Pole Barn Flooring Options

The soundness of a horse can be affected by barn flooring. Flooring should be easy on the legs, especially if the horse spends time in a stall. Some flooring options can be used with additional bedding, such as shavings or straw.

  1. Concrete

    • Concrete is the most durable flooring option. It is easy to clean and disinfect, rodent-proof, difficult to damage and low maintenance. Concrete has no give and can be hard on a horse's legs. It is cold and hard and may discourage lying down. If used in a stall, additional bedding should be added.

    Clay

    • Clay tends to get slippery when wet, especially if packed and should be mixed with other soils when used as flooring. Clay can be packed as a top layer over gravel. Clay is closest to a natural tread for horses, dust free, easy on the legs and noiseless. Maintenance is required for clay floors; they need to be leveled and repacked yearly and replaced every few years. Clay may also retain odors and be difficult to keep clean.

    Rubber Mats

    • Rubber mats can be installed over any compact, level surface and are often used over existing flooring that is hard or slippery. Rubber mats are easy to clean, easy on horse's legs and provide good footing. Less bedding material is needed than with harder floor surfaces, such as concrete. Solid rubber mats are low maintenance. Rubber mats may retain odors and tend to move unless secured by a wall or interlocking pieces.