Ideas for Keeping Wood Floors in a Horse Trailer

The safety of a horse trailer with a wood floor depends on the materials used in its construction and the care that you take to maintain the floor. Inspections will alert you to the first signs of decay. Proper cleaning, rubber mats and wood maintenance will greatly extend the life of a wood floor.

  1. Materials

    • The wood floors in a horse trailer are generally treated wood planks. Wood planks are thicker and have more strength than sheets of plywood. Treated wood resists mold, mildew and rot so that it is long lasting. If you purchase a used horse trailer, you should inspect the floor thoroughly to see if any decay has started and replace those portions of the flooring.

    Inspection

    • A horse trailer with wooden floors should pass a visual inspection before every use to ensure its safety. The most common areas of decay are around the edges on all four sides of the floor. Liquids tend to accumulate in these areas, and after continued exposure to dampness the floor will weaken.

    Cleaning

    • Cleaning a horse trailer out after each use can extend the life of the wooden floor. Sweep out all hay and food that is on the floor after each use so that it does not hold moisture. Spraying out the trailer with a garden hose can effectively clean out all messes. Let the floor dry thoroughly before its next use so that there is no standing water to hold germs, which can cause infections in the feet of livestock.

    Mats

    • Rubber mats can extend the life of a wooden floor in a horse trailer. They keep the wood from scuffing by hooves, protect your livestock from excessive road heat, provide better drainage and insulate against the cold air. You should remove mats when doing routine cleaning of a horse trailer and not replace them until the wooden floors are fully dry.

    Maintenance

    • Rene E. Riley of Equisearch suggests mixing "two parts linseed oil to one part turpentine" to help extend the life of a wooden floor in a horse trailer by resealing the wood. Applying this mixture to the entire floor area with a paintbrush can help reseal the wood effectively. Allowing each layer to dry between coats will let this mixture absorb into the wood. When the floor will not absorb anymore liquid, your wooden floor is properly resealed. This procedure will help the wood to repel liquids that can lead to decay.