# Slippery concrete in barn



## hippichick (Aug 24, 2010)

I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for me.  We poured concrete in the center aisle of the horse barn about 2 years ago.  Well, over the past couple of years, it has gotten really slick-especially when it gets wet, or is very humid(which is almost always here).  I've had a couple of horses fall recently.  I almost lost one because of it, as she's 36 years old, and her old bones just can't take that kind of abuse.  It took some time, but she did recover.  Right now, I've got fans on pretty much around the clock, just to keep the concrete dry.  But if it rains, and their hooves are wet, they go slipping and sliding in the center aisle when I let them in at night. I was penned behind a stall door a few days ago when one of my mares fell.  I had nowhere to go, and couldn't do a thing but stand there behind the door, and of course, she fell right against the door.  I was ok, just a little bruised, but was more worried about her.  It's a very helpless feeling, watching a horse go down like this.  There's not a thing you can do, but watch them fall.  Wondering if anyone here has had this problem with concrete, and what did you do?


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## patandchickens (Aug 24, 2010)

First thing, are you letting them come in on their own or are you leading them in with halter and leadrope? If the former, then IME that is just asking for trouble (yes, I know lots of people who've done it for years with no problems...  but it is definitely for sure higher-risk than leading them in individually, and a cracked pelvis is a *big* deal). If the latter, then paying closer attention and making the horse walk "mindfully" as opposed to slooping along on autopilot is often enough IME.

As far as the concrete surface goes -- and even with care taken when walking the horses thru the aisle, it *is* good to address the problem directly -- some people will suggest rubber matting. It does not IME matter a lot whether it is textured or not, the main thing is that the matts be 3/4" thick (not thinner) so the hooves sort of sink in just a little bit, which is where the traction comes from.

Alternatively, though, you can rent a concrete saw and grind a grid of shallow lines/grooves into the concrete. This makes it harder to clean but gives considerably better traction. Or if the concrete should happen to be old and cracked anyhow and you were contemplating replacing it, break it up and replace it with a slab that has been textured while the concrete is still a bit soft -- either pebbles put on, or swept with a dry bristle-broom to give the surface mild roughness.

Good luck, have fun, be careful,

Pat


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## hippichick (Aug 24, 2010)

Hi, Pat.  This happens whether I let them walk in on their own, or lead them in.  When I was penned behind the stall door, I was leading the mare in.  She slipped, and started to fall.  I had nowhere to go but behind the door, and she fell against the stall door.  When I let them in from the pasture without leading them, I let them in one at a time, and they go directly to their assigned stall.  They know the routine.  At this point, as slippery as the concrete has gotten, I'm putting myself in danger if I try to lead each horse in individually, so I only do it if I am leading a horse in or out of the front of the barn-not to or from the pasture in back.  

We thought of rubber mats, but I wonder how hard they will be to keep clean.  Will dirt and manure get in between the mats, making it impossible to get clean without taking the mats up?  I know they're pretty heavy.  Also thought of scoring the concrete with a saw.  I think this would be easier to keep clean.  And, the concrete is not damaged at all, as it's only a couple of years old.  We also thought of maybe painting with a swimming pool paint- you know the kind used in and around concrete pools.  We would also add glass beads to the paint.  These are the opyions that we are considering.  I just thought maybe someone else has had this problem.  When we poured the concrete, they did a broom finish on it, but it has really slicked out.  I've heard that after a few years, this sometimes happens.

Thanks for your response.  Appreciate it.


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## patandchickens (Aug 24, 2010)

hippichick said:
			
		

> We thought of rubber mats, but I wonder how hard they will be to keep clean.  Will dirt and manure get in between the mats, making it impossible to get clean without taking the mats up?


You have to put them on a very flat level surface. (Either a very flat level slab, or cover the slab with a thin layer of stone dust that you dampen and tamp real flat/level). But, as long as you do that, and lay them *carefully*, there will be only the thinnest of cracks between them, and not much of anything will get in there, and they are SUPER easy to clean.



> Also thought of scoring the concrete with a saw.  I think this would be easier to keep clean.


It's not actually. It's harder. Damp stuff ends up filling all the grooves and the only way to get it out is either a) get it real dry and then brush lightly followed by shopvac vacuuming, or b) a whooooole lotta brushing this way and that way and the other way with stiff-bristled brush, sweeping out in between iterations.



> We also thought of maybe painting with a swimming pool paint- you know the kind used in and around concrete pools.  We would also add glass beads to the paint.


IME it doesn't last with horse traffic on it.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat


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## Mea (Aug 24, 2010)

Would something like Barn Calcite help ?

   It is sold around here as "SurFoot" and used in dairy barns to help the cows keep traction. 

 I keep some on hand to keep Me from slipping, especially in winter.  You just do not want to track it into Your home.  It does a number on the floors !!!


