Like humans, horses prefer to dwell in comfort. When at rest, the horse seeks a soothing environment–protected from the elements and predators, easy on his feet, and soft against his body. The domesticated horse must live in the enclosure that you provide. If you choose to house your horse in a building, you face the challenge of furnishing him with a bed that is comfortable for standing and lying down, as well as taking in health considerations.

A stall, though convenient as an enclosure, does present both horse and horsekeeper with a problem–the horse uses this limited single room for resting, sleeping, and elimination. The more time the horse spends in his stall, the more waste products he deposits on its ground. To maintain your horse’s well-being inside the stall, you must supply safe, healthful housing.

First the Floor

Bedding and flooring work together. Whatever the hard surface of the floor, the bedding is a softer layer of material that covers it. The foundation of the stall, the floor, remains in place. Bedding is a temporary, artificial tier that you add over the floor, and replace on a regular basis.

A bare floor can be dirt, ground-up rock such as sand or decomposed granite or limestone, wood, brick, or concrete. The floor needs to be level and provide for some type of drainage