Rubber mats or concrete?

Silvercreekcrossings · 08-11-2009, 07:09 AM

My horses are rarely stalled, but they do have access to a lean on one side of the barn that is partitioned and enclosed to be like stalls. It is on concrete, and when I built the partitions (out of rough-cut oak) I laid down rubber conveyor belting. The problem I am having is that the belting gets slightly slippery in the wintertime and I actually end up shoveling manure into the stalls to eliminate the slipperyness. Also, manure tends to work it's way under the edges so that the belting gets pushed out of place. I am contemplating getting rid of the rubber and just doing the concrete.

I know that concrete has its disadvantages too, if the horses lay down they would rub hair off their joints and it is hard on their joints. Does it get slippery like the rubber? I would imagine it does????

shamrock84 · 08-11-2009, 07:38 AM

I would go for rubber. Cement can be very slippery. I have rubber belts down where they eat and mine have 1 smooth side and 1 grainy side. Also, after a while of them walking on the belts ,soil gets on and they are not as slippery. In case of a fall (it happens) rubber will be a lot softer too.
I hope this helps.

EquineAlberta · 08-11-2009, 09:25 AM

What about trying something like trailer mats that have grooves so they are less slippery?

I would not go with straight concrete as it will be very slick if it gets damp, and is not comfy to stand on or lay down on.

Karen

3horses · 08-11-2009, 09:31 AM

Think about how icy sidewalks get in a snow/ice storm

...Yep, I would be afraid of falls due to ice.

tammy · 08-11-2009, 10:36 AM

I have a concrete floor, I hate it I use so much straw. I'm in the process of buying rubber mats before winter, I heard you use less bedding. Speaking of bedding: who uses pellets and whats your results?

pvf · 08-11-2009, 10:44 AM

ok.. living in the frozen trunder in the winter time I know that my rubber mats in the winter stuff will freeze to them - its not a heated barn. So what we do is we put down lots of wood shavings & wood pelets down to absorb as much urine as possible so that it doesn't freeze to the mats.

What we did the one year and it worked fairly well is we but down about 4 inches of wood pelets and had packed them as if it was a solid floor and then we put wood shavings and straw on top of that. The wood pelets didn't get slippery and the shavings helped absorb the urine in the spring we took every thing out the stalls and bleached everything.

Might not have been the most ideal but when you live where temps are way below freezing and stuff isn't heated you kind of do what you have too.

We also do have rubber mats too that are 3/4 inch thick and we take them out a few times a year and bleach them and the floors good.

tammy · 08-11-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvf

ok.. living in the frozen trunder in the winter time I know that my rubber mats in the winter stuff will freeze to them - its not a heated barn. So what we do is we put down lots of wood shavings & wood pelets down to absorb as much urine as possible so that it doesn't freeze to the mats.

What we did the one year and it worked fairly well is we but down about 4 inches of wood pelets and had packed them as if it was a solid floor and then we put wood shavings and straw on top of that. The wood pelets didn't get slippery and the shavings helped absorb the urine in the spring we took every thing out the stalls and bleached everything.

Might not have been the most ideal but when you live where temps are way below freezing and stuff isn't heated you kind of do what you have too.

We also do have rubber mats too that are 3/4 inch thick and we take them out a few times a year and bleach them and the floors good.

I didn't think about freezing, thanks for the heads up. Its nice to prevent an accident BEFORE it happens.

Silvercreekcrossings · 08-12-2009, 07:08 AM

OK, I'll keep my mats and quit complaining about the little things that are wrong with them. They were free after all and nothing is better than free!

Slim Pikkens · 08-12-2009, 04:22 PM

Your best bet might be to lay pressure treated 4x4's on the concrete then build a wooden floor on top. Not a good idea to lay the lumber right on the concrete.

shadow · 08-12-2009, 05:17 PM

Rubber mats. Concrete will ruin your horses legs.

Mav2007 · 08-12-2009, 07:19 PM

I have heard of people using old conveyor belt rubber and it not working for horses because of the slippery problem. I would get rubber mats that are made for horses. If you don't have rubber mats, you'll have to bed really deep to protect the horses legs and feet from the hard, cold concrete.

breburtch · 08-13-2009, 07:00 AM

I would use rubber mats concrete is much more slippery when wet and can cause more damage if they happen to go down. Make sure that mats fit perfectly together and you shouldn't have any issues with stuff getting down in between.
You could also put a thin layer of shavings/sawdust/straw down to give some grip and soak up any pee and wet melting snow that comes of the horses and out of there feet to help reduce slippage

amwrider · 08-15-2009, 07:08 AM

Or you could ditch the mats and break up and remove the concrete to let them stand on ground. I think natural flooring is easier on the horses' legs and joints.

