Eva interlocking stable mats.... help!!!

[Chocs1908]

I am looking to invest in some matting for my 18YO cob. He has dust allergies and although i have finally found a dust free bedding that actually doesn't irritate him i want to get his 12x12 stable matted out ready for Winter. I have had issues with mats in th epast due to the ammonia affecting him from wee escaping down cracks in matting so was considering the interlocking type to avoid this. Does this actually help the urine getting underneath the mats? Ideally want something that can stay in place and be swept out with water on a weekly or monthly basis. Will have bedding on top but not as much as i am curently using.
Been looking at 34mm equimat and Ark.... how do they compare / last? ANy other recommendations considering my needs?
Thanks

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I would have thought that the only way to stop urine getting down the edges and under the mats is to get sealed mats (all the joins are sealed together) or a poured rubber floor.

 

[DabDab]

You will still get urine escaping down the cracks unfortunately. The only thing that will prevent that will be a poured rubber floor (pour liquid rubber onto stable floor and it sets and seals in place)

Eta: apologies, x posted with you MC

 

[Red-1]

My mats don't smell, but I d use a stack of absorbent bedding on top. Mats with not much bedding all stink IME.

 

[milliepops]

My mats don't smell, but I d use a stack of absorbent bedding on top. Mats with not much bedding all stink IME.

agree with this, I haven't ever had interlocking mats but I always have full mats in my stables. I never have pee seeping underneath in any noticeable amount when using an absorbent bedding. When taking the mats up to move yards last time the floor was totally dry.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I find that people often think because they have mats they can use far less bedding. This contributes to the smell. The less absorbant layer on top, the more that sits on the mats.

 

[Red-1]

agree with this, I haven't ever had interlocking mats but I always have full mats in my stables. I never have pee seeping underneath in any noticeable amount when using an absorbent bedding. When taking the mats up to move yards last time the floor was totally dry.

I had the misfortune to have to have my horse on livery short term at one yard where they had a 'sprinkle' of bedding on mats. I agreed as 1. it was short term. 2. They had daily turnout. 3. They schooled my horse to keep them fresh and improved even. 4. the entire stable was emptied each morning and sluiced down, so fresh each day. 5. the stables were huge.

Never again!

I went back a couple of weeks in and was quite horrified to find my horse stinky. I mean, you could smell her coming. Her stable rug was so soaked it was unusable. The yard had then kept her in her turnout (with hood) all of the time, removing it to ride. The turnout rug also stunk, her mane was rubbed, her coat was in poor condition.

I could have cried, as mine are kept clean and fresh. Her mane came out in lumps. She didn't stay. I threw the stable rug away.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I recently asked about the amount of bedding and rubber mats. I always thought that you should still use a decent sized bed but saw this (see pic) being vehemently defended and wondered if I was wrong or out of the loop. The thought of smelling the horse before it comes around the corner is awful though.

 

[milliepops]

I recently asked about the amount of bedding and rubber mats. I always thought that you should still use a decent sized bed but saw this (see pic) being vehemently defended and wondered if I was wrong or out of the loop. The thought of smelling the horse before it comes around the corner is awful though.

i think my horses would make themselves uncomfortable trying not to pee in a stable with that little bedding

 

[HashRouge]

I recently asked about the amount of bedding and rubber mats. I always thought that you should still use a decent sized bed but saw this (see pic) being vehemently defended and wondered if I was wrong or out of the loop. The thought of smelling the horse before it comes around the corner is awful though.

That to me is just laziness on the part of the owner or carer

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Yeah, I mean, it's cool if you think it's ok for a horse to stand and lay directly in their own pee. ?

And Idk, does anyone deal with hock sores from lack of bedding?

I've been in stables with mats and they haven't been stinky...because enough bedding was on top. These were interlocking mats.

