Moving stable rubber - any hints and tips please

[Greylegs]

I'm going to be moving my lad to another yard very soon and will need to lift 5 sheets of rubber flooring across to the new yard. It fits lying flat on the floor of my trailer and I seem to be able to get hold of it better with something like a pair of pliers or a mole wrench, but it's still very heavy and awkward to move (and, of course ... my lad has been peeing and pooing on it for 6 months ...!!).

Is there an easy way that I've missed, of is it just a matter of putting my back into it and heaving it around ... all hints and tips gratefully received.

Thank all.

 

[Pilatesclare]

What about sliding a broom handle underneath it and then lifting it (a person each end holding the broom)?

 

[Snuffles]

When I moved mine I rolled it and tied it with the ever useful baler twine, then stuck a pole down it to lever it into the lorry. It was bloomin hard work though

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Lever long side up with a shovel or pitchfork, feed baler string under, roll up, tie with string.
You can then toss the caber, or roll it etc

 

[milliepops]

lol, sell it to another livery and buy EVA mats for your new stable. Much easier to handle!!

 

[Merlod]

Invest in a EZ grip mat mover? I can just about move the solid rubber mats by myself by grabbing each short edge corner in turn, takes an age though – much easier having two people picking up in the middle of each long end and letting the length drape!

It will be worth it once they are moved lol. Can't stand those smelly foam mats!

 

[eggs]

When I moved mine I rolled it and tied it with the ever useful baler twine, then stuck a pole down it to lever it into the lorry. It was bloomin hard work though

I do the rolling and tying up with baling twine. I then push them up onto their side and onto a sack trolley to move them.

 

[Greylegs]

I do the rolling and tying up with baling twine. I then push them up onto their side and onto a sack trolley to move them.

I've just invested in a sack truck, so can press that into service. Never heard of the tool Merlod suggested. Off to google it now ....

Thanks all. Have asked other liveries of they want to buy it but no takers ... would be much easier to get a local supplier to deliver a new lot straight to the door of the new stable.

 

[Clannad48]

I have found these useful when moving the really heavy mats as I never seem to be able to get a good grip with just my hands:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/quick-action-clamp-6-152mm/57645

 

[turnbuckle]

I find the quick-action ones bend quite easily.

An ordinary cheap 4" G clamp works wonders....any DIY shed will sell them for a few quid! Use two for an easy haul.

 

[Greylegs]

I find the quick-action ones bend quite easily.

An ordinary cheap 4" G clamp works wonders....any DIY shed will sell them for a few quid! Use two for an easy haul.

This is an inspired suggestion. Thank you... we have a really good hardware shop just down the road so off there in the morning. OH also suggested a mole wrench to get hold of it, so might arm myself with one of those as well.

 

[supagran]

Invest in a EZ grip mat mover? I can just about move the solid rubber mats by myself by grabbing each short edge corner in turn, takes an age though – much easier having two people picking up in the middle of each long end and letting the length drape!

It will be worth it once they are moved lol. Can't stand those smelly foam mats!

£49.99 each on Amazon? Must be able to get a cheaper version?

 

[lilly1]

After several moves in the last year I gave up and sold mine. I just could not face moving one more one more time!

If I get any more it will be the lightweight ones.

I alternated between clamps or rolling them up with bailing twine and threading a broom through them. Backbreaking either way.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

No tips on moving them but regards the mess, if you empty the stable and wash everything down then leave to dry, you'll find they're still wet underneath. I flip one end over so it's folded in half, wash down the exposed underside of the mat and the stable floor, leave to dry then flop the mat back down and flip the other side up to repeat. In summer it only takes a few hours to dry each time, then you've got clean mats to move, I don't know how you'd fare in winter though.

 

[Sprat]

Nothing useful to add really but I would advise gloves while moving - I find marigolds are the best - as otherwise you will be smelling horse wee for DAYS and no amount of scrubbing / bleaching seems to get it out of your hands.

Makes me heave thinking about it. And not very pleasant when trying to have a sarnie for lunch!

 

[Tyssandi]

I'm going to be moving my lad to another yard very soon and will need to lift 5 sheets of rubber flooring across to the new yard. It fits lying flat on the floor of my trailer and I seem to be able to get hold of it better with something like a pair of pliers or a mole wrench, but it's still very heavy and awkward to move (and, of course ... my lad has been peeing and pooing on it for 6 months ...!!).

Is there an easy way that I've missed, of is it just a matter of putting my back into it and heaving it around ... all hints and tips gratefully received.

Thank all.

Get plenty of man power, wear gloves and wash them first, and roll them up and put baler twine round them to keep them in a roll

 

[Steerpike]

Clamps with baler twine attached to both and drag them is how I moved mine!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I used some rope attached to my towbar when I had to get rid of mats someone had left because they could not move them.

 

[captainmark]

old forum but invaluable. moved about 20 mats this afternoon. roll them lengthways and tied. 4" g-clamp each end at top of roll as handles. 2 people. sorted!

 

[J&S]

I have always rolled and tied them, able to manouevre them by my self this was, even lifted into the back of the car. Roll, stand and tip.

 

[eggs]

When I moved mine I rolled it and tied it with the ever useful baler twine, then stuck a pole down it to lever it into the lorry. It was bloomin hard work though

this is what I do too. Also helps to have a sack trolley to move them.

 

[Equi]

I know it’s old but I don’t see anyone else mention it, what I do is attach two lead ropes together and put it in the middle, flip a side over then it’s easily dragged and minimal dirt on you from rolling it etc.

 

[L&M]

lol, sell it to another livery and buy EVA mats for your new stable. Much easier to handle!!

Exactly what I did when I came off livery - moving heavy stinky stable mats is one of the worst horsey chores going ......

 

[meleeka]

I know it’s old but I don’t see anyone else mention it, what I do is attach two lead ropes together and put it in the middle, flip a side over then it’s easily dragged and minimal dirt on you from rolling it etc.

Yes a friend gave me this tip and it makes them much easier. I used a lunge rein, but basically the same. Put lungerein across the middle, fold one end over and drag. I did this on my own and it was also easier to them get them out of the stable door.

 

[BaronSamedi]

Sell them and leave them behind and then buy new for the new yard, saves all the heavy lifting and getting rank