The floor of a horse stall needs to be comfortable, strong and durable. It should also be easy to clean and sanitize.
Wood planks are common, but the type of lumber matters. Softwoods tend to twist and shrink. A good choice is southern yellow pine. Hardwoods are more expensive, but they last longer.
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Concrete
Concrete is an extremely popular choice for horse stall flooring. It is easy to clean and durable. It is also relatively inexpensive compared to other options. However, a concrete floor can become slippery if mats are not placed on top.
Other choices for stall floors include dirt, popcorn asphalt, crushed stone and pure clay. Dirt is very easy on horses’ legs and can be hosed down easily on portable horse stalls. It does require regular maintenance and it can be muddy in wet weather. It can be difficult to install in a barn, though, as it must be leveled and compacted properly.
The major consideration with all stall floor options is how they will handle feces and urine. Most porous floors have an underlying layer of sand or gravel to aid in drainage and to provide material stability. A sloping floor helps to distribute urine toward bedding materials that can soak up the liquids.
Wood was once very common in horse stalls, but it is less often used today due to its high initial cost and the difficulty of disinfecting it. A more recent option is plank flooring, typically 2 inches thick wood (often oak) with preservative treatment. The boards are laid on a base of sand, road-base mix or clay to aid drainage and prevent material loss over time.
Bricks
If you are looking for a sturdy, long-lasting material for your horse barn floors, bricks are a good option. They are durable and easy to clean, but they can be expensive. Other flooring materials can be cheaper, but may require more frequent cleaning or maintenance.
Other choices for stall floor construction include dirt, popcorn asphalt, crushed stone or clay. These options can be less expensive than concrete, but they will not provide traction for the horses’ hooves. They are also not ideal in cold environments.
In some cases, a mixture of crushed stone and clay is used for flooring in stalls to provide some traction as well as drainage. This mix is not as prone to freezing as pure clay, but it still has some disadvantages. The soil also has a tendency to pack down and become hard, which can be uncomfortable for the horses.
Whatever the stall flooring is made of, it is important that the material is not slippery – especially with a deep bedding layer or mats placed on top. In addition, the stall floor should be sloped to allow urine and water runoff to drain into a channel outside of the stable. A slope of about 1 inch per 5 feet is effective.
Natural Soil
As the name suggests, dirt floors are a natural option that is easy on a horse’s feet. They are also relatively inexpensive and can be easily swept clean and disinfected. However, if the soil is too dry, it can be slippery and hard for horses to get up off of. It is also susceptible to water damage from sloppy rains or snow.
Wood plank flooring is another common choice that offers a level floor and aids in stall mucking. The gaps between planks can be filled with sand or road base mix to improve drainage. Wood is expensive, but it is long lasting and durable.
Stall bedding materials such as hay and straw are common options for a stall’s top layer. These materials are renewable and inexpensive, and they can be delivered in large bags or by the bag. However, soiled hay and straw can become dusty and cause respiratory issues in horses. In addition, hay and straw can be contaminated with mouse or rat droppings, which can lead to an infection known as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.
Mats can be purchased in a wide range of thicknesses and colors to suit the environment. Some are rippled or bumped for better traction and have grooves in the bottom to help drain urine. They are a good alternative to traditional wood shavings, which can be contaminated with black walnut, which causes founder in horses.
Mats
Rubber mats are a good option for flooring in horse stalls. They provide traction and are easy to clean. They also prevent the limestone ‘drainage’ area underneath from being clogged with hay, manure and bedding. Mats can be purchased from many Tractor Supply, Rural King or Farm & Feed stores. They are not as durable as concrete or asphalt but they are more economical than a popcorn-asphalt floor and they have the added benefit of keeping the horse comfortable.
A well-designed and built stall floor promotes health in horses and keeps the barn cleaner. It should be a porous surface to allow urine to drain, and the drainage system must be well designed as well. The floor should be sloped (1 inch per 5 feet) toward an alley channel. The incline helps to move water and urine spills away from the horses and into an area that will dry quickly.
Most stalls are 12 feet x 12 feet or larger to give the horse room for movement and resting. Ideally the stall front should not be solid to avoid injuring horses that try to rear up over the head board. Electric fixtures should be placed high to decrease shadows that may frighten or confuse the horses. The fixtures should be positioned at least 10 feet from the stall wall to prevent the horse from getting its head caught in the fixture.