Putting a 'floor' in a mobile field shelter

[cauda equina]

I have a 12 x 24 mobile shelter, parked on what was grass but is now bare earth, firm and dry but very dusty. The dust mixes in with any bedding; it makes the ponies' coats look awful and is probably unhealthy too.
In the past I've put down EVA mats which worked ok but were expensive and time-consuming to do. Is there any other solution? I was wondering if a membrane might work.
It needs to be something removable in case the shelter needs to be moved, which rules out chalk or road planings
Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Molasses]

a lot depends on your drainage, slope, type of soil etc
i've tried mats and bark and various other permutations but found some heavy recycled plastic matts that interlock that i like best, they don't move and are easy to put down. they're the Mud Control ones. They're the only ones i could find that only took one person to do

 

[scruffyponies]

Paving slabs. They're often going free or cheap on local classified sites.

 

[cauda equina]

Thank you both, I'll look into those

 

[meleeka]

Paving slabs laid rough side up on a bed of sand would work if you get it before the ground goes too soft.

 

[cauda equina]

Thanks, it doesn't go soft at all.
At least I'm just dealing with dust, not mud

 

[Tiddlypom]

Paving slabs make a great floor and can be laid on sharp sand, so are still technically not a permanent construction for the PP restrictions.

 

[MagicMelon]

What about those grass mats? They have the holes in so would life the horses feet off the floor meaning they wouldnt be kicking up dust and I think they're quite a bit cheaper than proper stable mats? In mine is a hardcore base which is great but no good if you want movable

 

[cauda equina]

Thanks MM, I've been thinking about grass mats too
I think the cheapest way would be paving slabs but I wonder if they'd be slippery; sometimes the ponies charge inside

 

[Keith_Beef]

Thanks MM, I've been thinking about grass mats too
I think the cheapest way would be paving slabs but I wonder if they'd be slippery; sometimes the ponies charge inside

You can get cast concrete paving slabs with all kinds of surface textures. The ones in my garden shed (laid by previous owners) are small (40cm × 40cm, I think) and have a kind of pebbly texture to them, very grippy to walk on.

 

[meleeka]

Thanks MM, I've been thinking about grass mats too
I think the cheapest way would be paving slabs but I wonder if they'd be slippery; sometimes the ponies charge inside

Paving slabs have a rough underside usually, so you lay that side up. you can buy them cheaply or even free if you look on FB or gumtree. Mine are 50cm squared and I’ve picked up free ones when I’ve seen them advertised.