Prepare Concrete Floor For Horses

Determine how much flooring and materials will be needed.

Prepare concrete floor for horses.

However a concrete based stall can be rinsed down and the water drains away freely leaving the stall clean and dry. If you have a vinyl floor you may be able to install your flooring directly on top of it. Concrete is expensive and using it absolutely requires rubber mats and thick bedding because it is too unforgiving for horses legs and joints on its own. 3 scrub your floor with the tsp.

To solve these challenges of concrete flooring in horse stalls we recommend an epoxy floor coating to seal off the concrete and extend its life. Sweep your concrete floor with a shop broom gathering up as much dirt and debris as possible. It is easy on the horse s legs non slip and requires minimal bedding material over top. Some owners recommend that a horse be turned out at least 4 hours per day when housed on concrete flooring.

Plan for your final stall floor height to be several inches above the surround grade outside the building to further encourage drainage. Provide a 4 inch minimum thickness for concrete floors under stalls and where vehicle use is limited. Add about 10 to that number to account for any possible mistakes and warped boards. It s possible to install clay floors and it s recommended that these be laid over a thick layer of crushed gravel and kept clean and dry.

How epoxy improves concrete flooring a liquid applied epoxy coating is applied in two steps a resin and a curative which form a strong chemical bond. Multiply length times width of the room. An easy way to tell whether the floor is dry enough is to place a small. Sand is frequently used for stall floors.

Use high quality t hree quarter inch thick rubber mats made for horses. Test the floor for moisture by taping a 2 foot by 2 foot piece of plastic to the. Cheap mats will shift wear out and change shape. It drains well and is replaceable once it becomes very soiled.

Use grooved mats for better traction for the horses. Moisture will prevent the primer and paint from adhering properly. Use a rotary scrubbing machine with a special pad designed for the aggressive scrubbing of concrete. Remove any carpet or other flooring.

Most floors in uk are concrete as long as you do deep beds and banked sides as with any floor be it mats mud or concrete your horse will be fine as deep beds and banked sides prevent hip hock and elbow sores plus prevent the horses getting cast plus if you have a lame horse or a horse with lamnitus can support the foot or leg depending on type of bedding used. Using a thick layer of bedding or solid rubber mats can minimize some of concrete s disadvantages. Wait until your concrete floors are dry before you prime.