Rubber mats **PLEASE HELP**

[StoptheCavalry]

Hi

I'm moving yards and wanting to get some rubber mats to save on time and money. My stable is HUGE 11ft x 15ft so normal mats proving quite expensive. I have found some conveyor belt mats, has anyone ever used these before? apparently one side is rough the other smooth.

Would appreciate any help, I've never used rubber matting before so not sure what to get without having to spend too much

Thanks

 

[Ali2]

Conveyor belt matting is very thin.

Do you need to mat the whole stable? My stables have bed in the back 2/3 and I only mat under the none banked parts of the back 2/3 so they've got mats for extra cushioning when they're lying down but have concrete to stand on at the front when they're munching. I took the front mats out cos I have EVA and found they were moulding to my big lads feet and keeping them damp.

 

[navaho]

Conveyor belt matting is very thin.

Do you need to mat the whole stable? My stables have bed in the back 2/3 and I only mat under the none banked parts of the back 2/3 so they've got mats for extra cushioning when they're lying down but have concrete to stand on at the front when they're munching. I took the front mats out cos I have EVA and found they were moulding to my big lads feet and keeping them damp.

i think it must depend on the conveyor belt, the stuff ive seen was as thick as normal rubber matting.

 

[ladyt25]

To be honest, it's probably false ecomomy to buy cheaper, thinner mats and I would mayeb do what ALI2 suggested and just not cover the whole stable. However (I don't know where you are), we didn't find it that expensive to get our stables done out and they are 12 x 12s. We are in Yorkshire and there are often a fair few deals going on with rubber matting - I think the minimum you need is something like 15 or 17mm?

 

[StoptheCavalry]

This is 1cm thick, which seems to be quite a bit thicker than a lot
of the mats on eBay etc. I want to put it down as the stable is so big I don't want to fill the whole stable with straw. To be honest it will just be a bit of a quick fix, I've just bought a house so could do with not spending to much at the moment, just want to know if it will work for a while. I just wasn't sure I the smooth side would be slippy?

 

[StoptheCavalry]

The yard is in Derbyshire near chatsworth

 

[Ali2]

If you're using straw as a bedding I'd not bother with mats.

 

[putasocinit]

I do not agree with horses standing at the door with nothing underneath their feet I would think that esp there is where they need something between them and the cold floor esp in winter.

The EVA does mould if the floor is not level but imo does not hold dampness.

I started with some matting that is put on the floor of walkers well what a waste of time, it absorbs the pee, does not drain and is as heavy as is heavy, so have bought some cow mats lighter but still as good as the 45kg horse mats to put over the top of the walker/conveyor type matting.

At the end of the day it was costing me a fortune because of the wrong type of matting underneath the bedding which was soaking, so have had to outlay for better matting and am now saving money on bedding.

 

[StoptheCavalry]

Where did you find cow matting? I have heard a few people say this is a bit cheaper but just as good if not better. Another lady at the yard has no matting under her smaller but thick straw bed with matting everywhere else. Just don't want to leave him with the concrete floor going into winter.

 

[TigerTail]

Try Lester Lowes nr Ashbourne, do NOT mention its for horses!

ID still use conveyor belt matting though I think - Or hardcore under neath.

 

[StoptheCavalry]

Thanks very much I will try lester lowes, if all else fails ill just use the conveyor matting for now, just don't want it to be slippy on the smooth side