirt floors in my run in, I use rubber mats on half of it to make feeding and cleaning easier (my horse uses it like a stall and spends most of the night and all afternoon in there), plus I put lots of bedding. I strip the stall once and a while and spread a layer of lime dust to get rid of the smell, and on goes 6 inches of bedding, but not on the rubber mats where I feed her.


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## xJumperx

We have dirt, and I wish we had concrete. It becomes unlevel, reeks when they pee, you can't sanitize ... hate it! We are planning to level an get mats, which I think I would perfer over concrete and mats. With mats over dirt, it has much more give so that the horse is more comfertable, they don't usually deform, and you can really get all the urine out.


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## Golden Horse

How many of you who prefer dirt have actually used concrete I wonder? 

I vote with concrete, it is what I am used to, and for all the benefits that have been listed


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## Tianimalz

Everyone around here uses packed dirt, and I've only met one person who used mats in it. I personally just don't want to spend the money to throw concrete in the stall, only to have to spend even more money on the thick rubber mats (concrete makes me nervous) and the knee deep shavings required.

Naw, I'm pretty happy with the good ol dirt floor, and the home made bedding (*old* hay pieces, usually too small to eat that I rake up, along with dried out grass clippings) and don't see a reason to change


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## mls

Dirt.

Stalls are matted, lime is used to neutralize odors.


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## cowboy bowhunter

Dirt. Urine hurts the concrete. So you better with dirt floors in the stalls.


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## Foxhunter

cowboy bowhunter said:


> Dirt. Urine hurts the concrete. So you better with dirt floors in the stalls.


Says who?

I have had concrete stable floors all my life and that is over 60 years. Many stables that have concrete floors that have been down for well over 70 years and none have ever been damaged by the urine.


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## MBFoley

I like concrete, no mats and deep bedding. I detest mats because I can't clean under them regularly, dirt soaks up too much of the liquids, gets uneven, a pawing horse can create craters, dirtier barn, much harder to pressure wash a barn with dirt floors, bedding gets mixed up in the dirt.


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## Golden Horse

:rofl: Hey Foxhunter, how many Victorian type stable yards are there still around, with concrete and brick in tie stalls, loose boxes and yards, that are still going good?


Concrete does need to be looked after a bit better maybe, we always used to have day beds, clean out in the morning and bank all the clean stuff up around the walls, sweep out the middle and leave to dry when the horses where out, then before they come in, put up the night beds.

I've also deep littered on concrete and it never hurts, of course you want to put down a good grade of concrete first


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## Foxhunter

Golden Horse said:


> :rofl: Hey Foxhunter, how many Victorian type stable yards are there still around, with concrete and brick in tie stalls, loose boxes and yards, that are still going good?
> 
> 
> Concrete does need to be looked after a bit better maybe, we always used to have day beds, clean out in the morning and bank all the clean stuff up around the walls, sweep out the middle and leave to dry when the horses where out, then before they come in, put up the night beds.
> 
> I've also deep littered on concrete and it never hurts, of course you want to put down a good grade of concrete first


I would not have a clue as to how many stables there are with the old brick floors, there would be a lot!
I do know that all the Royal Mews at Windsor Castle are all stable bricked and the yards are cobbled. (Think of sweeping that and keeping it immaculate!) 

I would agree - how many who prefer dirt floors have ever had horses kept on concrete?

For those that say it is bad for their legs my question is, having a horse stand on very uneven ground is bad for their backs.


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## Corporal

IMO, you should visit barns with both and talk to a lot of local horse owners in order to make an educated decision IF you're not sure which to use. In IL, though we're going through a drought, we are usually a swamp. Therefore, concrete prevents a river of mud when it's really wet. However, in OK (like the OP) and dry places, the dirt might be better. I prefer concrete with thick matting. PM me if you don't know how to move the mats! =b


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## mls

MBFoley said:


> I like concrete, no mats and deep bedding. I detest mats because I can't clean under them regularly, dirt soaks up too much of the liquids, gets uneven, a pawing horse can create craters, dirtier barn, much harder to pressure wash a barn with dirt floors, bedding gets mixed up in the dirt.


No offense - but I guess it boils down to how much upkeep one is willing to do.

It's not healthy for a horse to spend extended periods of time standing on concrete - much less laying on it. No matter how deep the bedding, a horse can get down to bare nothing and mark up a leg while they are laying down. Concrete has tiny pores which retain odor.

We do everything as needed - add fill, shift mats, use lime, add shavings, etc. It's not hard - it's for the horses.


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## goingnowhere1

I prefer not to use concrete in stalls, even if they are matted because no matter what, dirt and a mat will be softer than concrete. 
Anyway, I like to use compacted dirt, it absorbs what slips under the mats, and mats, adds extra cush and prevents mud from pee when it isn't absorbed by shavings, and shavings on top.