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## freemotion (Aug 24, 2010)

I've been in several barns with rubber mats in the aisles.  You can butt them right up to each other and they will stay put with normal use (walking horses in and out.)  If one gets moved a bit and stuff gets between the mats, you can actually lift a corner, stick your toe in, and sweep it out carefully as you move along the mat, lifting with your toe as you go.  You need to be a bit of a gymnast to do this by yourself, but hey, you have horses, so you must be a bit of a gymnast!


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## Bossroo (Aug 24, 2010)

you can rent a commercial rotary diamond grinder that is meanet to grind uneven concrete for tile work.  Works great to roughen the surface.


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## hippichick (Aug 24, 2010)

Thanks for all the suggestions.  Mea, I did a search for the barn calcite, and it seems like it would work.  If it works for cattlle, it should work for horses.  I guess I could just put it down when it's wet, since that's when I've got the most problems.  I'd prefer a permanent solution, but we'll definitely check into it.  If nothing else, it'll buy me some time. I just need to find it locally.  

The rubber mats would be the next easiest solution.  I tend to lean toward those, because I could just buy them, and lay them down, and I'm done.  

My husband is wanting to go with the paint.  He works in oilfield, and says they use epoxy paint with glass beads mixed into the paint.  They spray the rig floors with this stuff, and it stands up to tons of abuse.  Glass beads are used instead of sand because they don't break up like sand does.   It would be less expensive than stall mats, but a little more work.  And I guess if it doesn't work, or wears down after awhile, we could always go with mats?  

Thanks again...


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## hippichick (Aug 24, 2010)

Bossroo said:
			
		

> you can rent a commercial rotary diamond grinder that is meanet to grind uneven concrete for tile work.  Works great to roughen the surface.


Just saw this, Bossroo.  Great idea.  I've never heard of this.  Is it kind of like a big floor sander?  Sounds like it would be an easy fix.


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## freemotion (Aug 24, 2010)

hippichick said:
			
		

> My husband is wanting to go with the paint.  He works in oilfield, and says they use epoxy paint with glass beads mixed into the paint.  They spray the rig floors with this stuff, and it stands up to tons of abuse.  Glass beads are used instead of sand because they don't break up like sand does.


How many of those oilfield workers weigh half a ton and wear steel shoes?


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## hippichick (Aug 25, 2010)

freemotion said:
			
		

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Haha, good point.    Not many, I hope, although some of those boys are hefty eaters.  But some of the pipe used weighs quite a bit, I'm told.  And, believe me, these oilfield workers aren't the gentlest of guys.  

Oh, and half a ton-I gotta do better than that.  I've got a Belgian who weighs a ton or more-depending on how much I'm feeding him.  Right now, he's on a diet.  lol  Of course, he's the one who's never fallen.  Go figure...


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## Bossroo (Aug 25, 2010)

hippichick said:
			
		

> Bossroo said:
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Yup !!!  I used one to grind an unever concrete slab in a house prior to installing floor tile.  Works great ... just keep it moving like a floor sander or you can make a round hole real quick.


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## ducks4you (Sep 2, 2010)

I know that we just offer suggestions, here, but, seriously, the best solution for you is rubber mats.  I TOTALLY agree with Pat--get them textured or not.  I have about 20 mats in my 3 stall barn, 5 more that I use in my horse trailer (2 are 2 x 6ft, 3 are 4 x 8ft.)  Some are 1/4 inch, which I roll from the skinny side as tight as is possible, that grab the ends--rolling stiffens the rubber and it's easy to take them in and out of the trailer.
Back to your BARN:  I use 1/2 inch rubber mats in the stalls, and 1/4 inch mats in the aisle-ways.  To move the 1/2 mats (which are REALLY heavy and bulky) I fold them in half, and drag them to where I need to, in order to clean the cement underneath, etc.

I don't know about you but I slipped on my cement sidewalk last winter, when we had black ice.  Don't know how, but I totally relaxed as I did, essentially a 'prat fall', flat on my back, so I wasn't hurt.  IF I had stiffened up, I would have broken something.  Not to sound like a bad animal owner, but in the last 1980's I had a pony that slipped on the ice on DIRT, and messed up her knee--on dirt.
The mats are great.  You can stack, store, or even sell them, if you need to in the future.  *Just because the cement surface is abrasive, it doesn't mean you or your horses won't trip and go down on them. * It's just MHO, but I love my cement barn floor and I love the rubber mats on top of it.


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## hippichick (Feb 12, 2011)

Just want to update on this.  I'd like to thank Mea for recommending the barn calcite.  I found some at Tractor Supply, and it works very well.  We've had a very rainy winter here-as usual.  I sprinkle the barn calcite on the concrete anytime it gets wet, and it really works to keep the horses from slipping.  I haven't had a horse lose his footing in the barn since I started using this product.  And, the best part is, it's very inexpensive-around $2.99 per bag-50 lb bag, I think.  Anyway, just in case anyone is having this problem, this stuff really works.  Thanks again Mea for the advice! Appreciate the help.


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