Sirita_88 · 08-15-2009, 07:11 AM

I would keep the rubber mats, and then bed the leanto with that pelleted bedding. Get it wet so it turns into a powder. That will keep the slipperiness down. I would just bed it really really deep, and pick out the really nasty stuff every once in a while. So instead of putting manure in you can take it out every once in a while.

farmergal · 08-15-2009, 08:19 AM

I broke my arm cleaning off a rubber mat one winter.

Yep they're slippery all right.

I had just cleaned off the rubber stall mat and decided to use my foot to move the salt lick that was sitting on it. I guess you can say I was lazy and figured it should slide over easy. Something slid alright...me...BAM! down I went.

I'd go with the cement floor and ditch the mats.

I'm not mat-less. I do like to use them in front of my horses hay rack. They work great for keeping the horses from eating their dirt floor as they grub for the hay shaft that falls to the floor. Not to mention it gives them a dry place to stand when the stall gets a little to wet. But then I use little to no bedding. In my opinion mats work better on bare ground than cement. Like you said stuff works up under the mats and smell the ammonia can knock your socks off.

Fang · 08-16-2009, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvercreekcrossings

My horses are rarely stalled, but they do have access to a lean on one side of the barn that is partitioned and enclosed to be like stalls. It is on concrete, and when I built the partitions (out of rough-cut oak) I laid down rubber conveyor belting. The problem I am having is that the belting gets slightly slippery in the wintertime and I actually end up shoveling manure into the stalls to eliminate the slipperyness. Also, manure tends to work it's way under the edges so that the belting gets pushed out of place. I am contemplating getting rid of the rubber and just doing the concrete.

I know that concrete has its disadvantages too, if the horses lay down they would rub hair off their joints and it is hard on their joints. Does it get slippery like the rubber? I would imagine it does????

Cement has too many disadvantages, it DOES infact kill joints. Like tile floors, every step adds a year to your body in deterioration.

Use actual stall mat's in the stalls and strip your stalls once every two weeks with a wash to keep the amonia from building up and they are fine, you let that amonia build up and it does become a hazard.

paso_lover · 08-17-2009, 07:10 AM

Can't forget that concrete is very cold in the winter. The person that built my barn only put conveyor belt along the front half the stalls so I put shavings on the concrete. Looks very neat and tidy when the stalls are cleaned but what I noticed, is some mornings I would come in and the horses would be standing sideways on the rubber part of their stalls.

Slim Pikkens · 08-17-2009, 07:35 AM

Reality check - the neighbor's mare walked onto cement with icey hooves. Down she went, She broke her leg and had to be shot.

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08-11-2009, 07:09 AM
Silvercreekcrossings Weanling Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 333	Rubber mats or concrete? My horses are rarely stalled, but they do have access to a lean on one side of the barn that is partitioned and enclosed to be like stalls. It is on concrete, and when I built the partitions (out of rough-cut oak) I laid down rubber conveyor belting. The problem I am having is that the belting gets slightly slippery in the wintertime and I actually end up shoveling manure into the stalls to eliminate the slipperyness. Also, manure tends to work it's way under the edges so that the belting gets pushed out of place. I am contemplating getting rid of the rubber and just doing the concrete. I know that concrete has its disadvantages too, if the horses lay down they would rub hair off their joints and it is hard on their joints. Does it get slippery like the rubber? I would imagine it does???? __________________ Silver Creek Crossings Standing Scotch on the Rocks, FHANA Friesian Specializing in Friesian/Arab Cross http://www.excaliburbreeding.com/Rocky.html

08-11-2009, 07:38 AM
shamrock84 Weanling Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: north carolina Posts: 316	I would go for rubber. Cement can be very slippery. I have rubber belts down where they eat and mine have 1 smooth side and 1 grainy side. Also, after a while of them walking on the belts ,soil gets on and they are not as slippery. In case of a fall (it happens) rubber will be a lot softer too. I hope this helps.

08-11-2009, 09:25 AM
EquineAlberta Kid Safe Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 6,418	What about trying something like trailer mats that have grooves so they are less slippery? I would not go with straight concrete as it will be very slick if it gets damp, and is not comfy to stand on or lay down on. Karen __________________ New Hillside Website The Art of Praise

08-11-2009, 09:31 AM
3horses Yearling Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Northeastern PA Posts: 950	Think about how icy sidewalks get in a snow/ice storm ...Yep, I would be afraid of falls due to ice. __________________ No mountain is too tall to climb if the first step is belief in oneself.

08-11-2009, 10:36 AM
tammy Yearling Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Deckerville, Michigan Posts: 667	I have a concrete floor, I hate it I use so much straw. I'm in the process of buying rubber mats before winter, I heard you use less bedding. Speaking of bedding: who uses pellets and whats your results?

