Eva stable mats and slipping?

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lelly

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Hi, I am thinking of getting Eva stable mats for my mobile field shelter. I am wondering if they are slippery when wet for ponies who are not shod. My problem being, my old Cushing's pony has arthritis and if she was to slip going in to the shelter she wouldn't go in again. I was hoping to get thick ones and not use any bedding as landowner doesn't want it all over the field. Experiences please. Thanks :-)
 
Are these the very light weight one? If so they arent slippery but they do squeak with wet unshod hooves on them and for the first few days pony was a bit :eek:

They are quite light so you might need to stick them down some how if you arent wedging them between walls
 
Thanks webble. Yes they are the light ones, so I can move them easily. They are going down onto soil floor but I should be able to secure them.
 
At most the ground only gets damp. It only gets slight rain in the doorways if it's raining in that direction. Its a very well drained area where it is stood. I had the shelter made with a doorway each end and a centre panel so the front is not completely open. Ground was level until Paddy dug a hole to make a bed. :-) I will move the shelter on to a level area before putting mats in.
 
I have been using EVA mats in preference to rubber for the last 7 years. I have both shod and unshod horses and ponies on them and have never experienced any slipping. Mine are firmly wedged in stables on concrete floors and I'm not sure how well they would work on soil, I imagine that the base would need to be pretty dry and well compacted to stand any chance of success. TBH you may be better off with rubber as the weight would help to keep them from moving and the flatness of the base won't be so much of an issue.

One thing I would say is that I have bought both expensive EVA mats and cheap ones off ebay and I found that the cheap one grow and grow and grow... Five years after installing them I still have to trim the cheap mats each summer when they get warm.
 
Thanks stimpy. The ground is solid and compact. I think you may have a point about the rubber mats though. The weight might well hold them in place better. I'm not sure which way to go yet.
 
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