mulch in a barn?

[jyuukai]

Sorry guys, but I'm going to be picking your brains a lot now. Our move got pushed way up and I'm scrambling to get it together!

Anyhow the current barn has nasty dusty sandy crap for a floor. My mare has had a nasty lung infection in the past and I've been advised to avoid dust. We plan to redo the floor in cement next spring but for the time being I need a fix.

Rubber mats will go in to the stall but for the main floor I was thinking about covering it in mulch until we can cement it. I plan to make sure there's nothing pony toxic in there, but otherwise, is there any reason this is bad?

She has to be inside at night because of a coyote issue or I wouldn't worry about it. I just don't want another near death pony experience

If not mulch I'm way open to suggestions for temp flooring!

 

[amysue]

I know lots of people who use woodchips in their barn yards. Id stick to chips or shredded mulch and avoid bark nugget mulch or dyed stuff. I dont see why it wouldn't work.

 

[shorthorsemom]

I would go for pea gravel because it will go with cement later on. I use pine chips and pellets in my stalls but for other areas I use pea gravel and rubber mats.

For me, I wouldn't use mulch. I don't like walking on mulch and it smells awful in closed in areas.

 

[amysue]

What about sand? If its not in her stall where you'd worry about ingesting it you could cement over it later.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I agree with shorthorsemom, pea gravel is not dusty, relatively easy to lean up and packs down pretty well. I'd avoid using anything that will rot (all bio matter like wood products or straw) because it would need to be all removed before you could lay your planned cement floors.

 

[Marty]

I'd say no. Mulch will hold in moisture and get stinky and musty. I'd be getting a load of chat put in. Its very cheap to do. Smaller than pea gravel. Its a mixture of crushed limestone, gravels and sand and not dusty at all.

 

[jyuukai]

Hmm I didn't think about the benefit of gravel since it'll be cemented later. Thanks for letting me pick your brains