stable floor - straw bed: poll

[UKa]

Hi, all, after some good advice here; we are moving to a new yard in a month’s time where I will be keeping my girl on straw bedding (I prefer it for her to all other beds); my question is now, should I bother with rubber mats or not what is everyone’s opinion? she was kept for a couple of years on concrete covered with straw bed when I initially had her so quite used to that but like the idea of rubber mats we have them at current yard. Opinions welcome – for the fun of it I will make it a poll!

 

[so03]

I've said yes, but it's not essential. I do like rubber matting though so would put it under whatever bedding I use.

 

[miamibear]

If i had the option of rubber matting i would have it with a straw bed, it does cushion the joints i believe so is worth its weight in gold.

 

[Lynnes]

I have voted no because the lady who has her neddie stabled next to mine has them. She never cleans underneath them and they stink to high heaven. My hoss has a very deep bed and has never dug to the bottom of it yet. Personnaly I like to get all of the wee out every day so it would be on my mind if I left the wee under the mats every day - I would proabably be lifting them up every day creating extra work for myself!

 

[Liz_Clark]

I used to have my mare on mats under straw (she's now out 24/7 until new stable comes - another story!!)

Would def recomend it if you don't have to pay silly money for new mats.

Less worry about depth of bed, and good for joints etc.

 

[Nari]

No, for exactly the same reason as Lynnes

 

[RunToEarth]

echo lynne.

 

[eekmon]

I would say no unless you have a crap concrete floor! I like a nice deep straw bed and left up to dry each day, only takes 15-20 mins for his 'wet patch' to dry! Also he wees in one place so I tip in half a bucket of shavings in that spot and it soaks up the wee! I know everyone loves rubber matting but as my horse insists on rolling every time he is put in his box I would never put him on it!

 

[0]

i have a straw bed and decided to get rubber matting (i wanted to put it down but still have a full bed like before ie. matting as an extra not to use a smaller bed) and as you've said it did begin to smell (i was trying to clean under it as much as poss (every other day ish) but it was hard with a full stable of straw on top of it!!!). So i decided to put a layer of shavings under the matting (about half inch thick), then put the matting on and then the straw bed.........the shavings soak up any wet that seaps under so it does not smell any more and i just take it up and swap the old shavings for new about every month!! works great

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I have rubber matting with shavings,but no matter what bedding i have now i would have my mats underneath, i think they are excellent for many reasons,they do need cleaning though,but there are plenty of products out there to help clean and combat odours,but i really recommend them personally

 

[Dougie]

i would use rubber mats, but have them sealed so nothing gets under them

 

[Bossanova]

Love mats, wouldnt be without them!!
Ours dont smell at all so long as you sweep out properly and we havent lifted the mats in over 2 years of use- this only works if you have a correct drainage system though

 

[ruscara]

At our yard pretty much every horse has rubber matting at the front of the stable and a think straw bed at the back - about half the stable for each. This seems to work very well. It is easy and cheap to muck out every day and they have the matting where they stand at the door. It works for us, anyway!

 

[UKa]

I see this is a very interesting debate indeed, thanks for your pro and con reasons too;