# Making a ramp for a step up into barn



## ArXane (Nov 23, 2013)

Ill try and get a picture next day or two. We just purchased some property that has a barn...and came with an old horse, hes about 32. To get into his stall stall he has to step up and over the foundation of the barn. Its about an 18" step from the outside, foundation is about 14" wide, and another 6" into the stall. We have seen him drag his hooves over the foundation many times.

Our question is this; we will be filling in the stall with dirt this week. What do we do about the outside? I think I need build some sort of ramp. What do I make it out of? I was thinking large rock, followed by smaller size and then finally some dirt?

Heres the deal about the horse. Purchased property from some older friends, they now live in town and have no where for him. He so old we would feel bad about moving him, old owners still will pay for feed medical. We just want to make his last years easy on him. Getting rid of the horse is out of the question.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

Awwww.....you all are sweet. Your idea sounds good.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

That is kindness. If you won't cause a drainage or mud issue, then dirt is fine. A horse will pack it down quite a bit. If you are in the wetter areas of Oregon, then it might be better to wait til it's dry. He might
have a harder time coping with mud than the threshold. 
Gravek
l might do well if wet is an issue but it's better to wait til the ground is dry for that as the weight of the horse will grind it into the mud- it will disappear.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Good on you. :angel:


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## Stonybrook (Sep 22, 2007)

Where you build up the dirt, you could put some down some geotech lining so that he doesn't just turn it into a mud pit.


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## ArXane (Nov 23, 2013)

Because it is getting muddy, I think its making it harder for him to step over. The lining is a great idea. So you dont think I need to do any rock under the dirt?


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Really nice of you to go to extra trouble for the old guy. Using stone underneath for extra drainage will help. Outside all our barn areas we put a couple layers of gravel that also contained a lot of dust, let each layer settle. Then ag-lime (I've heard it call lime screenings, crushed lime and a couple of other things I can't remember right now...not to be confused with the powdery barn lime). It holds up to not getting muddy better than dirt but still gets soft with lots of moisture. Needs more added usually every year, depending on the traffic it gets and how much rain/snow you have. 

At 32 his life expectancy is limited but if you are planning to always house an animal there it might be worth the expense of putting in a concrete (with a very rough surface) ramp.


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## ArXane (Nov 23, 2013)

Teej said:


> Really nice of you to go to extra trouble for the old guy. Using stone underneath for extra drainage will help. Outside all our barn areas we put a couple layers of gravel that also contained a lot of dust, let each layer settle. Then ag-lime (I've heard it call lime screenings, crushed lime and a couple of other things I can't remember right now...not to be confused with the powdery barn lime). It holds up to not getting muddy better than dirt but still gets soft with lots of moisture. Needs more added usually every year, depending on the traffic it gets and how much rain/snow you have.
> 
> At 32 his life expectancy is limited but if you are planning to always house an animal there it might be worth the expense of putting in a concrete (with a very rough surface) ramp.


Thanks. Will look i to this. Will probably do some sort of rock/dirt ramp now wwith the suggestions of the ideas here and put In a concrete. Ramp this summer.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

We have a barn with a step situation. Over the years I've found the best solution is a pile of ag lime. We pack it with the front end loader, and then let the horse's feet do the rest. It makes a gentle, safe slope at any grade you choose, is safe for the horses in case some is ingested, and is inexpensive to purchase at about $100 a load in our area. One load will last several years.

In the past, we've tried different things such as coarse gravel topped with pea gravel and then dirt, layers of gravel and dairy mats, etc. A cement ramp on another side proved to be way too slick to be safe for the old ones, and the dirt where the cement meets the ramp gets boggy and then you still have a step; only the angle of the cement 'ramp' is unstable for the horses, and it gets rather slick. Over time, just about everything else gets pawed away or walks away in footprints; but he ag lime is safe, drains well, and simply needs to be replaced from time to time and isn't a hazard as it breaks down.

My geldings liked the dairy mats so much that, after they'd pawed them to shreds, I pulled them out in a loose pile to the side and they pee on them. No splashing, which they like. I'm glad they no longer pee in the doorway; it saves my shoes.


