Best stable matting

[vikkibeth]

Hi, my 3 horses are currently on rubber matting that was already in the stable that I bought off the previous livery. But in this weather I am finding that they are just absorbing water and soaking whatever type of bedding I am using and trust me I have tried them all.
All of my stables are outside stables and currently doesn't have guttering (yard owner putting some on this weekend) so all the water is just seeping through and just leaves them flooded, the matting is similar to the rubber matting in playgrounds, it also doesn't help that one of my mares is a box walker so just brings the water through the matting as she walks.
I know that when the guttering is fixed that some of the problem will ease but I still can see it going through and I am spending hundreds on bedding. What would people suggest?

 

[Steerpike]

Our local countrywide store has stable mats on offer until the end of the month, I think there are two different thicknesses, I use them and find they don't let water through.

 

[Rhandir]

I have Fieldguard mats .. not the cheapest but they do have little legs under the mats which keeps them off the floor

 

[HufflyPuffly]

We have the old style rubber matting, though not sure on make, and also just bought some EVA 34mm Easimats.

The Easimats are just brilliant, wish I didn't have the other matting so I could justify buying them all some. It's so easy to move, easy to muck out and so comfy! We don't have a water issue though so can't really comment on what could help that?

 

[Merlod]

18mm pure rubber mats (usually 6x4') with the bobbles on top and the drainage on the bottom. Bit of a pain to shift and fit but once theyre down, theyre down! You can get a really close fit, they don't move or absorb anything.

I don't think i'd ever go for foam/ part foam or any crumb/ porous matting.

 

[Makemineacob]

18mm pure rubber mats (usually 6x4') with the bobbles on top and the drainage on the bottom. Bit of a pain to shift and fit but once theyre down, theyre down! You can get a really close fit, they don't move or absorb anything.

I don't think i'd ever go for foam/ part foam or any crumb/ porous matting.

^^^ this. We always get our mats from a vulcan rubber (search online), they deliver to and the mats arrive rolled so you can handle them easier. Because they are so heavy they soon flatten once the tape holding them in a roll is split. We've found them to be good prices and very good quality mats. They do also have thinner mats but I prefer the heavier 18mm mats as they don't shift once down.

 

[Achinghips]

All five of my stables are done out with Equimat. Do a search on the forum, they are well regarded. They are lightweight and interlink, so easy to pull out and clean. They are slightly softer than the marginally cheaper rock hard heavy black mats you can buy in tack shops, so you need less bedding. Thoroughly recommend and they will cut to size prior to delivery.

 

[Identityincrisis]

All five of my stables are done out with Equimat. Do a search on the forum, they are well regarded. They are lightweight and interlink, so easy to pull out and clean. They are slightly softer than the marginally cheaper rock hard heavy black mats you can buy in tack shops, so you need less bedding. Thoroughly recommend and they will cut to size prior to delivery.

Love my Equimats, 10 years in and still going strong. I wouldn't have any other type as I can move them myself (5'2" and 8stone wet through!) also they are MUCH easier to sweep than the black ones with bobbles on.

I believe they are slightly more expensive initially but worth it, my friend has the Equimats and the black bobbly ones and she wishes they were all Equimats

 

[atropa]

I've been using the 36mm EVA Easimats for about 4 months now and they are AMAZING. Thick and bouncy, keep drafts out and the stable insulated, very very easy to sweep and don't hold dirt, dry quickly when wet, were easy to cut and fit myself, lightweight if they ever need moved, and since mine have been down they haven't curled or moved of their own accord. The only drawback is price, I paid £250 for 6 and needed to hire a small van to get them to yard, but they are cheaper than some others and well worth it in my view.