Stall base - Over Clay

[Valentina_32926]

OK - so we’ve moved to Kentucky from Florida and temporarily I have the horses in the old (soon to be hay) barn. Unlike Florida’s soil (sand) the clay here gets wet with urine and stays wet and stinky (and unlike sand it’s harder to “dig out” when you clean the stall).

So the question is - what should I make the base of the stall?
I think I had read on COTH in the past that it should be limestone screening or stone dust.

If so - how THICK should it be? Should that go directly on top of the clay?

I’m thinking mats on top of a firmly packed base - but, starting from the bottom (clay) - what should go on top and how thick should each layer be?

Looking for advice fro those of you that live in areas with clay - I want to do this once (not multiple times). :lol:

Thanks (in advance) Barn experts!

[msj]

I’ve got clay soil and I think I put down about 4" of stone dust. I then watered it and packed it down and watered again and packed down again. Then stall mats over that. I also bed with shavings pretty deep-probably ~5-7".

Understand this was done 25 yrs ago so I may not be completely correct on how many inches of stone dust. But I do remember watering and packing it twice.

[ReSomething]

Don’t NOT put mats over it. We had fines about 6 inches deep packed and rained on and the old guy has torn it up. I remember my trainer used to hate him for tearing up her stalls and he never has changed. DH didn’t want to put mats on it or use shavings because this is supposed to be a run-in, but it’s more of a stall. Now he’s decided to put in . . . wait for it . . . sand.

He’s a SoCal boy and he wants his stalls to be like they were down there. In another winter I think I’ll have mats, I mean sand is great and EZ to pick and the old guy REALLY likes it, but it does freeze up here and it’s not going to be able to drain, that’s why we need the mats and shavings.

And they sell Sweet PDZ at the TSC to help with the ammonia issues. I’m not sure if ag Lime has the same effect for less cost, but regular deep cleaning of pee spots and application will keep the stalls much fresher.

[Mosey_2003]

Aglime will help with the odor, but not as effectively as Sweet PDZ.