How to mat concrete yard so hooves don't get worn too short?

meesha

meesha

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 October 2006
Messages
4,551
Location
Somerset
Visit site
Hi all.

I have a large concrete yard with adjoining rubber matted shelter and sandpit .. I don't use bedding as horses sleep on sand pit in winter. Last 2 winters I have had large horses shoes off, partly as we don't hack for couple months and partly to save field as he is a big boy and we are on clay.

They are shut on the yard with sandpit and shelter every night in winter and his feet have been getting too short (footy by end of winter) I think it's due to combination of shoes off at a time horn growth is slow (Oct) and walking from sand pit onto concrete yard .. so I am looking at putting mats on top of concrete, maybe not whole yard but about half, concentrating on where he stands most and the area from sandpit onto concrete in hope most of sand will be off feet by time gets to non-matted concreted area ..

Question Is ...has anyone tried putting grass mats onto concrete just for cushioning? Or does anyone have any other suggestions? I already have some spare stable mats, but will need about another 20 square metres of matting... Alternative is to boot him over night but I would rather not...

Thanks all in advance. Pic below to show issue lol1000028575.png
 
He is a destroyer of boots, tried old Mac boot and he killed it. Would need to boot all 4 feet and would worry with him rolling and lying on sand they might rub.... Set of boots is £300 to £400, mats for half yard if use grass mats and existing ones prob same.

Also would need to get mud off legs each night to boot as he is out in the day.. have local fitter who can come out to fit boots but would be easier without.
 
Grass mats move around on concrete unless cable tied together (and then they tend to break up where the ties are). That said, if you fitted them together contained within one side of the area you'd probably be ok.
 
Thanks landcruiser that's what I was thinking, I have some solid stable mats so maybe put cheaper grass mats in between
 
I have approximately half my concrete yard covered in rubber stable mats. Yes they are slippery if it’s icy and they tend to drift a bit, but they work ok for us.

I’m surprised their feet get too short, mine don’t, I feed forage plus hoof and skin balancer and have to rasp their feet weekly.
 
I used to have stable mats outside, never had a problem with them but saying that we rarely have a frost here 😁 just rain lol
 
Reacher said:
I have approximately half my concrete yard covered in rubber stable mats. Yes they are slippery if it’s icy and they tend to drift a bit, but they work ok for us.

I’m surprised their feet get too short, mine don’t, I feed forage plus hoof and skin balancer and have to rasp their feet weekly.
Click to expand...
I have never had a problem before but pretty sure it's the sand concrete combo which I've only had a couple of years, his feet are great according to farrier, v thick soles !!
 
meesha said:
I have never had a problem before but pretty sure it's the sand concrete combo which I've only had a couple of years, his feet are great according to farrier, v thick soles !!
Click to expand...
Yeah that would be abrasive.
I can PM you pics of our mats setup if you like
 
I put linking 35mm eva mats over road planings as the planings didn't work for my guy (used to ball up in his v concave feet in hot weather). They do expand in hot weather and hump up as they have nowhere else to go, but the ponies didn't seem to care and loved them for lying on. They could be a bit slippy in frosty weather but I think the give in them reduced the effect - it would probably be worse with the solid mats.
 
I will look at hoof armour but I would be surprised if anything stood up to sand and concrete, but might be an option as well as mats. Belt and braces
 
meesha said:
I will look at hoof armour but I would be surprised if anything stood up to sand and concrete, but might be an option as well as mats. Belt and braces
Click to expand...
I do lots of road riding and turnout is sand with it on and the feet don't wear.
 
I have, temporarily, used the rubber grass mats on hard standing this past winter.

The holes meant I couldn’t poo pick well and because the mats are so heavy it’s not easy to move them and wash them every weekend (forget about it if they’re zip tied together) so the whole thing got a bit disgusting really.

Fine for a temporary situation but I wouldn’t do it again!

I’d lean towards a good fitting boot or putting shoes back on.
 
Will look into hoof armour and maybe mat as much as I can with heavy stable mats. Hoof boots are a no go, if I turnout without them in the day I would never get his legs clean and dry to boot in the evening and Def don't want to be washing legs every night as can imagine how sore he could get

If I leave boots on 24/7 mud and water could/will get in them in field in winter as we are on clay and although most of field is ok entrance and deepest gripes get muddy.

Other option is to do less time barefoot...
 
No dont think feet are soft, he is in from 5pm to 7am on yard and matted shelter, sand pit drains well and yard never has standing wster. Prob doesnt help i take shioes off in october when not growing as quickly ...so not much there to start with !! Another case of human trying to help by changing environment and causing new problems, if he was stabled he wouldnt be moving around as much so feet wouldnt wear even if stable was partly concrete with bedding......

He coughs if i use bedding pr hay so no bedding, haylage and sand pit as bed ....no cough but sore feet.....

Easiest option is keep shoes on and keep him in more as he will trash field galloping round when wet in winter
 
We have stable mats in a few sections of the hard standing turn out. My arthritic mare used to choose to stand on them. We get plenty of frost and I never noticed anything slipping on them any more than they would on concrete. I tend to sprinkle a few bits of straw around if a heavy frost is forecast, or I don’t sweep the yard, just so there’s a bit more grip.
 
My mats are on gravel, so don't have slip problems, and they have worked for 5 winters now. They are the hard rubber mats, ribbed side up. If a frost is due, I put salt down as yes, they would be slippery otherwise. I sweep excess water off daily, and they horses are not allowed on them if there is a proper freeze after rain.
 
As it is probably the sand causing the problem how about getting some chopped carpet to work into the sand in your pit arena. You will then have a nice mix of surfaces for their feet.
 
Similar set up to my old boy. Would it help to cover the sand with shredded bark? I used a transit tipper load from the local tree surgeon to cover my lad's outdoor pen. Non slip in winter, sleeps out on it on dry nights, but he will pee on it!
 
Carpet not a bad idea but suspect sand may still stick to feet. Bark a no go as it will biodegrade and turn to mush whereas currently sandpit drains lovely as on mud control mats
 
I am struggling with this. Several of mine are kept as per the OP, with no problems.I would be looking elsewhere. My stallion spends large parts of each night walking up and down my concrete path or standing on concrete mooning over his lady friend and I still have to trim frequently.
 
It's the sand concrete combo..... Even the pony who has always been barefoot and has typical hardy pony feet has short feet by end of winter. There is always sand on the concrete even though I brush it off daily ..they walk it back on.
 
Gloi said:
Hoof Armour him.
www.hoofmanshipshop.com

HOOFARMOR Hoof Protection | Hoofmanship Shop

Hoof Armor is for Equine Hoof Protection & Infection Preventionan, it is an Abrasive-Resistant Anti-Microbial Penetrating Protective Coating for horse's hooves.
www.hoofmanshipshop.com www.hoofmanshipshop.com
Click to expand...
Thanks, I have researched hoof armour, it looks great and i will get some to go on as soon as shoes are off, that combined with a few more mats and less time barefoot will hopefully do the job 😁
 
meesha said:
Thanks, I have researched hoof armour, it looks great and i will get some to go on as soon as shoes are off, that combined with a few more mats and less time barefoot will hopefully do the job 😁
Click to expand...
2 or 3 VERY thin coats are best. You should barely be able to see it. Putting a thicker coat on encourages it to peel off.
 
Do you do one coat a day for 3 days or literally wait few mins then do next one ? Assume if doing all in one day no talc ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top