Barn Question

[shannonw]

Okay so the situation is that when we were building our house a few years ago we had a cement pad poured because we were going to build a shop there. However, we got bit by the "mini horse loving bug"

and have changed our mind about building a shop and now want to build a barn.

The area we poured the slab at though is not in the most optimal place and the only area we could build stalls on the dirt at is on the north side. We have room on the south side but we would have to build the stalls on the concrete slab. We have three minis and they are pretty much free to come and go as they wish so they would not be stalled all day. At night, unless the weather is really bad, we do not stall them either; however, they generally go into their run in shelter at night anyway.

Would it be a safe option to build their stalls on the concrete slab as long as we put down rubber mats topped with a nice layer of bedding for cushion? We have heard for full size horses it is stressful on their joints, but are not sure about minis.

Does anyone have their mini stalls on concrete or have any advice for us? Thanks so much!

 

[AnnaC]

In the past most stables/stalls were built with concrete floors to enable them to be washed down. You will be fine with rubber mats and a generous amount of bedding on top. A lot of folk use just rubber matting either alone or with a scattering of bedding on top, but I really dont like this. I like my horses to have a nice deep 'squashy' bed to lie on when they want to lay down!

So yes you will be fine with your mats and bedding combination.

Anna

 

[Little Bits]

I have a cement floor barn. I love it. I have my stalls matted with rubber mats. I use sawdust and they are easy to clean. And i love to be able to sweep the barn out and be able to wash the floors out.

 

[disneyhorse]

My stallion is in a box stall on concrete. His stall is fully matted with rubber mats, and of course I put bedding down (shavings) for him. His stall is large, so I only bed part of it, to soak up urine and give him somewhere comfy to lay down on. Fortunately his manure pile is in the unbedded section, so it doesn't waste any bedding!

Minis and ponies do a lot better on harder flooring than big horses. Big horses are heavier and more prone to pressure sores (hock sores and such) so need deeper bedding than the little guys. However, I know of lots of draft horses in deeply bedded, matted stalls on concrete that do just fine.

My big pony is in a box stall that is fully matted with rubber mats, but on top of dirt. I will say that over the years, the dirt does settle and doesn't lay as flat and nice as the concrete stalls do.

There is a lot less work with concrete/asphalt flooring, AND you can wash and disinfect it a whole lot easier! Plenty of people would LOVE to afford to put a concrete pad down under their barn!

It pays for itself in the long run, with the ease of upkeep.

Enjoy your barn!

Andrea

 

[Charlotte]

Concrete is the way to go for sure! IMO But just a suggestion........depending on how the concrete surface is finished it can be slick for horse feet in the aisles of your barn. If it has a really slick finish you will probably want to cover that with mats or do something to reduce the slick walking surface.

Charlotte

 

[shannonw]

Thank you so much for your replies! We hope to get started on this next week. I cannot wait to have it done!