Stable mats - questions, questions questions!??

[Bert&Maud]

I've read lots of posts on here about stable mats and am now a bit confused! I'm seriously thinking about getting some this winter, as my horse is quite messy in his box and I normally take at least 1/2 hour to muck out in mid-winter when he's in for 14 hours or so. But lots of people seem to have mats and then a full bed on top, so I can't see that would take any less time? Also, with all the rumours about bedding costs, if I can use less that would be great, but again, if you're putting a full bed down surely you don't use any less? And then there's what sort to get??? Our floors are quite level, and the stables flood slightly (only 1/2" or so of water a foot or so back from the doorway) if I don't clear the storm drains out before a downpour, so I'm thinking something like EVA might be best because it's lighter than rubber, so I can remove them if necessay to dry the floor out. I've seen some EVA ones on Ebay, has anyone tried them? I currently use Equisorb (flax) as it's very absorbent and also easy to dispose of to local farmer for spreading on fields, does this work with mats or should I try something else (has to be suitable as manure - ie rot quickly). Roughly how much is it going to cost me to put mats in a 12x12 stable? As I said - lots of questions!!!

 

[hannah28]

hey, i posted this a few dsays ago on another thread hope its helpful
(you may have already seen it ?

hey same situation as you !

i have really looked into rubber, eva and rubber and eva mixes !
i was leaning towards eva as i am soft on my horse and want him to be comfortable but after lots of research and phone calls i have found the mats i think i want (and there cheap to!)
http://www.horsematshop.co.uk/stable...able-mats.html

i spoke to the guy today and he quoted me £181-ish for mats for 10x12 stable inc delivery and VAT.

he also quoted me £350 for there eva ones, but he told me there not worth it and quality is not great. and he must have been truthful as he was encouraging me to spend less money ! Which companies dont often do

i think overall eva the only real benefit is that there light, but to me weight is not an issue as i only plan to take them up twice a year (are floors are good and flat) and i was also advised that a too soft floor is not good for a horses feet. so really i will not buy eva and i wouldnt recommend it.

i think the cow mats are eva so i would steer clear and i have also heard they can be slippy which is completely dangerous!

i think the main benefit for the croctop mat (other than the price ) is that they are slightly lighter than normal black mats and have a good draining system, also they have a slightly softer feel than the hard rubber as they are air cushioned. if you give them a call they are very helpful and can send you a free sample.

for the bedding i plan to use a half bed of straw with a thin layer of shavings or pellets in the patch he wees. i will be getting the sample tomorrow hopefully. PM me if you need to no anymore.

and sorry for the long answer just have done a lot of research and thought it would be helpful to you.

 

[Bert&Maud]

They look great. But it looks like they weigh 42 kg each??? Can you lift them (even if you've had shredded wheat for breakfast!)?

 

[hannah28]

well i dont think they will be to easy, but do you need to take them up often because i wont be ? there not impossibe i have dragged 50 kg one across the floor before. with two people i dont think it will be to hard

 

[katherine1975]

I've got eva ones made by easimat from ebay. Currently £234 for 12x12 stable. Got them for one stable just saving up for the other. Light weight easy to fit and soft for the horse to lie on.

 

[dreamcometrue]

I put mats in my horse's stable this spring and still put a full bed or perhaps slightly less. They cost me £180 for 6. I am so glad I did it because the mucking out time is much less, even with a fullish bed, because it just seems to stay in place better and you don't have to sweep as much. The stable just seems a cleaner and cosier place to be.

I am thinking of putting shavings down in his wee place once the horses are stabled more. I find that with a starw bed the wee can get in the joints between the mats.

 

[Hoodlum]

I've never been in a stable with rubber mats that didn't smell! Would you like the stink of old urine in your bedroom? Imagine what it does to eyes, feet and lungs!
Don't be so lazy..........

 

[hannah28]

I've never been in a stable with rubber mats that didn't smell! Would you like the stink of old urine in your bedroom? Imagine what it does to eyes, feet and lungs!
Don't be so lazy..........

well i dont no what stables youve been visiting, if you use enough bed there is no differance between mats or no mats, rubber mats are so benificial its not a case of being lazy its a case of wanting the best for your horse.......

 

[Hoodlum]

You can always justify everything somehow - if you want to - I wouldn't have stable mats given.

 

[katherine1975]

I still use a big ish bed on stable mats never had any problems with smell as I use enough bedding to soak up wee etc. I don't have them because I am lazy, I use them because I have one large draught type horse who I worry about when she lies down even in the thickest bed and another one who digs her bed and ends up lying on the floor. Wouldn't like them to get capped hocks!

 

[Achinghips]

Stable mats are a brill idea, it takes me hardly any time to muck out and they clean up beautifully and do not smell at all. Ventilation is important is you're using wood pellet bedding, due to the dust - this bedding soaks up the wee beautifully with the mats - I'm lucky though, my girl refuses to pee in the stable, whatever the surface/bedding.

 

[Achinghips]

I've never been in a stable with rubber mats that didn't smell! Would you like the stink of old urine in your bedroom? Imagine what it does to eyes, feet and lungs!
Don't be so lazy..........

what a strangely confrontational post.