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## MBFoley

mls said:


> No offense - but I guess it boils down to how much upkeep one is willing to do.
> 
> It's not healthy for a horse to spend extended periods of time standing on concrete - much less laying on it. No matter how deep the bedding, a horse can get down to bare nothing and mark up a leg while they are laying down. Concrete has tiny pores which retain odor.
> 
> We do everything as needed - add fill, shift mats, use lime, add shavings, etc. It's not hard - it's for the horses.


Thanks for implying that you care more and are more willing to work harder, the dig was appreciated.


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## possumhollow

GH, we've had both dirt and concrete. I like both, but for our place, we just couldn't get a concrete hauler to come out to do the flooring. We live in the middle of nowhere and no one willing to make the drive, so we have dirt. 

I should also add that our horses are not stalled unless in isolation for illness or due to injury. They do however have full use of the main area of the barn to come and go as they wish and the flooring there is dirt as well.


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## EvilHorseOfDoom

I had dirt, my horse dug a hole to China while he ate. Ended up standing on a downhill slope. And it was damp for ages in winter, caused all sorts of problems rotting the shavings underneath and giving him thrush in his dodgy hoof. I'd consider dirt with matting, though.


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## Nicole

I have never owned a barn and have no experience with upkeep for either. However, FWIW I will not board my horse at a stable with concrete stalls even if they are turned out during the day. I just don't want to put the strain on my horse's legs. 

The only comparison I have is that I used to ride at a barn with concrete stalls and most of the horses were lame and arthritic by the time they were 20. When I moved barns to one that had a dirt/lime base, the horses were ridden well into their 30's. Before I switched barns, I didn't even know you COULD ride a horse into their 30's. Obviously, many factors go into this as there were other major differences between the two barns, but I do believe that concrete has a negative impact on the horses' soundness long-term. JMO.


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## Foxhunter

I have been to many barns in the US that have dirt floors and have yet to see a horse laying down during the day. 
This is a horse on concrete floored stable, she came in, to be out of the flies, ate hay and went to bed. This was mid morning.

In the UK most people bed far more deeply and up to the door, which is rarely done in the US. 




























The last two are of young horses in the loose shed, (The first had just been castrated and the dog would not leave him until he was standing) These are on a dirt floor but if it was not bedded deeply they would not lie down very much at all.


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## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods

I would love to bed that deeply, God knows I've tried, but my problem is deep bedding only encourages my mare to pee in her stall instead of going outside. In my own experience, deep bedding causes more waste which I dont have the room to manage, and frankly is grossly expensive, $260 a month versus $260 a year. In addition my farrier forbids me from bedding with straw.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse

BigGirlsRideWarmbloods said:


> In addition my farrier forbids me from bedding with straw.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_



What? why I wonder


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## MBFoley

BigGirlsRideWarmbloods said:


> In addition my farrier forbids me from bedding with straw.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


"Forbids" you? Really? Who is making the decisions about YOUR horse? Giving you advice, backing it up with evidence and you deciding to follow said advice is one thing but "forbidding" you to make your own decisions is not a healthy customer/client relationship.


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## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods

Not my farrier quoted but same reasoning: Flying Changes: magazine for northwest sporthorse enthusiasts
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse

Ahh don't keep your horse on poorly maintained straw, I get it


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## Ray MacDonald

I like concrete, with mats, with bedding. I couldn't handle dirt...


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## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods

Like I said, since my mare will pee on any more than a trace of bedding, she has made her choice; cleanliness over inside comfort. 

That being said I would love to find a happy medium between stall skins and stall mattresses.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Foxhunter

If a horse is inside it *should* be able to pee comfortably without splashing itself. 
I have found that a deep bed is far less wasteful than a shallow one. 

Most of the stables have a 'cow mattress' as a floor. This is fine rubber granules covered with a membrane - it is like walking on a water bed! Very giving _but,_ I found that by just giving them a splash area they would pee and poop on it, tread the mess around and then lie in it. False economy! I was using more shavings because I was cleaning it all out every day whereas with a deep bed There was less trampling around, and far less to remove.

Straw should be clean and long. I would have them all on shavings but in the UK it is well over $10 a bale and they do not go far. If I bed one of these stables down then I would use at least 10 bales to start with. 

We have torrential rain at the moment and I brought all the horses in for the night, within 30 minutes of them being inside they were all lying down. I like them to be off their feet as often as possible.


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## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods

See that's the fundamental difference. I do not want my horse to pee inside. There's no reason she cannot go outside to pee and come back in to a warm comfortable stall. Her turnout is designed to be a horse litter box with specific areas to pee and poop outside. To me, why would I want to encourage her to pee inside? There is nothing positive nor nothing to gain by my mare peeing indoors. And since horses don't like to pee where it splashes and in turn causes urine burns, why accommodate behavior I'm looking prevent.

She has a specific place to poop and to pee and to lay down and they are all different areas she has free access to from her stall. That in conjunction with her track paddock she actually has more specialized areas she uses. She has a sand pit to roll in an obstacle course to play in and grass patch to graze or sleep in.

