Rubber matting thickness

[RubysGold]

I have bought my rubber matting, it is 17mm thick.
I am trying to work out what to do about bedding for winter.
I have a few thoughts:
1) a full bed of shavings
2) back half of stable in shavings
3) a thin bed
4) a sprinkling of shavings

Is my matting thick enough to have not much bedding.
Which would you do?
Any one any experience of managing their beds this way

Nickie

 

[perfect11s]

I just use a small amount 1 baleshavings back half covered, muck out as required take out wet daily then when it depleats clear the lot out( 4to7 days, horses out daytime) and start again. However it will depend on how clean your horses are!!! the matting would be ok on its own, the bedding is for mopping up the wee and holding the droppings, and for comfort, I would experiment see how much works best for yours, too little and the horses will get in a mess and i guess will not be keen on lying down

 

[Louby]

I have the back half in shavings. Our stables are big so its still a big area covered. My horse is clean but wet and I found that I used more shavings when I had a poxy bed. I take out the poos daily and remove about a skip of wee every day. I put my clean shavings against one wall and pull a bit down every day so it looks clean. If Im rushing I sometimes leave the wee in but its false economy for me as I end up removing loads.

 

[stencilface]

Dumb question for everyone - sorry to slightly hijack thread

But how does just straw work on matting, I want to buy some matting but will be using straw. I normally have very big bed mucked out daily with a dirty horse. I wondered if matting would mean a bit less straw which would equal quicker mucking out? I would still put down a decent bed though

 

[perfect11s]

[ QUOTE ]
Dumb question for everyone - sorry to slightly hijack thread

But how does just straw work on matting, I want to buy some matting but will be using straw. I normally have very big bed mucked out daily with a dirty horse. I wondered if matting would mean a bit less straw which would equal quicker mucking out? I would still put down a decent bed though

[/ QUOTE ]

Basicly the reason for using mats is so the horses are protected from the hard concrete floor, hence there is no need to have a thick bed so just use enough straw to mop up the wee and poo... so yes should make mucking out faster

 

[stencilface]

Good good, I was worried that straw not being as absorbent as shavings that it would be wet and sloppy and he would get smelly rugs. But if I can just take away a little of his bed it would help a lot I think, and give me extra zzz's in the morning more importantly!