Rubber mats yes or no?

So what do I do now?!

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I use sealed rubber matting which I find to be excellent. I did have the loose mats but found the urine would smell when it went underneath and they were very heavy to move. I put aubiose down on about a third of the stable. This seems to work well for mine.
 
No, never had them.

I don't think I ever will, they would be a total waste of money in my situation. My stalls have soil floors a barrowful of shavings on top do the horses just fine for the odd occasion they stand in.
 
I have mats for both of mine, the new pony's came last week and I can't believe how much time it is saving me not having to muck a straw bed out. My mare has one big bank of shavings to wee in and a good sprinkling on the floor and the gelding has a good layer allround his stable, he's not really got a 'pee patch' yet
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. I like to have mats down just because I think it does protect thier legs and hocks when they lie down too if they kick the bed up. I wouldn't be without mine.
 
Well that makes for interesting reading!
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Thanks guys - I'm rather shocked at the amount of people who do have rubber mats - I thought that the percentage would be 60% but not almost 90%
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Kate x
 
I have mats and use Bliss bedding I have a 1/2 bed that I deep litter.. I take the wet out once a week and replace it with 1 bale (started the bed with 3)..I love it stable is done in 20 mins including hay & water
 
Equimats are brilliant - don't budge and are much thicker than the normal matting I had before, not to mention really light in comparison too! I use megazorb under a straw bedding. I personally prefer shavings, but Ludo is such a mucky b*gger on shavings, he kicks his poo around so that there's nothing 'whole' left in the morning. On straw for some reason he doesn't!

I personally don't find it's quicker to muck out on matts (but as I've had them for years now, I can't really remember!) but as someone else has said, it's good know that they can move their beds around and not end up on concrete. If he was much cleaner and less wet I'd probably go for a less deep shavings bed, but heyho such is life!
 
QR When my old boy was still with us I preferred to deep litter in the winter rather then use mats. I think he benefitted from the extra thick bed for his joints - also there was no risk of the bed moving and exposing the hard floor.
Also there was also the benefit of the heat being generated which made his stable nice and warm for him.

Would I use mats now?? - no I don't think I would, I prefer the old fashioned bed with banks - I know stuck in my ways but I think the rubber mats are not soft enough to stop pressure points whe they lay down - imo you can't beat a nice thick bed.
 
I have 4 mats from Horsemat. I would have got enough for the whole stable but can't afford it at the moment. Hopefully will get a couple more next month.
The mats are excellent
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They are the croc top ones and are easy to sweep, although because I haven't fully matted the stable the mats do slide a bit so I will have to have a clean out shortly! Nice!
I've cut down on shavings though still use around a bale a week. His bed is easier to muck out and does save me a bit of time, but if I had the money I'd still put a larger bed down on top of the mats.
My horse does scuff the shavings up though so it's nice to know he's not lying on concrete during the night so they are worth it purely for that reason.
 
Having got rubber mats I would never now be without them. Mucking out takes less than half the time (I don't know why - I have the same amount of bedding, guess wee just drains away). I'm sure it must be more comfortable for Ronnie, espcially whilst he's in 24/7. It's quieter and really I can't fault them.
 
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