Like I said, I have no practical reason to WANT
her to pee indoors, so I don't encourage it, and I only use a scoop of puffed wood pellets; only enough to absorb stray rain or enough to act as a sweeping compound for anything she may track in. The stall mats are more than enough comfort for her to lay down, and she does, but with a 3 month old foal who literally crawls on her if she does, for practicality purposes she doesn't do it a lot right now.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## equiniphile

I've only ever had dirt stalls with thick mats and plenty of shavings. I'd prefer concrete, but my mom is adamant against it (my parents tore all the concrete out when they moved in). My horses all lay down to sleep at night, and my older gelding lays down in his stall during the day as well.


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## BigGirlsRideWarmbloods

It's a playful forbidding. It's more like telling a friend, I forbid you to wear those ugly *** pants when we go out tonight!

Except in my case my farrier is an expert in natural hoof care. I pay her her expertise, and yes I do make my own decisions, I also weigh heavily on the advice of those I employ. I don't hire fools, I only hire the best I can find, so when they forbid me even playful joke, I am going to of course consider their advice.



MBFoley said:


> "Forbids" you? Really? Who is making the decisions about YOUR horse? Giving you advice, backing it up with evidence and you deciding to follow said advice is one thing but "forbidding" you to make your own decisions is not a healthy customer/client relationship.


_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MBFoley

BigGirlsRideWarmbloods said:


> It's a playful forbidding. It's more like telling a friend, I forbid you to wear those ugly *** pants when we go out tonight!
> 
> Except in my case my farrier is an expert in natural hoof care. I pay her her expertise, and yes I do make my own decisions, I also weigh heavily on the advice of those I employ. I don't hire fools, I only hire the best I can find, so when they forbid me even playful joke, I am going to of course consider their advice.
> 
> 
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Ok, sorry, it's just one of my huge pet peeves when people give professional experts a sense of control. "My dr won't let me" "My farrier forbids me" "My trainer makes me" etc. It is fine for the way you are speaking, those who know that they really do have a choice in the matter but for some people they take it too literally and far too many people do not accept responsibility in the decision making process for their animals, their children or themselves, instead they pawn off that responsibility on the experts they pay for their OPINION, they are just that, human beings with an educated opinion, they are not gods or rulers.


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## Amstel

I see some UK people preferring concrete. I'm originally from Europe too and must say that what sold me on the house I bought here in the US was that the barn had a concrete floor! I looked at a couple of places that had dirt floors in the barn and I just wasn't feeling it...

I bed with straw too. It composts a lot quicker than sawdust, which makes a huge difference for me (I have limited acreage to spread it on and am too impatient to wait more than 6 months for a manure pile to compost). If you bed deeply enough with straw, it's (in my experience) no worse than sawdust/shavings. One catch with it is though that it has to be a little damp before it will absorb moisture. So if you bed with straw, make sure you lay a thick bed so urine can soak into the lower part of it. The top will then stay dry longer.


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## SaddleUp158

I am from OK and have bed on both concrete and dirt/clay floors. I see the benefits of both. The problem with the dirt/ clay is the horses are able to create craters in their stalls, whether that is from peeing or from digging. Even with rubber mats, you still end up with squishing of pee under them if you have a heavy peeing horse, esp since clay isn't the most draining. If I ever have to bring in more clay to fill in stall craters again it will be too soon. 

Currently the barn we are using has concrete floors with drains (though the drains I am sure need cleaned out after many yrs of use) along with rubber mats on top. We bed on paper shavings and will bed anywhere from 5 inches thick down to just enough to soak the pee. Stalls are much easier to clean, and we have not had any soundness issues.


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## Almond Joy

We have 2-3 feet of sand and then a 1/2 foot layer of stone dust on top of that for comfort. In the concrete stall is where we keep the pigs.


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## Cinder

I have seen both dirt and concrete around here. I've never actually seen someone not use rubber mats so I don't know how much of a difference that makes. 

I think that if I built a barn I'd probably use concrete. The dirt floors tended to stink more and be harder to take care of. 



> No offense - but I guess it boils down to how much upkeep one is willing to do.
> 
> It's not healthy for a horse to spend extended periods of time standing on concrete - much less laying on it. No matter how deep the bedding, a horse can get down to bare nothing and mark up a leg while they are laying down. Concrete has tiny pores which retain odor.
> 
> We do everything as needed - add fill, shift mats, use lime, add shavings, etc. It's not hard - it's for the horses.


Okay, there's no need to imply that those who use concrete floors care about their horses less or are not as willing to work hard for them. At all. That was rude. 

Also, I've never seen more or less soundness issues with either floor. And this is with both deep and shallow bedding systems. 

Depending on how hard dirt is packed, I imagine it can be almost or as hard as concrete.


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## verona1016

Interesting debate 

I'm not sure what is under the rubber mats at my barn, but now I'm going to ask and find out!


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## justxride97

I'd rather have concrete. We have dirt floors at the barn. We clean our stalls good but with concrete there would be less dips in the floor, easier to clean with a power washer when we have to do a big cleaning ob and the smell of ammonia would be a lot less.


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