 

[Crazy Friesian]

Hmmm, very strange confrontational post... Having had water buckets freeze on concrete floors, but not on rubber, for a start makes you think...

Having a 27yr old horse who moves his bed around and DOESNT benefit from a big bed (harder for him to move around in because of arthritis... makes you think (about having rubber mat)..

Having had rubber mat for years and NOT had a problem with smell in a properly ventilated stable... makes you think...

So long as the beds are thoroughly cleaned and swept out there should not be a problem with smell. I also like to try to leave my beds up to air, basically treat as you would any other base.

There are ways round dragging rubber mat out on your own... Get some baler twine, lift mat enough to get under mat (width wise), flip end over twine and drag...

There is also a guy selling 3x2 interlocking mats on ebay for about £23 for 2 (aka 6x4).
Birmingham way, I think

 

[quirky]

I've never been in a stable with rubber mats that didn't smell! Would you like the stink of old urine in your bedroom? Imagine what it does to eyes, feet and lungs!
Don't be so lazy..........

We have rubber mats that are professionally fitted and sealed, so urine doesn't seep anywhere. In fact, the rubber mat seems to contain it more, so less bed is taken out.
I must say, I have seen badly fitted rubber mats that do stink due to urine pooled underneath and I certainly wouldn't like that type.
Ours are fab

 

[jnb]

I have the thick Equimats with a huge bed on top - not because I want to save time (but it does!) but to save my horse's legs (he lies down a lot). They are not cheap - but neither are my horse's legs or a vet's bill!
My stable most certainly does not smell, because I have enough bed to stop the urine going under the mats! Horse pees in the same place and there is one wet patch which is removed daily in Summer and every few days in Winter. He is the easist horse on the yard to muck out - in fact someone new did it for me the other day and remarked it was a 5 minute job - mainly as his bed is so big. IMO a small bed is false economy (but that's just my opinion!)

 

[Bert&Maud]

I've never been in a stable with rubber mats that didn't smell! Would you like the stink of old urine in your bedroom? Imagine what it does to eyes, feet and lungs!
Don't be so lazy..........

I don't know what's lazy about working a 50 hour week and then trying to reduce having to spend at least half an hour each day (sometimes at 5am when its well below freezing)mucking out a stable when I'd rather be riding/grooming etc. My stable is kept immaculately which is why it takes so long to muck out my untidy horse - he's quite idle and walks around his box without bothering to pick up his feet. My other reason for researching mats was to see if they save money on bedding, but from the replies it sounds like most of you use just as much bed (I have a deep Equisorb bed which is really absorbent) so not sure that I would save that much. Thanks for all your replies which have been really helpful (apart from the one quoted above!!!).

 

[Achinghips]

Ignore the pmt troll, Tass. If you use wood pellets and rubber matting its much quicker and saves a fortune

 

[dozzie]

I did a lot of research when i bought mats. I forked out for equimats in the end.I bought cheap mats as wall mats and use minimal bedding.( But I couldnt use minimal bedding for one horse as he didnt like the splashback-it does happen!) IMO they are healthier. Less ammonia build up, less dust and more protective than a concrete floor under a normal bed, be it shavings, hemp, aubiose or straw.I didnt opt for mats to save money but because I had a horse with COPD. But in my mind it has benefitted all the horses plus saves me a lot of time and money. Horses happily sleep on the ground. They dont need a huge bed if they are protected from concrete.!

 

[vallin]

I have them as my horse will dig up her bed however big and otherwise end up capping her hocks on concrete (and I know she will as when she was at Rossdales on a massive bed with no rubber matting she came back with capped hocks *sigh*) so as she is a dirty so and so she had rubber mats with a thin layer of shavings on top to soak up the pee (she'll pee on anything) nice and simple and takes about 5minutes to muck out! If she was clean and didn't absolutly trash her bed she would have a massive bed as well as rubber matting, but I can't afford to give her one when I'd need to be putting in 2 bales a week to keep it that way!

 

[springer1021]

I have them but I still put a deep bed down but only bed down half the box so I suppose I am using less bedding, it's just extra comfort for them and there's no danger of them moving the bedding and slipping on the concrete underneath. I've never had a problem with smell.

They are heavy but to move them I fold them in half and drag them, I only move them once a year to wash underneath.

 

[measles]

I couldn't do without our rubber mats. We put in bankings and about an inch of bedding (we use shavings) to collect any pee. I can't say it is a lot cheaper for bedding but it saves so much time as there is virtually no sifting as everything on the floor goes out and the bankings are moved every second day.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

I've never been in a stable with rubber mats that didn't smell! Would you like the stink of old urine in your bedroom? Imagine what it does to eyes, feet and lungs!
Don't be so lazy..........

Im not sure why using stable mats makes u lazy?? I have rubber matting in mine,i use the same amount of straw and muck out dailly. The reason I got the matting was so it is less slippy for my mare who was quite stressy in her stable when i got her & it gave me peace of mind that she ould not slip & injure herself. The matting is easily lifted & washed and my stable is aired easily. It doesnt smell any different to any of the other stables at our yard?

ps.... most of us humans dont urinate on our bedroom floors!