Stall Flooring

[Lynn Klink]

I'm curious about stall flooring. I now live in South Carolina and they tend to use crushed limestone with rubber mats on top. Is that the best for keeping stalls clean and odor free? Up north we didn't bother with limestone. Any thoughts?:help:

[WashingtonBay]

I think limestone is nifty if you can get it. It's PH naturally balances the PH in the urine and cuts the odor.

I am a big fan of mats, yes.

Welcome to the forum! :)

[oursarge]

We have a stone dust base with mats on top. I really like the mats.

[Gem's Mom]

I'm going to be purchasing stall skins for my stalls. I'm sick and tired of picking up wet shavings! With proper drainage underneath (gravel/limestone) all the urine will pass right thru and wet shavings will be a thing of my past. I hate, hate, hate rubber mats because the urine just pools and makes wet shavings. Everyone else at my barn has mats. They put in 1/4 wheelbarrow of shavings and just scoop it all out when they clean. So the stall is clean for like 20 min till the horse pees/poos then they're standing in muck until they're let out again. Ick. I prefer well bedded stalls that have enough bedding to give my boys clean shavings to lay on until I can get the dirty stuff out. Anywho, stall skins has a website: http://www.stallskins.com/stallskins.html If you ask for more info you get a sample piece and a brochure within the week.

[TLC97]

Welcome. I am way up in the booneis and I use rubber mats and love them. I do lime to sprinkle and help the ph from time to time.

[elevenelevenxo]

We have cement floors with rubber mats on top. We always sprinkle Stall PDZ in cleaned stalls to cut down on ammonia. :)

In the older barn, a couple of the stalls have dirt floors (lots and lots of packed dirt on top of gravel). We use the Stall PDZ also. I personally abhor dirt flooring because it's really difficult to clean as well as the stalls that have mats and a cement floor. I'm pretty anal though, lol.

[Mercury]

I'm going to be purchasing stall skins for my stalls. I'm sick and tired of picking up wet shavings! With proper drainage underneath (gravel/limestone) all the urine will pass right thru and wet shavings will be a thing of my past. I hate, hate, hate rubber mats because the urine just pools and makes wet shavings. Everyone else at my barn has mats. They put in 1/4 wheelbarrow of shavings and just scoop it all out when they clean. So the stall is clean for like 20 min till the horse pees/poos then they're standing in muck until they're let out again. Ick. I prefer well bedded stalls that have enough bedding to give my boys clean shavings to lay on until I can get the dirty stuff out. Anywho, stall skins has a website: http://www.stallskins.com/stallskins.html If you ask for more info you get a sample piece and a brochure within the week.


Let me know how you like it... I'm tempted but don't know anyone who has ever tried it...

[Buckpoco]

Gem's Mom,
I'm really curious about the stall skins. Keep us posted as to how they work.

[jerseypacer]

I have a clay base w/ screenings & stone dust on top, and then mats. Clay does not drain well! We had to add the screenings/stone dust. Mats make cleaning so much easier. After I pick the stall I let mine air dry and then use a little PDZ before I turn back the shavings. I dont have any odor, and very few flies even in the summer.

[JetLagaside]

In the barn I am currently at we have a clay base with mats on top. Lime is put down every time the stalls are done.

[Kaitlyn]

I love one piece stall mats (aka custom fit stall mats). We used the lime as well, in a powder form, at the barn I used to work at. It comes in liquid too, or so I've seen in the tack store but I think the powder would be most effective.

[Gem's Mom]

On my dirt floors I put down lime (powder or small chunk-aka dairy) every time I clean on the wet spots.

Soon though I'll be all good with stall skins! I'm putting in my order :-)

[Olivia4beat]

Our barn has cement floors with drain holes. We got mats out of necessity. My old mare some times has a problem gripping the floor to stand up and her feet slide on the mat as it is smooth. Each stall has a run out so most of the mess is done out there. The mess in the stalls is contained by the mats. I clean once a day and pick once a day so they don't get bad.They are bedded about 4 inches. I like the mats better then the clay flooring I have had at other barns where I would get tacky spot because my horse would pee in the same spot every day. Good luck with the skins! I will be interested in hearing how they work for you.