The permeable, porous stall floor: what problems or issues did we have with non-porous stall floors, and how we intend to fix them?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=236 BGCOLOR="#006600" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="3c5b0ec1dwnpjk.jpg"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="981" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 120 WIDTH="195"><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The permeable, porous stall floor: what "><img src="images/LazyR_Rollover-OFF_195x120.jpg" alt="Lazy R Equestrian Consulting, a Division of Lazy R Ranch Enterprises" border="0" align="center" width="195" height="120" onmouseout="javascript:this.src='images/LazyR_Rollover-OFF_195x120.jpg'" onmouseover="javascript:this.src='images/LazyR_Rollover-ON_195x120.jpg'" onmouseup="javascript:this.src='images/LazyR_Rollover-OFF_195x120.jpg'" onmousedown="javascript:this.src='images/LazyR_Rollover-ON_195x120.jpg'"></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=BOTTOM><NOBR><div> <A HREF="http://www.hoofgrid.ws/test_objectives/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hoofgrid.ws/test_objectives/"><I><B>Project Objectives Summary</B></I></A></div> <div>                              <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The permeable, porous stall floor: what ">Home</A> | <A HREF="contact_porous_horse_stall_floor_drainage_test.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us about the porous horse stall ">Contact Us</A> | {<A HREF="javascript:history.back()" TARGET="_top" TITLE="javascript:history.back()">GoBack</A>}                     </div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=BOTTOM WIDTH="393"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="120" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="393" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 82 WIDTH="195"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="82" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="195" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 WIDTH="786"><div> <A HREF="porous_stall_floor_test_project_purpose_definitions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A. Project Purpose and Definitions Hoof">A. Purpose + Plan - HoofGrid Permeable Horse Stall Flooring</A>   |   <A HREF="cost_comparison_rubber_stall_mats_hoofgrid_porous_flooring_test.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="B. Project definition conversion of an ">B. Defining test methods, objective parameters, and measuring methodology.</A>   |   <A HREF="hoofgrid_permeable_horse_stall_flooring.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="C. Rubber matted horse stall, before Hoo">C. The problem with impermeable stall floors, rubber mats</A>   |   <A HREF="hoofgrid_engineering_design_porous_stall_floor.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="D. Defining the design creating an engi">D. Defining the design - ground preparation required.</A>   |   <A HREF="porous_stall_floor_ground_preparation_installation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="E. HoofGrid Porous Stall Floor Installat">E. Ground Preparation, rehabilitating the soil, installing HoofGrid and backfilling to finished.</A>   |   <A HREF="results_bedding_replacment_porous_horse_stall_floor.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="F. Results how much bedding requires re">F. Test results, bedding replacement on porous vs. impermeable rubber floors</A>   |   <A HREF="porous_stall_floor_drainage_test.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="G. Porous Stall Floor Drainage Test">G. Field Test - testing the infiltration rate (percolation) of the stall.</A>   |   <A HREF="hoofgrid_demonstration_photos.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="H. Other HoofGrid Demonstration Photos">H. Other applications of HoofGrid - demos + examples</A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="372d2322egerdp.jpg"> <div> <I><B>Navigation ...</B></I></div> <div> <A HREF="porous_stall_floor_test_project_purpose_definitions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A. Project Purpose and Definitions Hoof"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a73007700c8ccffcc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A. Purpose + Plan - HoofGrid Permeable Horse Stall Flooring</A></div> <div> <A HREF="cost_comparison_rubber_stall_mats_hoofgrid_porous_flooring_test.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="B. Project definition conversion of an "><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a73007700c8ccffcc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">B. Defining test methods, objective parameters, and measuring methodology.</A></div> <div> <A HREF="hoofgrid_permeable_horse_stall_flooring.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="C. Rubber matted horse stall, before Hoo"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a73007700c8ccffcc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">C. The problem with impermeable stall floors, rubber mats</A></div> <div> <A HREF="hoofgrid_engineering_design_porous_stall_floor.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="D. Defining the design creating an engi"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a73007700c8ccffcc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">D. Defining the design - ground preparation required.</A></div> <div> <A HREF="porous_stall_floor_ground_preparation_installation.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="E. HoofGrid Porous Stall Floor Installat"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a73007700c8ccffcc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">E. Ground Preparation, rehabilitating the soil, installing HoofGrid and backfilling to finished.</A></div> <div> <A HREF="results_bedding_replacment_porous_horse_stall_floor.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="F. Results how much bedding requires re"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a73007700c8ccffcc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">F. Test results, bedding replacement on porous vs. impermeable rubber floors</A></div> <div> <A HREF="porous_stall_floor_drainage_test.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="G. Porous Stall Floor Drainage Test"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a73007700c8ccffcc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">G. Field Test - testing the infiltration rate (percolation) of the stall.</A></div> <div> <A HREF="hoofgrid_demonstration_photos.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="H. Other HoofGrid Demonstration Photos"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Wing0a73007700c8ccffcc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">H. Other applications of HoofGrid - demos + examples</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=220 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="647" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 44 WIDTH="641"><div> The permeable, porous stall floor: what problems or issues did we have with non-porous stall floors, and how we intend to fix them?