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## ArXane (Nov 23, 2013)

Horseyrider said:


> We have a barn with a step situation. Over the years I've found the best solution is a pile of ag lime. We pack it with the front end loader, and then let the horse's feet do the rest. It makes a gentle, safe slope at any grade you choose, is safe for the horses in case some is ingested, and is inexpensive to purchase at about $100 a load in our area. One load will last several years.
> 
> In the past, we've tried different things such as coarse gravel topped with pea gravel and then dirt, layers of gravel and dairy mats, etc. A cement ramp on another side proved to be way too slick to be safe for the old ones, and the dirt where the cement meets the ramp gets boggy and then you still have a step; only the angle of the cement 'ramp' is unstable for the horses, and it gets rather slick. Over time, just about everything else gets pawed away or walks away in footprints; but he ag lime is safe, drains well, and simply needs to be replaced from time to time and isn't a hazard as it breaks down.
> 
> My geldings liked the dairy mats so much that, after they'd pawed them to shreds, I pulled them out in a loose pile to the side and they pee on them. No splashing, which they like. I'm glad they no longer pee in the doorway; it saves my shoes.


Great suggestion! Thanks to you and everyone else. Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, will let you know how our ramp turns out.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

Oh, I forgot to mention, we line our stalls with ag lime too. Even though our stalls are cement, I put down several inches of ag lime and then either hand or machine tamp them, then top with tightly cut and fitted three quarter inch rubber stall mats. Any urine that leaks into it doesn't get that ammonia smell. Dirt stalls can be topped with ag lime and then mats too, and then you don't ever have that horrid stinking gelding crater in the middle.


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

I would second putting crushed lime, inside the stall, not dirt. The crushed lime, adding stall mats over it, makes an excellent surface to stand on, super easy to clean out the stall when needed. As mentioned, the lime does take care of the ammonia smell of an old horse quite well. Many older horses don't drink well, so their urine can be quite strong.

Dirt fill in a stall is just terrible to keep cleaned up. Adding moisture makes into mud, real hard to clean WELL if weather gets cold, poop freezes to the ground. Just never really gets dry with daily use, no matter what kind of bedding you use on it. Doesn't dry or drain well. Rubber stall mats over it prevent bad holes, but still doesn't dry well under the matting.

Lime is the way to go for stall footing. Larger, coarse pieces laid over a layer of the geotextile fabric prevents stone getting mixed into any dirt underneath. Then another layer of geotextile fabric with a smaller size layer of lime stone, until you get to the top layer, which is very small size that packs well and hard. Each layer needs to be thick and tamped to stay firm and in place. The geotextile fabric between dirt and each size of stone, keeps the layers in place, not mixing. The lime layers should probably total a depth of 16 inches, or even deeper if you can dig the stall out and put in the new stone. 

Good preparation of the footing will keep things NICE and working well over future years of use with this horse and any other animals you put in there. Stall mats are a great investment, usable for MANY years. We have old stall mats that we put under the trailer for parking on dirt, across barn doorways to prevent puddling with all the in and out traffic to the barn. They give good grip to walk on, prevent holes, good base under tires to prevent sinking in wet places. LOTS of uses. You might shop Craigslist, see what mats are available for less than cost of new. Check that they are not cut down if you need big ones. Often can be cheap. Heavy, thick mats will stay in place better than thin ones. I try to get a pattern on one side, gives better grip than totally smooth mats, which can get slippy when damp or wet.

The limestone ramp sounds like an excellent idea for horse. We rent a mechanical tamper when doing limestone work. Hand tamping just can't compare to how well the limestone packs down and stays put with the mechanical tamper, in a MUCH shorter time span of work. Just the mechanical advantage of machinery, which hasn't been very expensive to rent here. Hand tamping is exhausting, hard on your physical body, trying to move tonnage of stone with a small hunk of metal and your body weight.

Does the horse get regular hoof care? He may have long hooves that are not helping him get over the doorway easily. Horse needs hoof attention about every 6-8 weeks, because hooves grow all the time, and at his age he is not wearing them down.

Thanks for helping an old horse be nicely cared for.


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## anita_fc (May 24, 2008)

You are angels! We have an old horse (31) and a similar barn. The entryway is wide with half being rough concrete and half packed dirt. The old gal never uses the concrete half by choice. She always enters and exits on the dirt ramp. We don't get a lot of moisture here in southern Idaho and the slope gives good drainage, so mud isn't an issue for her. 

Just for the record, I would do away with the concrete if I could.

Anita


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