Rubber Matting

[Helga1980]

There have been a lot of posts about rubber matting and the majority of people seem to prefer using it.

Is there anyone on here who doesn't have rubber matting, and if so, why not? Is it a case of cost being prohibative etc. or is there anyone who doesn't like rubber matting?

Interested in people's views.

Thanks

 

[flyingfeet]

Ive been thinking about it and decided against.

To be fair most of mine have earth bed, which is unusal anyway.

However I am going to stable one on concrete for a few weeks, £200 (cost of mats for 12x12 stable) buys a lot of straw, so I am going to put him on a really thick bed instead of mats.

 

[KatB]

I prefer a deep litter bed, but thats my preference. My horse always has a bed right upto the door, and always deep, never hits the floor and he stays dry and clean, unlike rubber matting which to be economical, I think encourages smelly wet rugs. I have nothing against rubber mats though, and know alot of people that use them, but i'd personally still want a full bed, so not worth it!!

 

[Tia]

I've been using rubber stable matting for at least 9 or 10 years and I would never go back to laying a horse's bed down on concrete again. Makes no difference whether I was building a deep bed or just sprinkling shavings over the top of the matting, it is just so much safer for the horse in my opinion; no more injured hocks or scraped knees.

 

[Tia]

Dirt floors are just as good as rubber, in my opinion.

 

[flyingfeet]

I love my earth floors - they drain really well and provide cosy beds.

Only hitch is that ours are in an american barn and my boy will not be a happy bunny if in there without his mates! So going to use an outdoors stable where he can see other neds, but this has a concrete floor which I don't like.

 

[guisbrogal]

When you say earth floors......do you mean mud floor?

My stable is literally built in an open barn (it was just a place for shelter really) and I am seriously thinking of buying rubber matting for it. Ellie isn't in unless the weather is really really bad or she is poorly but I had to really deep bed her in it because otherwise she was tramping in wet mud all the time.

When it came to mucking out I basically had a stable full of compost and it was a nightmare to empty. It is a 11*14 space mind you.

Is there a way of managing these stables better?

 

[Bex7]

I don't have it but am looking to invest in some as soon as finances allow. I am not after it for the economical value as I like a deepish bed but think it is warmer and safer.

 

[Tia]

5 of my stables in the UK were dirt floors, however they were in an American Barn so the dirt was always kept dry. Bedding was used on top and we never had any problems however after a few years we built on to this building and needed to raise the floor so instead of putting concrete in the stables we packed it with limestone screenings and put rubber matting on top. It worked perfectly.

 

[Louby]

Ive got matting and love it mainly cos my stable is massive and would need so much bedding if it was just the concrete floor. My old stable was tiny and I had a full shavings bed and no mats which if left un disturbed formed a solid clean base and was in my opinion as good as the matting. I never disturbed it apart from the area where she weed which I removed once or twice a week. My old mare was very clean though.

 

[Helga1980]

Interesting to read all the comments.

My question came about after opposing views about the care of horses with respiritory problems.

An owner whose horse has an dust allergy was advised to remove the rubber matting as, unless the drainage is perfect, they adsorb amonia which can affect the horse. They were advised to have a large bed (using a suitable dust free bedding) and take the wet out regularly and then lift the bed and disinfect the concrete roughly once a week, leaving the floor to dry out before putting the bed back down.

 

[Louby]

I can see what you mean about the amonia but although it must be there mine have never smelt. Ok I can smell wee when I remove it which I find with my wet horse more economical to do every other day, sometimes every day if bad but I dont walk in to a strong smell that some people have said happens to them. I have half a bed which is about 2 inches thick, any less and I find I have to remove the lot daily which costs me more. I use a bail every 5 days or so. My mats are on a flat concrete base with no drainage but my mats are porous so I suppose I'd get a shock if I removed them. Saying that its not squelchy or anything.
My friends are seald non porous mats and she doesnt have a problem either.

 

[flyingfeet]

Yep these are mud floors, but we are on cotswold brash so very stoney and these floors have been use for well over 20 years.

I don't have any problems with composting, but one of them isn't draining as well as it should, so we are conisdering digging up the top surface to allow it to drain better.

I will still dig out the wet patches from a straw bed, but because of the floor they are never like wet patches on concrete.

However all my stables are 12 x 15ft or bigger, so I guess that helps too!

 

[guisbrogal]

Thanks for the replies. I am definitely going to get some matting I think