</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="652" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#CCFFFF" BORDERCOLORDARK="#336633" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 141 WIDTH="448"><div> <I><B>A. The Problems</B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Arial" > with the rubber horse mat stall floor ...</FONT></div> <div> 1 - Too much bedding was being fouled, requiring daily removal and replacement, wasting time and money.</div> <div> 2 - Evaporated urine (ammonia vapors) permeated the stall atmosphere, creating a health risk.</div> <div> 3 - Urine-soaked bedding packed into the horse's pads, creating a perfect environment for microbial propagation, leading to abscessed hooves, thrush, and other hoof-related syndroms.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The permeable, porous stall floor: what "> <img src="images/LazyR_WhiteBG_Rollover-OFF_195x120.jpg" alt="Lazy R Equestrian Consulting, a Division of Lazy R Ranch Enterprises" border="0" align="center" width="195" height="120" onmouseout="javascript:this.src='images/LazyR_WhiteBG_Rollover-OFF_195x120.jpg'" onmouseover="javascript:this.src='images/LazyR_WhiteBG_Rollover-ON_195x120.jpg'" onmouseup="javascript:this.src='images/LazyR_WhiteBG_Rollover-OFF_195x120.jpg'" onmousedown="javascript:this.src='images/LazyR_WhiteBG_Rollover-ON_195x120.jpg'">  </A></div> <div> { <A HREF="#TOP" TITLE="Go back to the top of this page" TARGET="_self" TITLE="#TOP" TITLE="Go back to the top of this "><B><U>TOP</U></B></A> }</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 1637 WIDTH="652"><div> 4 - Too much fouled bedding + manure was generated, resulting in unnecessarily excessive waste management costs and labor.</div> <div> 5 - The rubber mats migrate on top of the dirt, requiring regular maintenance (frequent removal and realignment the mats on the stall floor).</div> <div> 6 - The subsoil beneath the rubber mats became unevenly compacted, resulting in: (a) an unleveled stall floor and (b) anaerobic soil with rancid (non-decomposed) agricultural nutrients.</div> <div> <I><B>Some examples</B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Arial" > of the problem.</FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="4d840dc0.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="220" ALT="example 1 - rubber horse mats have moved, the dirt beneath the stall floor is anaerobic and compacted, the equine urine {UREA ammonia} are trapped in the stall, too much daily replacement of bedding is required." ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="4d940dc0.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="220" ALT="Using a pick axe, trying to break up the stall floor for re-leveling the floor, beneath the rubber horse mats which have made the dirt as hard as concrete." ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <U>Pictured,</U><U> </U><U>above left:</U> <U><IMG SRC="412952d0.jpg" border=0 width="405" height="301" ALT="Rubber mat horse stall before the stall is cleaned, picked or mucked out. Approximately two thirds of a bale of straw was applied to the stall floor, of which approximately 75 percent will require removal, solely because the straw has become saturated with urine." ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U>the horse mats on the stall floor have migrated, the soil has become anaerobic soil, excessive fouled bedding + manure generated, equine urine pooled within the stall floor.</div> <bR> <div> <U>Pictured, above right:</U> Detail image of the exposed ground beneath the rubber mats; the soil is compacted and corrupted, and hard as concrete as a result.</div> <bR> <div> <U>Pictured at right:</U> Overview of the stall floor with rubber mats, before the stall is cleaned, the fouled bedding is removed with the accumulated manure (stool).</div> <bR> <div> <U>Pictured below:</U> A detailed (close-up) image of the rubber matted horse stall. This images illustrates very graphically the source of the problem with impervious (rubber) horse stall mats. In figure 3 below, the fouled bedding has been peeled back, to expose the surface of the stall floor. Notice that the impermeable rubber mats trap the 4-10 gallons of daily urine output on the surface of the rubber matted stall floor. </div> <div> This results in: (a) saturated the bedding, which slowly evaporates the ammonia vapors into the stall/barn atmosphere; and (b) urine-soaked bedding which packs into the pads of the hooves, creating a perfect environment for microbial propagation (abscesses, thrush, etc.).</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="4dd58330.jpg" border=0 width="600" height="563" ALT="An overhead view of the impermeable stall floor, with the urine-soaked bedding peeled back to expose the puddled urine. The graphical significance of the image is that it demonstrates the source of the problem with any non-porous stall flooring - that the equine urine is pooled and puddled within the stall, generating waste, unnecessary costs, hoof health syndromes, equine cardio-pulmonary health problems, and providing an overall unwholesome barn environment." ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>B. The objectives</B></I><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#444444" FACE="Arial" > - of this project ...</FONT></div> <div> 1 - To reduce the cost of daily bedding removal and replacement.</div> <div> 2 - To eliminate all equine urine vapors (evaporated ammonia) from the stall and barn atmosphere.</div> <div> 3 - To provide a dry, clean stall floor that the horse's hooves may remain dry and free of compacted, septic materials.</div> <div> 4 - To reduce the quantity of fouled bedding + manure which must be managed (composted, removed, etc.).</div> <div> 5 - To eliminate the necessity to regularly pull the stall floor (i.e. rubber horse mats) out of the stall, and to realign them.</div> <div> 6 - To eliminate future stall re-leveling, by preventing stall surface flooring (rubber mat) migration, and by preventing stall base (subsoil dirt) from compacting or shifting.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> [end, the definition of the problem]</div> <div> More information?</div> <div> <A HREF="porous_stall_floor_test_project_purpose_definitions.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A. Project Purpose and Definitions Hoof"><I><B><U>Continue with the test project's plan of action »</U></B></I></A></div> <bR> <div> More details about the reasons for this project? </div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.hoofgrid.ws/test_objectives/" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="http://www.hoofgrid.ws/test_objectives/"><I><B><U>« Review this project's objectives summary - will open in a new window »</U></B></I></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> { <A HREF="#TOP" TITLE="Go back to the top of this page" TARGET="_self" TITLE="#TOP" TITLE="Go back to the top of this "><B><U>Return to the TOP of this page</U></B></A> }</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=24 BGCOLOR="#669966" TEXT="#080000" background="4a308341dkerkg.gif"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>