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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 7:31:03 PM
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We are about to start building our fieldshelter and was wondering about floors, not sure to leave earth or cement it. The shelter is metal frame 12m x 8m so quite big, my other half wants a hard floor but that means i will have to put bedding in and muck out a lot. Dose anybody know of a cheapish liquid rubber flooring, we have mats at home but the big fields are on their own and i think if we put mats in they may be stolen, it looks like liquid rubber would cost us about £3000 which is a lot and i wondered if there was a cheaper way to do it.
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nikki83
Silver Member
427 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 7:40:32 PM
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My friend told me yesterday that one of her friends just got loads of conveyor belt rubber from a local aggregate place for FREE!! She has put it in her field shelter. (dont know how its tied/fixed down etc as Ive not seen it)
Thats not really a very helpful reply is it..lol!
Nikki x |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 7:44:23 PM
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| Yup, i know someone who did that too! If you pop by a quarry (we have loads round here) they give it to you. It's not light though...! |
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moatside
Platinum Member
England
3224 Posts |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 8:21:14 PM
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We have a slightly different problem since we plan to install a mobile field shelter before winter, so obviously a permanent base is not an option. Our plan is to line the floor with our heavy duty rubber dairy mats ( which I bought second hand 12 years ago, still going strong), and sweep them out, no bedding. Then we will line the stables with newer lightweight EPA ( or whatever they are called) mats. Would this be an option for you? Surely cheaper than pouring a rubber floor. If you packed in in tight on a level base it shouldn't move too much. Or does someone know different through bitter experience?
Oops just reread your post, you don't want mats in case they're pinched, but I'd still be interested to know if mats work - we are on clay and last winter was truly terrible underfoot..... |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
Edited by - Callisto on 13 Aug 2010 8:25:58 PM |
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T42
Bronze Member
England
215 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 9:17:14 PM
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| My field shelter has an earth floor. I put the damp shavings from the stables in there. It works really well. The floor is always dry. I don't muck out, just pick up the droppings. |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 9:41:03 PM
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I am on heavy clay and I have a mobile stable with rubber mats straight on the ground. The field had not been churned up before I put the stable in so the ground was level and it has been fine for my stallion. He is out during the day with access to the mobile stable and then comes into his stable in the yard at night. It has been there for three years with no problems.
I put the mats with holes in so that the grass can grow through (like they have in grass car parks) outside the door so that it didn't get churned to mud and they have been brilliant. Although the grass no longer seems to grow (maybe because it is under the 4' overhang and out of the sun + my stallion stands there a lot when it is raining) it never gets wet and muddy.
Barbara |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 9:50:39 PM
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| Thanks Barbara - I've been looking at the grass mats too, so that's good to know. We have 6 horses and only 4 stables this winter, so the 2 welsh x ponies will not be coming in, hence the field shelter, not least to give them respite from the mud if necessary (last year was horrendous). |
Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 10:21:23 PM
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| I wonder if the grass mats would work in our shed, i would imagine that they will be harder to steal if the grass is growing through them. Can the horses lie down on them or do you need to put bedding on top, mine will be living out 24/7 so i think they will lie down in the shed if the weather is bad. I was so sick of the mud last winter too it was awful and when the snow came it was just as bad apart from they had clean legs, so this year hopefully they can get out of the bad weather if not i know they will use it to escape the flies next summer. |
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2010 : 12:00:01 AM
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Remember, if you put down a permanent hard surface for your field shelter, you may need to apply for planning permission! So the rubber belting sounds a much better option.
We are lucky in that we have hard standings for ours that were put down during the war, when the area was commandeered for an airfield - so no problem with planning. We still have mats on top though.
Grass mats need to be put down in the early spring so that the grass grows through them and anchors them - they are lethal otherwise, as a friend found out: she and her stallion went 'skiing' the width of the entryway!
Keren |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2010 : 09:57:40 AM
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| Thanks MinHe planning already sorted, dont think i could of said that it was mobile being the size it will be, we put in a 28day notice for planning as we will also be storing hay in there. I think if i can get hold of it the rubber belting sounds fab just need to find some now. |
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littlearabians
Gold Member
1323 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2010 : 10:34:27 AM
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| I have crushed bricks with a good foot of sand on top in my fieldshelters, then I just have to poopick, the bricks drains the urine away, and they love lying down in the soft sand. |
www.littlearabians.com
Classic Polish Arabians
Worcester based
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Pop
Platinum Member
England
3051 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2010 : 10:22:54 AM
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| I use wood pellets on an earth floor, even last winter, the floor stayed perfectly dry. |
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carole ferguson
Silver Member
United Kingdom
457 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2010 : 1:43:09 PM
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I have the conveyor belt rubber in all my stables - and it is heavy and stays put. I find it excellent.
My son also uses this to keep tarpaulins on his BMX jumps over the winter. Very cheap - and very good |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2010 : 6:27:01 PM
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| Anybody know where i can get it , we are on the Co Durham/ Northumberland border ( the conveyor belting ) |
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arabesque
Silver Member
339 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2010 : 8:45:54 PM
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I used the conveyor belt matting, but found it very slippery . Don't want to put a damper on this as it might have been just my experience.
None of mine were shod, so maybe it's better with shoes? I often wondered about painting lines across them with something rougher, or scoring them in some way, but I'm afraid I just got rid! |
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moatside
Platinum Member
England
3224 Posts |
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Eeyore
Gold Member
1181 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2010 : 11:29:01 AM
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I'm glad you said that arabesque because that was exactly my experience. One of my first jobs after uni when I was saddled with student debt was for a big construction company so I got the conveyor belting free. As soon as I could afford I got rid from the stable because it was so slippy when wet!
My field shelter just has an earth floor and I put straw in, it stays dry all winter. The area outside does get poached and muddy so I had it dug out and put down membrane with hardcore on top so there is hardstanding outside it. Last winter it was perfect with this arrangement, even in all of the snow. |
Heléna
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Edited by - Eeyore on 17 Aug 2010 11:30:11 AM |
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Rubber floors
