Anyone use just mats in the middle

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1588

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Hi
I'm not being a ***** (other slang for cheapskate available) but I fancy trying my horse on matting. He's on part livery cos of my work/mummy commitments and they give him good straw banks but a fresh middle everyday. By the time he's eaten and shuffled it around its often too thin to stop him scraping his hocks.

Just thought that 2 heavy 17mm 6x4 in the middle might work.

Anyone got any experience of this???
Big thanks
:-)
 
I tried this but found that they moved. Bedding would then get stuck in the gaps and I had to keep re-adjusting the mats. In the end I did the whole stable and wedged them in good and proper and have had no problems since.
 
I have them just the middle probably about 8' square of matting in a 18'x12' bed (in a 18' square stable) they do move around and get bits stuck between them but it's better than none at all!! I can't afford any more at the moment so they'll have to do for now :o

xx
 
I have four mats in each of my stables - they are heavyweight and although they maybe move an inch and need moving every few weeks, it's not a problem. I have two at the front right up to the door and then the other two sit right up behind them, but more in the middle of the stable, so I put banks around the edges of them. They don't go right to the back of the stable by about a couple of feet, but by the time the banks are there it isn't a problem at all.
 
My horses stable is rectangular and so he has a shavings bed over the back half, and two rubber mats at the front where he stands to eat his haynet. but as they are not wedged agains the wall one of them does move and I have to move it back every couple of weeks, when it's worked it's way over.

I think you will find two in the middle, under your straw will move, and so you would be better off laying more.
 
I have this and much prefer it. I actually have cut my mats in two so can move them easily and means I can pick them up every few weeks and clean under them. It is so much cleaner. There is bedding that gets stuck in the middle but i find it doesn't make much difference and just sweep it up. It all depends what bedding you use as well. I use wood pellets that i have to wet first which works brilliantly weekly. I am very happy with my clean bed!
 
i have one large one that i put in the area my horse lays down, dont have any problems with it moving etc and it does give extra padding. have used it this way for years now.
 
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