We also hosed down the stalls and when dry sprinkled Lyme (I think?) on them and let them air out every once in awhile. I, personally, let any type of stall have a good strip and air out every now and again. Idk if it helps or serves a true purpose, but it makes me feel better I guess?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

That to me is just laziness on the part of the owner or carer

In my experience, it's usually being cheap as opposed to lazy. Or could be both, tbh.

 

[poiuytrewq]

At my work we used to have the green Eva interlocking mats and regular black mats. You get the same amount of p running under with both- that’s going off when they got removed periodically to pressure wash. There was no difference.
We have this year had all the boxes refitted with black heavy type mats and sealed.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I’ve got one on the heavy thick matting which has been fitted to the stable and it’s not been up since it was put down about 6 years ago. It’s always had a good bed on top. Either shavings, miscanthus or wood pellets. It never moves nor is smelly.

My other stable is on interlocking EVA mats that I bought second hand. They stretch depending where the horse mainly stands and bulge up. They gave several places where they no longer interlock. I would not get them again. Luckily horse isn’t a digger and bedding fills the gaps. I had to clean under them and trim them to stop the bulging.

 

[catembi]

I have got ark ones but they have somehow expanded by quite a lot, & in total I have probably had to cut off about 6-8 inches since fitting as they have gone all humpy in the middle. They are currently in the process of doing it again. It's really weird... they used to fit & now they're too big & I have cut them down twice & am about to have to do it again... This is over about 18 months. They have also stretched where they interlock. When I get my new stable block, I might get poured rubber or at least some different mats as the ark ones are driving me nuts! My stables are used as a field shelter & mine are never in, so no bedding & I just poo pick them.

 

[honetpot]

I have EVA, and I love them but my horse is still bedded down, where they lie. I do not get the very neat stable that's bedded, if it has any bedding, where the horse doesn't lie. There have been studies done that the deeper the bed the more they lie down. I save on bedding because I am not bedding the whole box for it to go musty and mouldy.
Solid rubber is really heavy, and mine were sealed, the EVA is a lot easier to manage and are not a slippery when wet, plus it's cheaper, and you can take them with you if you move.

 

[Myloubylou]

Eva expands in the heat, I end up trimming them periodically. I have a full shavings/flax bed on one as needs it to stop wee going under the mats. Have just done a pellet bed on my other one which is only couple inches deep but has been fab for keeping the bed totally dry. Tbh struggle to take any wet out weekly, bottom comes out like cement. Pony lies flat out on it so presumably comfortable

 

[Abby-Lou]

Equi mats all the way still going strong well over 15 years old its an investment but really stand up to wear and tear do not spread like eva mats. use one bale of shavings a week between two ponies.

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

Equi mats all the way still going strong well over 15 years old its an investment but really stand up to wear and tear do not spread like eva mats. use one bale of shavings a week between two ponies.

Agree ! Our Equimats are over 20 years old and still going strong .

 

[Pinkvboots]

I recently asked about the amount of bedding and rubber mats. I always thought that you should still use a decent sized bed but saw this (see pic) being vehemently defended and wondered if I was wrong or out of the loop. The thought of smelling the horse before it comes around the corner is awful though.

I saw that video as well tbh I don't agree with very much that they do full stop, and they do stink when kept like that my farrier says he always knows which horses are kept like that.

 

[Surbie]

I have a set of interlocking ark mats at home in the garage. I loved them when the weather was cool but as soon as summer hit they expanded more than I was expecting and went humpy. I've had to trim them a few times. They are in the garage because I had to move to a smaller stable and I didn't want to trim them even more when I had a smaller set of interlocking rubber mats.

They get as much pee through the bed (not much!) as interlocking rubber mats (which I also have) but the bonus is that they are much lighter to lift.

I try to lift mine twice a year, thoroughly disinfect them and the concrete below, and I keep a healthy amount of absorbent bedding on top. I hate having a stinky horse/stable and I can't imagine the horse finds it at all pleasant either with their better sense of smell.