Stall Floors

[jsites]

Our barn has concrete through the center but the stall floors are still dirt. I hate the dust and I feel like my barn is always "dirty". My father works at a gravel quarry and can get free limestone dust. When the stone is crushed a fine dust is created under the machine. They clean this out and disgard it. The stones in the dust are about 1/4 inch or less. When this dust is wet it gets hard and smooth. Has anyone used this on their stall floors? What are the possitives and negatives to using this?

 

[little lady]

Limestone is the base of the whole floor foundation of my barn and I love it! I do want to add stall mats in the stalls because if a horse goes pee in the same spot it will form a "hole". In the alley way it has formed almost a concrete type floor that I sweep just as if it were concrete.

 

[alphahorses]

When I first moved to the farm, I put a stonedust floor down in all of my stalls. I didn't put mats down because of the expense. I wish I had, because even though the floor got almost as hard as a rock, the horses eventually dug it up (not to mention the stallion's pee hole!) and I ended up completely redoing it this past fall. Cost me as much as the mats would have, not to mention all the work (I did everything by hand).

So this fall I put the money into rubber mats which went over the limestone screenings. It is working great, saves a LOT of bedding, and the horses seem very comfortable on it.

The key is really packing it well and giving it time to "settle" before you put the mats down or put a horse on it. I packed it by hand (what a job!). I would recommend renting a packer.

Edited to add:

Oh, we do have stalls with concrete floor and rubber mats. I like the limestone stalls much better. The wet has no place to go in the concrete stalls, and it seems to take a lot more bedding to keep the stall dry and fresh than the stalls with limestone under the mats.

 

[Miniequine]

hI jENNIFER

I used Limestone dust as a base for both my barns. I liked the way

it packs down. BUT.. I wish I had not. The tiny rocks are VERY rough

on the tiny hooves. it cuts grooves in their white line and packs in.

(at least it does on mine)

It works great under mats though and does dry fast.

~Sandy

 

[shoegirl]

If you are going to use stone dust spread it wet it and use a wacker. It will make your floors solid, level and a good foundation for mats. I did all my stalls like this it's wonderful it's been 5 years and I wouldn't do it any other way.

 

[Ellen]

Lime dust is great! We used limestone, Tamped it down, the lime dust and tamped it down and the covered all floors with Mats. My stalls are concrete, our barn floods, so the horses are happy on the concreate slabs with thick mats and shavings. But the lime is working great in the aisle ways and run ins. I know sometimes Quarries will give away used conveyor belts. I bought the expensive mats, but my good friend got hers for free from a Quarry, and 3 years later, they look great. If your Dad works at a Quarry, can you get them? May help you save a few bucks.

 

[sundancer]

They use that at a racetrack nearby for their stalls. Makes sense. I am going to change all my wood floors to that with mats on the top. I use stone dust for my ring and grade it once a week and its great. We have no mud build up, no puddles to speak of after heavy rains.

Julie

Victory Pass Stable

Maine

 

[jsites]

Thanks for all the insight. I'm going to give it a shot. It has to be better than dirt. I'm going to look into getting some used belts from the quarry also....good idea.

 

[joylee123]

[SIZE=12pt]That's what we used in our barn last fall and I love it, although I wish I had known about packing it first. I will have to redo some of the stalls this spring.[/SIZE]

Joy

 

[Mominis]

Buckshot and lime (that may be a midwestern term, HA) is what we've always used. Wet it down, get a tamper and tamp the bejeezus out of it. Then give it a good long time to dry before you put the horse in it. The stuff is great!

 

[JanBKS]

Ok, What is Buckshot ?

And what is the ratio for that and Lime .

Thank You in advance.

Jan

 

[Mominis]

Ok, What is Buckshot ?And what is the ratio for that and Lime .

Thank You in advance.

Jan

Jan, I'll have to double check this with hubby, as this is his departent, but I believe it is just a lime mix where some of the lime is super-duper finely ground and some is just finely ground. As I said, the terminology may just be a midwestern-ism.

 

[Carolyn R]

Chat is a southern term for sand, screenings and limestone dust, in the norhteast it is call a dry run (like a dry concrete blend) I am guessing that is what buck shot is too.

 

[JanBKS]

Thanks, I will keep an eye on this thread, I have terrible muck up near the barn, it was an old cow barn and I swear the guy never cleaned the poo so it turns to muck , horrible for them to go in and out.

Jan

 

[DreamStoneRanch]

I also used limestone and tapped it down. I am collecting the stall mats every time I get feed I purchase one. I have am half way with all my stalls being matted. I also got for cheap van liners or cargo liners. They work great for the minis.

You can usually call around at truck tops or car places and pick these up used.

Good Luck,

Dez

 

[Marty]

Looky looky looky right here:

I've got chat all over the place. LOVE IT. It makes everything so nice and clean, no mud, no feet trouble. Take a close look at how nice my isleway looks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfyo22b47YU