08-11-2009, 10:44 AM
pvf Bombproof Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 8,284	ok.. living in the frozen trunder in the winter time I know that my rubber mats in the winter stuff will freeze to them - its not a heated barn. So what we do is we put down lots of wood shavings & wood pelets down to absorb as much urine as possible so that it doesn't freeze to the mats. What we did the one year and it worked fairly well is we but down about 4 inches of wood pelets and had packed them as if it was a solid floor and then we put wood shavings and straw on top of that. The wood pelets didn't get slippery and the shavings helped absorb the urine in the spring we took every thing out the stalls and bleached everything. Might not have been the most ideal but when you live where temps are way below freezing and stuff isn't heated you kind of do what you have too. We also do have rubber mats too that are 3/4 inch thick and we take them out a few times a year and bleach them and the floors good. __________________ www.prairieviewfarms.net Raising Reg. Paints and Quarter horses

08-12-2009, 07:08 AM
Silvercreekcrossings Weanling Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 333	OK, I'll keep my mats and quit complaining about the little things that are wrong with them. They were free after all and nothing is better than free! __________________ Silver Creek Crossings Standing Scotch on the Rocks, FHANA Friesian Specializing in Friesian/Arab Cross http://www.excaliburbreeding.com/Rocky.html

08-12-2009, 04:22 PM
Slim Pikkens Seasoned Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,444	Your best bet might be to lay pressure treated 4x4's on the concrete then build a wooden floor on top. Not a good idea to lay the lumber right on the concrete.

08-12-2009, 05:17 PM
shadow Yearling Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: SW ohio Posts: 505	Rubber mats. Concrete will ruin your horses legs.

08-12-2009, 07:19 PM
Mav2007 Started Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,880	I have heard of people using old conveyor belt rubber and it not working for horses because of the slippery problem. I would get rubber mats that are made for horses. If you don't have rubber mats, you'll have to bed really deep to protect the horses legs and feet from the hard, cold concrete. __________________

08-13-2009, 07:00 AM
breburtch Greenbroke Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ennismore, Ontario Posts: 3,105	I would use rubber mats concrete is much more slippery when wet and can cause more damage if they happen to go down. Make sure that mats fit perfectly together and you shouldn't have any issues with stuff getting down in between. You could also put a thin layer of shavings/sawdust/straw down to give some grip and soak up any pee and wet melting snow that comes of the horses and out of there feet to help reduce slippage Last edited by breburtch : 08-13-2009 at 07:02 AM.

08-15-2009, 07:08 AM
amwrider Halter broke Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 63	Or you could ditch the mats and break up and remove the concrete to let them stand on ground. I think natural flooring is easier on the horses' legs and joints.

08-15-2009, 07:11 AM
Sirita_88 Started Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mt. Juliet, Tennessee Posts: 2,829	I would keep the rubber mats, and then bed the leanto with that pelleted bedding. Get it wet so it turns into a powder. That will keep the slipperiness down. I would just bed it really really deep, and pick out the really nasty stuff every once in a while. So instead of putting manure in you can take it out every once in a while.

08-15-2009, 08:19 AM
farmergal Kid Safe Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Posts: 6,334	I broke my arm cleaning off a rubber mat one winter. Yep they're slippery all right. I had just cleaned off the rubber stall mat and decided to use my foot to move the salt lick that was sitting on it. I guess you can say I was lazy and figured it should slide over easy. Something slid alright...me...BAM! down I went. I'd go with the cement floor and ditch the mats. I'm not mat-less. I do like to use them in front of my horses hay rack. They work great for keeping the horses from eating their dirt floor as they grub for the hay shaft that falls to the floor. Not to mention it gives them a dry place to stand when the stall gets a little to wet. But then I use little to no bedding. In my opinion mats work better on bare ground than cement. Like you said stuff works up under the mats and smell the ammonia can knock your socks off. __________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiHKOLiCG4

08-17-2009, 07:10 AM
paso_lover Kid Safe Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sudbury Ontario Canada Posts: 6,714	Can't forget that concrete is very cold in the winter. The person that built my barn only put conveyor belt along the front half the stalls so I put shavings on the concrete. Looks very neat and tidy when the stalls are cleaned but what I noticed, is some mornings I would come in and the horses would be standing sideways on the rubber part of their stalls. __________________ "Some people feel compelled to cut off the heads of others in order to make themselves appear taller" ---Paramahansa Yoginanda

08-17-2009, 07:35 AM
Slim Pikkens Seasoned Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,444	Reality check - the neighbor's mare walked onto cement with icey hooves. Down she went, She broke her leg and had to be shot.