Rubber matting question

[Chambon]

Does it matter which direction the drainage channels run on the underside of the mats?

We have a stable that runs down slightly from back to front, but the mats fit perfectly if the channels run left to right. My OH says to cut all the mats to fit running from the back to the front of the stable, so that the pee runs out the front, but I am loathe to cut my precious mats up! (although I won't be doing the work, he will!).

Any advice/suggestions please?

 

[Tia]

The pee mixture will clog if you don't run the channels the same way as the fall on the stable floor, but if you don't mind lifting the mats out once every so often and hosing out underneath them, then it won't matter too much.

The one thing I would be really concerned about though is the fact that your fall runs to the front of the stable. The horse is going to be spending a lot of time having ammonia stench up his nose and your walkway will stink and become discoloured. The fall should really be to the back of the stables.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Your OH is right you should really have the grooves on the underside of your mats going with the fall on the stable floor so the urine will run away. If you don't have it this way you will end up with trapped stale urine underneath & a very smelly stable & inturn a very smelly horse. Tiaribbon mentions lifting the mats to hose it out to clean it out. This would work however as you will be aware these mats, if they are 17-18mm thick, are very heavy & the less you have to move them the better. Over to you

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Unfortunately your OH is right. I have my rubber matting atm running left to right even though the stable drains top to bottom, and its awful. Its so wet and manky, i'm now going to take them out when i move to see if they're better without. It's very very important to get the right drainage, if not you'll end up with a very smelly wet stable. not pleasant for you or your horse xx

 

[Chambon]

Why does it need to run to the back? Where is it supposed to go then?

All my boxes drain to the door, and running along the front of the boxes right outside the doors is a channel that leads to a drain. All the pee from the boxes ends up in the drain within a few seconds, it works fantastically. There is no ammonia stench and no sitting pee, hence the question wrt which way to put the mats, as I do not want to stop this rapid drainage of pee!

Guess OH will have to cut and fit a few mats! (about 60!)