I spent most of the day cleaning in the barn..Geez, what a mess..tack room, alleyway,etc... I had 2 large rolls of rubber belting I have been wanting to put down in alleyway..as the new filly likes to paw when she is tied...she is getting better but she still trys it on occasion. I am really liking it...I was just wondering what everyone else has in there alleyways... 8) I wish I could put in a concrete floor ( easier to sweep, wash, etc.) or dream floor of the rubber pavers maybe if or when I win the Lotto..( ya right ) SO whatcha all got....
My dream floor is pavers but living in the real world and an old dairy barn I have aglime with 3/4" rubber on sections of it. The areas where I have rubber are great but the aglime gets worn down and you have to keep adding more. Plus I have narrower then wanted aisleways---no crossties here due to that. One horse and one person, no walking horses in both directions. But you know what, it works and its mine!!
The base of my barn is dirt. Several years ago, I picked up bunches of huge flagstone out of a creek and planted them in my aisle. A couple years ago I got a great deal on some stall matts, so I have put those in the center where the horse stands in cross ties.
I got nothing to ad, but glad shes getting better with the pawing thing. She'd dig a hole to china if ya let her
I've been in barns w/ concrete alleyways and I hated them. Was a nervous wreck with young, squirrely horses slipping, flipping, etc. They also hold the cold (nice in summer awful in winter) and sweeping them stirs up more dust than sprinkling and raking dirt. If I can't swing rubber paving bricks (winning lottery ticket required!) give me good dirt/limestone screening pack any day!
Yep, don't really like rubber--slippery when wet, concrete is nasty, asphalt is similiar but not as bad. Thus far, as much as it annoys me, dirt is my favorite thing. It is hardpacked dirt--been here for 50 years, and it was free...
I worked in a barn awhile back that had the rubber pavers...WOW...NICE stuff!!! and you can get it in different colors...I think I would go with the green ones...looks natural. I never thought about the concrete floor being so cold in the winter...makes sense.
Concrete and it was expensive, can just imagine the rubber paver cost. But mine don't walk long distances on them or stand tied on them too often. I have a large mat that they stand on when the farrier comes. I blow mine out to clean.
whoaboy... me too!! I bought a leaf blower... I will open the back doors of the barn.. and start blowing from the other end.. cobwebs.. loose hay.. anything in my way!! gets blown away!! sure looks nice for awhile!
If you have concrete you can paint it with this "rubbery" paint. Sorry, I don't know the actual term for it but a friend had it in her barn. I love a concrete or blacktop barn floor.
Concrete. I CANNOT stand dirt--they have it at my trainers and it needs constant upkeep and wetting down or it gets really dusty.
Mostly packed aglime with a few rubber mats. But I wouldn't want to use all rubber mats, they do get slimy and slippery. I'd look into the more textured ones that are interlockable. As for concrete, I imagine if it is kinda textured with a hard-bristle broom as it's put it, that would help the footing and traction alot.
Concrete, heavily "brushed" to provide traction~ We love it! I have never had a horse slip and fall on it or even lose footing while coming in with snow packed feet.
IF and when I get my barn built it will have non finished concrete in the aisles... pour it and let it settle just enough pushing to get it half way level I will have one area finish that will be 12X12 for farrier work... all of my stalls will also have concrete footers like six or eight inches up
Peggy, I just had my stalls done in concrete. (put mats on top again) and love them. Goodby to the moon craters and little dips in the previous flooring, my stalls are level and will STAY level. Maintence free is what I like. I am getting old and am not going to be able to relevel the darn things every few years.
